Franz Budka
Encyclopedia
Franz Budka was a Obersturmführer
in the Waffen SS during World War II
. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II.
Franz Budka was born on 18 August 1920, in Vienna
. During World War II he was the commander of the 1st Company, SS Fortress Regiment 1
which was involved in the 82 day Siege of Breslau. Franz Budka positioned his men in the cellar of a destroyed building in Augusta Strasse. While the entire structure above them continued to burn, the men of Budkas company repelled many attacks inflicting heavy losses on the Red Army (the temperature of the burning building approached 120-140 °C). The Red Army managed to take control of a building nearby and Budka launched an immediate attack against them only a few managed to escape. His company resisted every attack by the Red Army
for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross in April 1945. He committed suicide during an attempted breakout from Breslau on 6 May 1945, after being seriously wounded after stepping on a mine
, he shot himself.
Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi party that was used by the SS and also as a rank of the SA. Translated as “Senior Assault Leader”, the rank of Obersturmführer was first created in 1932 as the result of an expansion of the Sturmabteilung and the need for an additional rank in...
in the Waffen SS during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II.
Franz Budka was born on 18 August 1920, in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. During World War II he was the commander of the 1st Company, SS Fortress Regiment 1
SS Fortress Regiment 1
SS Fortress Regiment 1 was an improvised unit of the Waffen SS formed in February 1945, during World War II, for service in the defence of Breslau, during the Red Army's Siege of Breslau...
which was involved in the 82 day Siege of Breslau. Franz Budka positioned his men in the cellar of a destroyed building in Augusta Strasse. While the entire structure above them continued to burn, the men of Budkas company repelled many attacks inflicting heavy losses on the Red Army (the temperature of the burning building approached 120-140 °C). The Red Army managed to take control of a building nearby and Budka launched an immediate attack against them only a few managed to escape. His company resisted every attack by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross in April 1945. He committed suicide during an attempted breakout from Breslau on 6 May 1945, after being seriously wounded after stepping on a mine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
, he shot himself.