Bio of Oberfeldwebel Franz Bredemeyer (1913-1985)

Franz Bredemeyer

Date of Birth: 12.10.1913 - Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen (German Empire)
Date of Death: 13.02.1985 - Bremen, Freie Hansestadt Bremen (West Germany)

Battles and Operations: Battle of France (1940), Invasion of Yugoslavia (1941), Operation Barbarossa (1941), Battle of Kiev (1941), Battle of the Caucasus (1942), Battle of Voronezh (1942), Battle of the Mius River (1943)

Promotions:
00.00.19__ Gefreiter
00.00.19__ Unteroffizier
00.00.194_ Feldwebel
00.00.194_ Oberfeldwebel

Career:
17.04.1935 - 02.10.1937 completed his active military service
18.08.1939 rejoined the Wehrmacht
19.09.1939 posted in the 1.Kompanie / Sicherungs-Regiment 1
01.08.1940 1.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 156 (mot.) / 16.Infanterie-Division (mot.)
02.08.1941 - 15.10.1941 wounded and taken to the hospital
20.02.1942 3.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 156 (mot.) / 16.Infanterie-Division (mot.)
25.03.1942 Zugführer in 2.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 156 (mot.) / 16.Infanterie-Division (mot.)
23.06.1943 Zugführer in 2.Kompanie / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 156 / 16.Panzergrenadier-Division
25.08.1943 wounded for the fifth time and transferred to the hospital. There his lower leg is amputated
02.12.1943 recuperated in the Reserve-Lazarett Zakopane
12.01.1944 transferred to the Reserve-Lazarett Gronau / Wehrkreis-Kommando VI

Awards and Decorations:
26.07.1941 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.194_ Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen
17.10.1941 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
00.00.194_ Nahkampfspange in Bronze
00.00.194_ Nahkampfspange in Silber
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber
23.08.1943 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Feldwebel and Zugführer in 2.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 156 / 16.Panzergrenadier-Division. Awarded for distinguishing himself during the major defensive battles around Ssemenowskij in the time period 23.-25.07.1943. During this period he managed to master seemingly hopeless battlefield situations on two occasions, and by doing so he significantly contributed to the successful German defense to contain the Soviets along the Mius river. The first time was when he prevented an armoured breakthrough via a counterthrust that he led at the head of a few Panzergrenadiers. The second was when he held his position despite being attacked on all sides until a friendly counterattack restored the situation.

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Franz Bredemeyer was born on October 12th, 1913 in Hörde near Dortmund and completed his active military service from April 17th, 1935 to October 2nd, 1937.

He rejoined the Wehrmacht on August 18, 1939 and, according to the report dated August 19, 1939, he was placed in the 1st Company of the Security Regiment 1. This company came from the 1st Company of the Field Replacement Battalion 22. On August 1, 1940 the Security Regiment was Regiment 1 in Sennelager was reclassified into Infantry Regiment 156 (motorized) and subordinated to the 16th Infantry and Panzergrenadier Division.

After the start of the Eastern campaign, Bredemeyer was wounded on August 2, 1941 and taken to a hospital. Having recovered, he returned to his 1st company in the field with a report dated October 15, 1941 from the staff company of the Infantry Replacement Battalion (with.) 156. Between February 20th and March 25, 1942, he moved first to the 3rd and then to the 2nd company of the regiment. Heavy fighting on the Mius then followed for the division, for which it was named in the Wehrmacht report. During this battle, an important high position had to be held, and Bredemeyer prevented a tank breakthrough with just a few Panzergrenadiers in the counterattack and held his position against any enemy attacks until the next day, until a counterattack of his own reached Bredemeyer's positions. During these battles the division was attacked by no less than 2 Guards Tank Corps, a Guards Tank Brigade and 8 Rifle Divisions. For Bredemeyer's bravery and courage, he was awarded the Knight's Cross on August 23, 1943, as a Feldwebel and platoon leader in the 2nd company of the Grenadier Regiment (mot.) 156.

Two days after being awarded the Knight's Cross, on August 25, 1943, Bredemeyer was seriously wounded for the fifth time and transferred to a hospital. There his lower leg is amputated. Shortly afterwards, Lieutenant General Count Schwerin handed him the Knight's Cross in the hospital. The award ceremony was shown in the newsreel on September 15, 1943.

On December 2nd, 1943 he was sent to the Zakopane reserve hospital for around 6 weeks and from January 12th, 1944 to the Gronau reserve hospital in Military District Command VI.

Bredemeyer's further career is not yet known. It has not yet been clearly proven whether he was promoted to Oberfeldwebel by the end of the war.

Franz Bredemeyer died on February 13, 1985 in Bremen.

Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Feldwebel Franz Bredemeyer (Zugführer in 2.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 156 / 16.Panzergrenadier-Division) which were held at the Lazarett in August/September 1943. Awarded the medal is Generalleutnant Gerhard Graf von Schwerin (Kommandeur 16. Panzergrenadier-Division). Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.

Franz Bredemeyer with the Ritterkreuz.

Franz Bredemeyer in convalescence. Two days after being awarded the Ritterkreuz on 23 August 1943, Bredemeyer was seriously wounded for the fifth time since 1940 and transferred to Haupt-Verbandplatz 51 behind the frontline. There his lower leg is amputated. Shortly afterwards, Generalleutnant Gerhard Graf von Schwerin (Kommandeur 16. Panzergrenadier-Division) handed him the medal in the hospital. The award ceremony was shown in the 'Deutsche Wochenschau' (German Newsweek Reel)  Nr.680 which were published on 15 September 1943.



From left to right: Hinrich Ahrens (15 March 1921 - 31 December 2009. Ritterkreuz on 9 January 1945 as Geschützführer in 13.Kompanie / Grenadier-Regiment 1141 / 561.Volksgrenadier-Division. Last rank: Feldwebel) and Franz Bredemeyer (12 October 1913 - 13 February 1985. Ritterkreuz on 23 August 1943 as Feldwebel and Zugführer in 2.Kompanie / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 156 / 16.Panzergrenadier-Division. Last rank: Oberfeldwebel). The picture was probably taken in the 1980s.

Ritterkreuz Vorläufiges Besitzzeugnis (preliminary award document) to Feldwebel Franz Bredemeyer, presented on 28 August 1943. M. Zimmer collection.

Medal grouping of Franz Bredemeyer. The Ritterkreuz bears the horizontal "2" manufacturer mark of the Juncker firm. Bredemeyer was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 23 August 1943. He most certainly didn't receive this lazy 2 Ritterkreuz in August 1943. Maybe a very late replacement Ritterkreuz - if there is any connection to Bredemeyer at all - because lazy 2 model was a very late produced cross.

Source :
Bill D. photo collection
Agustin Vazquez photo collection
M. Zimmer photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/363610327369627/photos/a.363664750697518/378789025851757/?type=3&paipv=0&eav=Afb9iiDq5-cktMiOWAwXrCHo9lNNaV1UYyltJvD40ug_hDgolWBQ48PHn1y9uL4jxlU&_rdr
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29879&p=2085599&hilit=bredemeyer#p2085599
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Franz_Bredemeyer
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/28674/Bredemeyer-Franz.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20110105171709fw_/http://ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Infanterie/B/Br/Bredemeyer-Franz.htm
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/wehrmacht-era-militaria/crosses-of-the-wehrmacht/12730323-juncker-lazy-2-attributed-knights-cross