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Bräuer, Bruno Oswald (Fallschirmjäger)

Date of birth:
February 4th, 1893 (Willmannsdorf/Jauer, Germany)
Date of death:
May 20th, 1947 (Schaidari Barracks/Athens, Greece)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Promotions:
01.12.1911: Gefreiter
01.07.1912: Unteroffizier
01.10.1915: Feldwebel
01.12.1916: Vizefeldwebel
01.10.1917: Offiziers-Stellvertreter
07.08.1919: Leutnant
01.01.1920: Polizei-Leutnant
29.09.1923: Polizei-Oberleutnant
04.04.1928: Polizei-Hauptmann
01.06.1935: Polizei-Major
15.10.1935: Major der Wehrmacht
01.01.1938: Oberstleutnant
01.01.1939: Oberst
01.09.1941: Generalmajor
06.09.1942: Generalleutnant
01.06.1944: General der Fallschirmtruppe

Career:
Career:
Pupil at the Military-Boys-Approved-School in Annaburg (27 Apr 1905-14 Apr 1908)
Pupil at the NCO-Preschool I Greifenberg, Pomerania (15 Apr 1908-14 Apr 1910)
Training at the NCO-School in Treptow I the Rega (15 Apr 1910-31 Mar 1912)
With the 155th Infantry-Regiment (01 Apr 1912-06 Aug 1919)
Platoon-Leader in the 9th Rifle-Regiment (07 Aug 1919-31 Dec 1919)
Transferred to Police Service with the Protection-Police im Unruhstadt (01 Jan 1920-1922)
With the Protection-Police in Berlin (1922-24 Feb 1933)
Company-Chief in the Police-Department Wecke (25 Feb 1933-31 May 1933)
Company-Chief with Police-Group Wecke (01 Jun 1933-16 Jul 1933)
Company-Chief in the State-Police-Group Wecke (17 Jul 1933-11 Jan 1934)
Company-Chief in the State-Police-Group ‘General Göring’ (12 Jan 1934-31 Mar 1935)
Battalion-Commander in the State-Police-Group ‘General Göring’ (01 Apr 1935-30 Sep 1935)
Transferred for Service with the Luftwaffe as Battalion-Commander in the Luftwaffe-Regiment ‘General Göring’ (01 Oct 1935-09 Nov 1935)
Commander of the I. (Jäger) Battalion in the Luftwaffe-Regiment ‘General Göring’ (10 Nov 1935-31 Aug 1937)
Commander of the IV. (Parachute-Infantry) Battalion in the Luftwaffe-Regiment ‘General Göring’ (01 Sep 1937-31 Mar 1938)
Commander of the I. Battalion of the 1st Paratrooper-Regiment (01 Apr 1938-31 Dec 1938)
Commander of the 1st Paratrooper-Regiment (01 Jan 1939-05 Sep 1942)
At the same time, Assigned the Leadership of Battle-Group East for the invasion of the Island Of Crete (16 May 1941-01 Jun 1941)
Führer-Reserve and Officer with Special Duties with the RLM and C-in-C Luftwaffe, Detached and Assigned the Leadership of the Affairs of the Commander of Fortress Crete and the Commander of Air-Region-Staff Crete (06 Sep 1942-23 Feb 1943)
Fortress-Commandant Crete and Commander of Air-Region Crete (23 Feb 1943-31 May 1944)
Führer-Reserve OKL (01 Jun 1944-01 Mar 1945)
Commander of the 9th Paratrooper-Division (02 Mar 1945-18 Apr 1945)
Fell ill, Führer-Reserve OKL (19 Apr 1945-09 May 1945)
In British, later Greek captivity (10 May 1945-20 May 1947)
Sentenced to Death by a Special Greek Court in Athens because of Alleged War Crimes and Hung (20 May 1947)

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Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
October 15th, 1914
Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
April 1st, 1917
Eisernes Kreuz 1.Klasse (1914)
Schlesisches Bewährungsabzeichen 2. Stufe
Rank:
Major (Squadron Leader)
Unit:
Kommandeur, IV. Luftwaffen-Fallschirm-Bataillon, Regiment „General Göring“
Awarded on:
July 4th, 1936
Fallschirmschützenabzeichen der Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  3.Klasse, 12 Jahre
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  2. Klasse, 18 Jahre
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  1.Klasse, 25 Jahre
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 20th, 1939
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
May 23rd, 1940
Awarded for:
Operation Fall Gelb
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1, 7. Flieger-Division, Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
May 24th, 1940
Awarded for:
Operation Fall Gelb
The following press article describes why Bräuer was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“The commander of a Fallschirmjäger-Regiment, Oberst Bräuer, was awarded the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross for his heroic devotion to duty while leading his Regiment, which held onto key communication nodes until reinforcements arrived. Oberst Bräuer, who originally came from the NCO ranks, demonstrated brave resolve and led his Regiment to great success at an important location.”

36th Award.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
June 9th, 1941
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalmajor (Brigadier)
Unit:
Kommandeur, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1, 7. Flieger-Division, Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
April 13th, 1942
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Sources

Photos