Bruno Franz Arnold Anton Freiherr von Brackel
Date of Birth: 20.12.1911 - Kassel, Hessen-Nassau (German Empire)
Date of Death: 13.08.1941 Korsun-Shevchenkivsky, Ukraine (Soviet Union)
Battles and Campaigns: Invasion of Poland (1939), Battle of France (1940), invasion of Yugoslavia (1941), Unternehmen Barbarossa (1941), Battle of Uman (1941)
Promotions:
01.12.1937 Leutnant (9)
01.02.1940 Oberleutnant (25)
01.08.1941 Hauptmann (posthumously)
Career:
01.11.1934 Einjährig-Freiwilliger (one-year volunteer) in Reiter-Regiment 7 in Breslau
00.12.1937 transferred to Panzer-Regiment 15
10.11.1938 Adjutant II.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 15
01.02.1940 Führer 4.Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 15
Awards and Decorations:
01.11.1938 Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV.Klasse (4 jahre)
23.09.1939 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
09.07.1940 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
23.08.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (posthumously), as Oberleutnant and Führer 4.Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 15 / 11.Panzer-Division
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Bruno Franz Arnold Anton Freiherr von Brackel was born on December 20, 1911 in Kassel, passed his matriculation examination in Liegnitz and began studying law in Kiel. After moving to Breslau, where he joined the Corps Lusatia fraternity, and Marburg, he became a trainee lawyer in October 1933 and a doctorate in law in July 1934.
On November 1, 1934, he joined the 7th Cavalry Regiment in Breslau as a one-year volunteer. There he probably committed himself to further years of service and came as a lieutenant, via Eisenach to Sagan for the 15th Panzer Regiment. There he was appointed adjutant of the II. Abteilung on November 10th, 1938 and thus took part in the Polish campaign.
Appointed Führer of the 4th company on February 1, 1940, western and eastern campaigns follow. This 4th company continued the traditions of the Breslau body cuirassiers. As part of the fighting that ultimately led to the award of the Knight's Cross, Baron von Brackel fell near Korsun-Sarossawka on August 13, 1941 and was proposed for the Knight's Cross.
The department commander, Major Schimmelmann, justified the award of the Knight's Cross by going into detail about Brackel's successes. In the course of the eastern campaign so far, the 4th company, led by von Brackel, had destroyed 106 enemy tanks, 21 guns, 10 armored cars and 18 anti-tank guns. Of these, 41 tanks alone were shot down in just 24 hours! On July 12, 1941, on the eve of the attack on Berdichev in the direction of Rajgorodek, to establish a connection between the 11th Panzer Division and the 60th Infantry Division (motorized), von Brackel and his company drove to the south-west in a violent reconnaissance. The enemy tanks, 18 in number, that kept getting in the way were completely destroyed by the skillful approach of the individual platoons and tanks. This made it possible to obtain important reconnaissance results regarding enemy occupation and terrain.
On the morning of August 13, 1941, the 4th company advanced on Rajgorodek, as the 1st wave, with the task of pushing through the 10 km deep enemy zone in order to force the connection to the 60th Infantry Division (mot.). From the village of Protyhorka, however, the Germans encountered heavy anti-tank and artillery fire. Nevertheless, von Brackel decides to be the first to enter the village, and his vehicle is damaged twice by heavy artillery hits. In the midst of the heaviest defensive fire, the crew repaired the damage and continued the attack. A total of 23 tanks were shot down and the connection to the 16th Infantry Division (motorized) was established. Two reconnaissance platoons then reported 15 enemy tanks preparing to attack on the Rajgorodek-Berdichev road. Von Brackel turns immediately and shoots down three tanks. Two rifle battalions, whose attack had failed in front of the enemy, were cut out by von Brackel. The company pushed on, kilometer after kilometer.
The company also destroyed 10 planes that were waiting at an airfield, and one plane was shot down in the air!
Von Brackel received the Knight's Cross posthumously on August 23, 1941, as a Oberleutnant and commander of the 4th company in the 15th Panzer Regiment.
Von Brackel also made a name for himself as the lyricist for the Panzerlied song "Sitzt auf, Kameraden, den Motor werft an" (Get up comrades, start the engine). The melody was composed by Herms Niel. The song was published in “Kamerad sing mit - Soldatenlieder & Märsche für Akkordeon (Comrade sing along - Soldiers' Songs & Marches for Accordion)”, 1939 SV102.
Dr.jur. Bruno Freiherr von Brackel wearing a panzer beret and black Panzer uniform.
Source :
https://alchetron.com/Bruno-Freiherr-von-Brackel
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Brackel,_Bruno_von
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Bruno_Freiherr_von_Brackel
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/30268/Brackel-Drjur-Freiherr-von-Bruno.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20110105165922fw_/http://ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Infanterie/B/Br/Brackel-Bruno-von.htm
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