Kaspar Brandner
| Kaspar Brandner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth date | 6 January 1916 |
| Place of birth | Salla near Voitsberg, Steiermark, Austria-Hungary |
| Death date | 11 April 1983 (aged 67) |
| Place of death | Voitsberg, Republic of Austria |
| Allegiance |  National Socialist Germany
|
| Service/branch |  Sturmabteilung Heer
|
| Years of service | 1938–1945 |
| Rank | Oberjäger |
| Battles/wars | World War II
|
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Kaspar Brandner (6 January 1916 – 11 April 1983) was a German farmer from Austria and a NCO of the Wehrmacht, finally Oberjäger and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in World War II.
Life
After attending school (Volksschule and Hauptschule), Brandner worked as a farmer. At some point, according to his military files, he joined the SA. On 2 December 1938, eight months after the Anschluss, he joined the Wehrmacht, presumably to complete his mandatory two-year military service. He served in the 7th Company of the 138th Mountain Infantry Regiment in Graz and was trained as a Gebirgsjäger.
WWII
With this regiment, he participated in the Polish campaign. From April to June 1940, he participated in the occupation of Norway, and from June 1941, in the Russian campaign in Lapland. On 16 August 1941, Brandner was wounded by a grenade splinter and admitted to Reserve Military Hospital I in Graz. After his recovery, he was transferred to the Convalescent Company of the 1st Battalion of the 138th Mountain Infantry Replacement Regiment in Loeben on 10 February 1942. On 27 March 1942, he was assigned to the 4th Company of the 138th Mountain Infantry Replacement Regiment and returned to the 138th Mountain Infantry Regiment on 14 April 1942. He was transferred to the 9th (MG) Company. On 11 November 1942, Brandner was wounded in the left hand by a pistol shot near Nowo-Sokolinki and was therefore transferred to a home military hospital. On 12 February 1943, he returned to the 138th Mountain Infantry Replacement Regiment in Leoben.
In July 1943, he was transferred to the 8th Company of the 91st Mountain Infantry Regiment. On 17 August 1943, he was transferred to the 2nd Company of the 94th Field Replacement Battalion, where he was wounded again on 1 December 1943. After his recovery, he joined the Convalescent Company of the 99th Mountain Infantry Replacement Regiment on 13 January 1944. On 8 February 1944, he was transferred to the 1st Company of Battalion D VII in Denmark, and on 1 June 1944, to the 8th Company of the 91st Mountain Infantry Regiment. In early October 1944, this company fought in the Mezö area. Here, Oberjäger Brandner distinguished himself as a group leader during the heavy fighting. With his small group of mountain infantry, he was able to destroy a complete Red Army company, repulse the Russian attack long enough for reinforcements to arrive and stabilize the situation. For this, he was awarded the Knight's Cross on 28 October 1944.[1]
Family
Kaspar was the son of freight forwarder Peter Brandner and his wife Maria, née Scherz (d. 1919). According to his Wehrmacht files, NCO Kaspar Brandner was not married, but it is very possible he did so post-WWII after his time as a POW.
Promotions
- 1 October 1939 Gefreiter der Reserve (Private E-2/Lance Corporal of the Reserves)
- 1 November 1940 Obergefreiter der Reserve (Private First Class E-3/Senior Lance Corporal of the Reserves)
- 1942/43 Oberjäger (non-commissioned officer)
Awards and decorations
- Infantry Assault Badge (Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen) in Silver
- Wound Badge (1939) in Black and Silver
- Iron Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class
- 2nd Class on 6 August 1944
- 1st Class on 4 September 1944
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 October 1944 as Oberjäger and Group Leader in the 8th Company/Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 91
- The Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 91 was subordinated to the 4. Gebirgs-Division/XXIX. Armee-Korps/Armeegruppe Wöhler (8th Army)/Heeresgruppe Süd
Gallery
Kaspar Brandner, studio portrait, 14 January 1945
Austrian Knight's Cross recipients in 1953, from left: Kaspar Brandner, Johann Baichl (1918–1994) and Lorenz Schmied (1923–2003)
,_Johann_Baichl_(1918-1994),_Lorenz_Schmied_(1923-2003)_in_1953.jpg)
