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Kleffner, Franz Josef (Waffen SS)

    Date of birth:
    June 2nd, 1907 (Hamburg-Altona/Wesphalia, Germany)
    Date of death:
    March 16th, 1945 (Sakeresztes, Székesfehérvár/Stuhlweißenburg, Hungary)
    Buried on:
    War Cemetery Sopron
    Grave: UNK.
    Service number:
    SS-Nr.: 7.939 // NSDAP-Nr.: 401.687
    Nationality:
    German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

    Biography

    Franz Kleffner was killed on March 16th, 1945 in Sakeresztes located 10km north of Stuhlweißenburg/Székesfehérvár, Hungary, as Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 6 "Theodor Eicke".

    Promotions:
    01.12.1930: joined the NSDAP
    15.12.1930: entered the SS - SS-Anwärter
    20.05.1931: SS-Mann
    21.09.1932: SS-Scharführer
    24.10.1932: SS-Truppführer
    08.12.1933: SS-Obertruppführer
    15.02.1934: SS-Hauptscharführer
    20.04.1935: SS-Untersturmführer
    30.01.1936: SS-Obersturmführer
    09.11.1936: SS-Hauptsturmführer
    04.01.1942: SS-Sturmbannführer - effective on 30.01.1942 (Dienstlaufbahn gives 30. Mai 1942)
    09.11.1943: SS-Obersturmbannführer

    Career:
    15.12.1930: 1. Sturm, I. Sturmbann, 20. SS-Standarte in Düsseldorf
    00.03.1935: SS-Hascha, 3. Sturm, SS-Standarte „Deutschland", SS-Verfügungstruppe
    01.04.1935-31.01.1938: SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig then stayed as Junkerschaftsführer
    01.02.1938: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 10. Hundertschaft, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 1 „Oberbayern"
    01.07.1938: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 2. Hundertschaft, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 4 „Ostmark"
    01.07.1939-01.08.1939: Kompanie-Führer-Lehrgang - Infanterie-Schule Döberitz
    01.09.1939-01.10.1939: SS-Hstuf, Führer, I. Standarte / SS-Totenkopf-Standarte „Ostmark"
    01.10.1939-12.09.1941: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 13. (Kradschützen-)Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiments 2 - Western campaign
    00.12.1939: Stabsoffizier-Lehrgang - 29. Infanterie-Division
    12.09.1941-25.10.1941: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 5. Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Kradschützen-Bataillon 'Thule', SS-Totenkopf-Division
    25.10.1941-00.10.1942: SS-Hstuf, Kommandeur, Kradschützen-Bataillon 'Thule', SS-Totenkopf-Division - distinguished himself as Führer, Kampfgruppe „Bjakowo" (later Kampfgruppe „Kleffner") ivo Wassiljeschtschina, where he defended and held with success one of the cornerstone of the Demjansk pocket
    18.01.1943-26.01.1943: Lehrgang für Abteilungskommandeure - Panzerlehrgang Wünsdorf
    27.01.1943-01.02.1943: Schießschule der Panzertruppe in Putlos
    01.02.1943-28.02.1943: Abteilungs-Führerschule für Schnelle Truppen in Paris
    01.02.1943: SS-Stubaf, Kommandeur, I. Abteilung, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 10, 10. SS-Panzer-Division „Frundsberg"
    02.09.1943-11.04.1944: SS-Stubaf, Kommandeur, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 10, 10. SS-Panzer-Division „Frundsberg"
    12.04.1944: SS-Ostubaf, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 22, 10. SS-Panzer-Division „Frundsberg"
    23.05.1944: arrested for excessive drunkenness
    02.06.1944-07.09.1944: imprisoned in the General-Pape-Straße prison in Schöneberg, Berlin
    24.09.1944: SS-Ostubaf, Kdr, SS-Panzer-Regiment 5, 5. SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division „Wiking"
    09.10.1944: SS-Ostubaf, Kommandeur, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiments 6 „Theodor Eicke", 3. SS-Panzer-Division „Totenkopf"
    16.03.1945-20.03.1945: KIA north of Lake Velence in Hungary when the armoured personnel carrier he was travelling in was hit by a Soviet shell ivo Sakeresztes located 10km north of Stuhlweißenburg / Székesfehévár, Hungary and buried in Ödenburg / Sopron, Hungary

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    Awarded on:
    1931
    Abzeichen des SA - Treffens Braunschweig 1931
    Bronzes SA-Sportabzeichen
    Awarded on:
    February 1934
    Ehrenwinkel der Alten Kämpfer
    Awarded on:
    1935
    Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS
    Goldenes Ehrenzeichen der NSDAP
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
    Unit:
    Chef, 10. Hundertschaft, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 1 „Oberbayern“
    Awarded on:
    1939
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
    Unit:
    Chef, 2. Hundertschaft, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 4 „Ostmark“
    Awarded on:
    1939
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
    Unit:
    Chef, 13. (Kradschützen-)Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiments 2, SS-Totenkopf-Division
    Awarded on:
    June 22nd, 1940
    Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
    Unit:
    Chef, 13. (Kradschützen-)Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiments 2, SS-Totenkopf-Division
    Awarded on:
    July 13th, 1941
    Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Sturmbannführer (Major)
    Unit:
    Kommandeur, SS-Kradschützen-Bataillon "Totenkopf", SS-Totenkopf-Division
    Awarded on:
    February 19th, 1942
    The following telex contains the second forwarding of Kleffner’s Knight’s Cross recommendation. It reads as follows…

    “SS-Sturmbannführer Kleffner, commander of Kampfgruppe Bjakowo, has been fighting at the head of a weak motley of forces at a decisive position for more than two weeks against a much superior foe. Throughout this time he has distinguished himself by his brave and exemplary devotion to duty. Despite being encircled multiple times, he has up until now repelled all enemy attacks (even those supported by heavy armour) and inflicted heavy losses in men and materiel upon the enemy.

    I support this recommendation.”
    Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Sturmbannführer (Major)
    Unit:
    Kommandeur, Kradschützen-Bataillon, SS-Totenkopf-Division
    Awarded on:
    June 12th, 1942
    Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen
    in bronze
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Sturmbannführer (Major)
    Unit:
    Kommandeur, Kradschützen-Bataillon, SS-Totenkopf-Division
    Awarded on:
    1942
    Medaille

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