Excerpt from "Ganze Männer" showing the Ritterkreuzträger of the Fallschirmjäger
“Real Men” (Ganze Männer) is a short propaganda film about the training and combat mission of German paratroopers.
During WWII, Germany was the first country to use paratroopers on a larger scale; they were employed during the invasion of Denmark and the Low Countries in 1940.
But their most famous operation was the invasion of Crete, where over 14,000 German paratroopers landed on the island and managed to conquer it in May/ June 1941 but suffered heavy losses. Paratroopers after 1941 were used as regular ground troops, mostly on focal points on the front that were under high pressure.
Nevertheless, actual paradrop training was continued until early 1944. The following short shows scenes from Paratrooper training, exercise and combat footage from the landings on Crete. The title, "Real Men" refers to the fact that, according to this propaganda short, only "real men" can become paratroopers. This short was shown before propaganda newsreels and films in early 1942.
Oberst Bruno Bräuer (Kommandeur Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1). Received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 May 1940 for his heroic devotion to duty while leading his Regiment in the Westfeldzug, 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.
Oberleutnant Horst Kerfin (Zugführer in 11.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1). During the aerial attack on Rotterdam on 10 May 1940, Oberleutnant Kerfin and his Zug had a special mission to complete. After landing near the suburb of Feyenoord, Kerfin and his men stormed through the village and found an electric street car at the edge of Rotterdam. They commandeered it and rode to a point just before their objective, the Maas island at the river bend in the southeast of the city. They eliminated the AA battery on this island, then fought their way over the Willems bridge and created a small bridgehead on the north bank of the Maas. This bridgehead was then reinforced by elements of the 9./Infanterie-Regiment 16, leading to a total strength of about 60 German troops in the bridgehead. Kerfin and his men then held it for five days until relieved by friendly forces, despite being given permission to retreat if the situation demanded it. For this act he would be decorated with the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 May 1940.
Leutnant der Reserve Wolfgang Graf von Blücher (Zugführer in 2.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1). Received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 May 1945. The following press report, dated 26 May 1940, describes why Blücher was awarded the Ritterkreuz: “Leutnant d.R. Graf von Blücher captured a strongly garrisoned enemy nest of bunkers in a display of outstanding devotion to duty and unstoppable forward drive.”
General der Fallschirmtruppe Kurt Student (left, Kommandierender General der Fallschirmtruppe). Received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 12 May 1940 for the success of his airborne and air landing forces during the Battle of France, specifically in Holland and at Eben Emael. As the father of these forces, the Ritterkreuz signified recognition of the ultimate role he had to play in these decisive battlefield accomplishments. Student received the Eichenlaub for his Ritterkreuz on 27 September 1943 for the important role his troops played in the Mediterranean during the summer of 1943, specifically in the battle of Sicily, the rescue of Mussolini and the disarmament of Italian forces around Rome.
Source :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHmbgGicnnM
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29879&hilit=bl%C3%BCcher&start=26385
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/34529/Student-Kurt-Arthur-Benno.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20091028111435fw_/http://geocities.com/orion47.geo/WEHRMACHT/LUFTWAFFE/General/BRAEUER_BRUNO.html
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