Friedrich Blond
| Friedrich Blond | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname | Friedel |
| Birth date | 29 April 1920 |
| Place of birth | Braunau am Inn, Austria |
| Death date | 28 May 2009 (aged 89) |
| Allegiance |  National Socialist Germany Austria
|
| Service/branch |  Waffen SS Austrian Army
|
| Years of service | 1938–1945 ( )
|
| Rank | SS-Obersturmführer () Oberst (Bundesheer) |
| Unit | Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
| Other work | Austrian Army Officer |
Friedrich "Friedel" Blond (29 April 1920 in Braunau am Inn; d. 28 May 2009) was a German officer of the Waffen-SS, at last SS-Obersturmführer (1st lieutenant) and Knight's Cross recipient of the LSSAH during WWII. After the war and his time as a POW he would become an Oberst (colonel) of the Austrian Bundesheer (de).
Contents
Life
Blond was born on 29 April 1920. His father was an officer in the Austrian Army (de) and the family moved to Voralberg where Friedrich grew up. He volunteered for the SS-Standarte Deutschland after the Anschluss of Austria in 1938.
World War II
During World War II, Blond took part in the Polish Campaign, the Battle of France, Operation Marita, the invasion of the Balkans, and Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union.
He was selected to become an officer and was posted to the SS-Junkerschule at Posen-Treskau in the Summer of 1944. After Graduation he was promoted to SS-Untersturmführer (Second Lieutenant) and given command of the 12th Company in the SS Training and Reserve Battalion Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, who were based in Hagen.
Battle of Berlin
Blond and his Battalion were moved to Berlin towards the end of the war, his company being reinforced with men from the Army and from the Luftwaffe Flak units. In April 1945, his company was attached to the 23 SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland (de). On 18 April 1945, Blond was in command of 200 men who formed a defensive line slowly retreating towards the centre of Berlin. After several days of fighting successful defensive battles, the company was reduced to thirty men.
On 28 April 1945, Blond was wounded for the fourth time in the war by bomb splinters and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his bravery in the Battle of Berlin, but did not receive the decoration as there were none available to issue. There are no documents to record the award in the German federal archives. According to relevant statements known the award was announced via radio from the Führerbunker headquarters in Berlin on 28 April 1945. Appropriate documentation of the 9th Army radio records are not available. An award of the Knight's Cross to Friedrich Blond is questionable and so far not definitive.
Post-war
Blond survived the war and became an officer in the Austrian Army and attained the rank of Colonel.
Awards and decorations
- German Reich Sport Badge (Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen) in Bronze
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange „Prager Burg“ (Sudetenland Medal with the Prague Castle Bar)
- Iron Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class
- Infantry Assault Badge (Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen)
- Close Combat Clasp in Bronze
- Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen 1939) in Black and Silver
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 April 1945 as SS-Untersturmführer and Leader of the 12. Kompanie/SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Ausbildungs- und Ersatz-Bataillon 1 „LSSAH“ (III. Bataillon/SS-Regiment „Falke“)
- Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria in Gold (Goldenes Ehrenzeichen der Republik Österreich)
Further reading
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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. Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
