Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski
Encyclopedia
Hermann Leopold August von Oppeln-Bronikowski (2 January 1899 – 19 September 1966) was a German
Army
officer and panzer
ace. Oppeln-Bronikowski fought during World War I
and World War II
. At the 1936 Summer Olympics
he won the Gold Medal in the team Dressage
. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
. On 1 April 1912 he entered the Bensberg Cadet School near Cologne
. Two years later he was transferred to the cadet institute at Groß-Lichterfelde
near Berlin
. On 23 March 1917 the cadet reported to the Ulan Regiment "Prinz August von Württemberg" No. 10 at Züllichau in East Brandenburg. A few weeks later he was transferred from the reserve troop to the active regiment, which was stationed in Poland as part of the occupying force.
Oppeln-Bronikowski volunteered for front-line service in the infantry and was transferred to the Western Front to the Infanterie-Regiment "Prinz Carl" Nr. 118. He received the Iron Cross
, Second Class and three months later became one of the youngest Leutnants ever to receive the Iron Cross, First Class. On 14 October 1918 he also received the Hessian Medal of Bravery.
After World War II
he worked as a civilian advisor and helped setting up of the German Bundeswehr
. He also worked for the Canadians as a riding instructor at the 1964 Summer Olympics
in Tokyo
. He died in Gaißach
, in the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen
, Bavaria
.
On 17 June 1931 Oppeln-Bronikowski married Edelgard von Kleist, the daughter of Lieutenant-General Adolf von Kleist and Gertrud von Sydow.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
officer and panzer
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
ace. Oppeln-Bronikowski fought during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. At the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
he won the Gold Medal in the team Dressage
Dressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Biography
Oppeln-Bronikowski was born in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. On 1 April 1912 he entered the Bensberg Cadet School near Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. Two years later he was transferred to the cadet institute at Groß-Lichterfelde
Lichterfelde
Lichterfelde may refer to:* Berlin Lichterfelde* Lichterfelde West elegant residential area in Berlin* the municipality of Lichterfelde, Saxony-Anhalt in the Stendhal District, Germany* VfB Lichterfelde...
near Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. On 23 March 1917 the cadet reported to the Ulan Regiment "Prinz August von Württemberg" No. 10 at Züllichau in East Brandenburg. A few weeks later he was transferred from the reserve troop to the active regiment, which was stationed in Poland as part of the occupying force.
Oppeln-Bronikowski volunteered for front-line service in the infantry and was transferred to the Western Front to the Infanterie-Regiment "Prinz Carl" Nr. 118. He received the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
, Second Class and three months later became one of the youngest Leutnants ever to receive the Iron Cross, First Class. On 14 October 1918 he also received the Hessian Medal of Bravery.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he worked as a civilian advisor and helped setting up of the German Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
. He also worked for the Canadians as a riding instructor at the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. He died in Gaißach
Gaißach
Gaißach is a municipality in the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen in Bavaria in Germany....
, in the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by Austria and the districts of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Weilheim-Schongau, Starnberg, Munich and Miesbach.- History :...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
.
On 17 June 1931 Oppeln-Bronikowski married Edelgard von Kleist, the daughter of Lieutenant-General Adolf von Kleist and Gertrud von Sydow.
Awards
- Hessische Tapferkeitsmedaille (14 October 1918)
- Panzer BadgePanzer BadgeThe Panzer Badge was a German medal awarded to armour troops during World War II. It was introduced during World War II in December 1939 .- History :The Tank Combat Badge, or Panzer Badge, first existed in the German Army during World War I, and was later...
in Silver (2. Class) - German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold (7 August 1943) - Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
in Black - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
2nd and 1st class - Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and SwordsKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross on 1 January 1943 as OberstOberstOberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
and commander of Panzer-Regiment 204 - 536th Oak Leaves on 28 July 1944 as Oberst and commander of Panzer-Regiment 22
- 142nd Swords on 17 April 1945 as Generalmajor and commander of the 20. Panzer-Division
- Knight's Cross on 1 January 1943 as Oberst
- Mentioned in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....