Ritterkreuzträger Graves in France

[John P. Moore]

Not everyone who wants to is able to visit the military cemeteries in Europe where so many historical personalities are buried. I plan to create a number of threads where I will share the photos that I have taken in recent years of Ritterkreuzträger buried in various German military cemeteries in Europe. I begin with Champigny-St. André located near the city of Evreux. Among the 19,809 persons buried there is SS-Brigadeführer Fritz Witt, who was KIA on June 16, 1944 as commander of the 12.SS-Panzer Division “Hitler Jugend”.

John

Witt,-Fritz---2.jpg (133.54 KiB) Viewed 6696 times

[John P. Moore]

This is the area immediately surrounding Witt's grave where a wreath had recently been laid. I visited here in September 2003 shortly after the end of a major heatwave in Europe and the grass was no longer green.

Witt,-Fritz---3.jpg (159.61 KiB) Viewed 6721 times

[John P. Moore]

Hauptsturmführer Karl Bastian was killed on August 11, 1944 as commander of the II.Btl./SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 21 of the 10.SS-Panzer Division "Frundsberg"

Bastian,-Karl.jpg (141.75 KiB) Viewed 6734 times

[John P. Moore]

SS-Sturmbannführer Georg Karck died in a vehicle accident on July 3, 1944 as commander of the II./SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 2 of the 1.SS-Panzer Division “LSSAH”.

Karck,-Georg.jpg (143.85 KiB) Viewed 6713 times

[John P. Moore]

Cemetery Entrance

General-View---Entry.jpg (84.69 KiB) Viewed 6666 times

[John P. Moore]

General-View---Entry---2.jpg (149.57 KiB) Viewed 6656 times

[John P. Moore]

SS-Obersturmbannführer and oak leaves holder Christian Tychsen is one of the 11,169 buried at Marigny in Normandy. Tychsen, who was a long-time commander of the Panzer Regiment "Das Reich", was killed on July 28, 1944 as acting commander of the 2.SS-Panzer Division "Das Reich".

Tychsen,-Christian.jpg (200.29 KiB) Viewed 6637 times

[John P. Moore]

Buried in the same row and not too far from Tychsen is the grave of SS-Hauptscharführer Adolf Rüd. He was a member of SS-Panzergrenadier Rgt. "Deutschland" when he was killed on August 2, 1944.

Rüd,-Adolf.jpg (187.99 KiB) Viewed 6668 times

[John P. Moore]

General view of the Marigny cemetery.

General-View-5.jpg (130.04 KiB) Viewed 6625 times

[John P. Moore]

Cemetery Entrance

General-View----Entry.jpg (86.3 KiB) Viewed 6622 times

[JEROME Georges]

is there RKT in the german military cimetery of Niederbronn-Les-Bains in Alsace (East of France) ?


Georges

[John P. Moore]

Georges - I did not find any Waffen-SS Ritterkreuzträger graves at Niederbronn, but there could be some from other services. One well-known Waffen-SS officer buried at Niederbronn is SS-Hauptsturmführer Richard Kaprolat, who was KIA on 10 February 1945 at Bannstein as adjutant of SS-Gebirgsjäger Rgt. 12 of the "Nord" division. Kaprolat Hill in the border area of Finland and Russia is named after him.

John

Kaprolat,-Richard.jpg (79.96 KiB) Viewed 5978 times

[Franz Repper]

John Did SS-Hauptsturmführer Richard Kaprolat win the RK when he was serving with SS Nord of before ?

[John P. Moore]

Kaprolat was not a Ritterkreuzträger. I only posted the photo of his grave to provide an example of a well-known Waffen-SS officer who was buried at Niederbronn. In the nearby cemetery at Andilly in the Alsace is the grave of SS-Standartenführer Fritz Klingenberg, a Ritterkreuzträger who was KIA as commander of the "Götz von Berlichingen" division at Herxheim, Germany.

Klingenberg,-Fritz.jpg (75.05 KiB) Viewed 5899 times

[Franz Repper]

Thanks sir for clearing that up