Franz Dutter

Franz Dutter
Born	(1917-10-24)24 October 1917 Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Died	21 November 1996(1996-11-21) (aged 79) Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Heer
Years of service	1936–45
Rank	Major
Unit	Grenadier-Regiment 2
Battles / wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Siege of Warsaw (1939) Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Battle of Narva (1944) Courland Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Franz Dutter (24 October 1917 – 21 November 1996) was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was also awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp in Gold one of only 631 awards.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (21 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (13 October 1939)
• Wound Badge
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (17 October 1944)
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver (22 January 1942)
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze (10 May 1944)
  • in Silver (25 May 1944)
  • in Gold (20 November 1944)
• Eastern Front Medal (15 August 1942)
• German Cross in Gold (9 October 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 March 1944 as Major and II./Grenadier-Regiment 2
• Ärmelband Kurland

References

Bibliography

• Berger, Florian (2004). Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-3-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkeuztraeger 1939-1945