Karl Prumm Knights Cross Winner?

[Simon]

Hi All,
Need a bit of help here.

Does anyone know about a Karl Prumm was in Pz Gdr (not sure which unit) but he was in Afrika & Italy? Few details sorry, any info or where to look would be appreciated.

Thanks

Simon

[jhumble1]

Hello Simon,

I see that you posted this 8 years ago so I do not know if you are still an active member on the forum or if you are still interested in Karl Prümm. He was a Pz Gdr on the Eastern Front. He was part of the invasion force into France as well. He was a super stud. Let me know if you have any specific questions about him and I can probably answer them.

- Jordan

[Doktor Krollspell]

Hello Gentlemen!

An eight year old question has been pushed up into the searchlight again so...

Karl Prümm received the RK on 21.05.1943 as an Oberleutnant d.R. and Chef 7./GR 105 of the 72. Infanterie-Division. He went on to receive the DKiG on 21.01.1944 while holding the same rank and command. He survived the war with the rank of Hauptmann d.R.. Source; Veit Scherzer's "Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945" (2005).

I don't know if Hauptmann d.R. Karl Prümm ever was a Pz.Gren. Officer but he sure must have seen some heavy infantry action on the Eastern Front in 1943-1944 with the 72. ID...

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... n/72ID.htm


Karl Prümm

http://www.das-ritterkreuz.de


Regards,

Krollspell

[jhumble1]

Thanks for the reply! By the way none of this info has ever been published on the web to my knowledge. This Knights Cross story comes from two newspaper articles published in May/June 1943.

Knight's Cross Story
Karl Prümm was awarded the Knights Cross for his actions in late March of 1943 southwest of Orel outside of Moscow. There was a dangerous Soviet flanking movement on the right of the German lines that was blocking their advance. The Soviets had the high ground on a plateau overlooking the German positions. It was later determined that there were 450 Soviet defenders on the plateau with a large amount of automatic weapons.

Before the enemy attack could continue in the morning, Karl Prümm led the decimated 7th company of Gren. Rgt. 105 along with the 5th company alongside (total of 17 grenadiers for both) in an attack on the entrenched Soviets. The 5th company's attack was halted at the edge of the plateau. A bitter firefight ensued and Karl Prümm led his grenadiers of the 7th company to high ground inside of the Soviet Positions. Instantly they were hit with terrific fire from everywhere on the plateau and advance was nearly impossible. After continuous fighting the Russians started to fall back. Prümm saw the weakness in the enemy position and took advantage of it. He led the 16 grenadiers of 5th and 7th company in simultaneous charge yelling "Hurra."

The Soviets feared it was the beginning of a much greater attack and were surprised. The heavy snow made it hard to tell how many Germans there were. Little by little, Karl Prümm and his grenadiers overran the enemy positions. Eventually they broke through the enemy defense system and attacked the Soviets from behind in bitter house-to-house fighting. Prümm stayed in command at the head of the attack although he had been wounded for the seventh time. Karl Prümm and his 16 grenadiers eventually took the plateau and captured 161 Soviet soldiers along with 17 grenade launcher and machine gun positions.

Other Info
Karl Prümm was born on june 12, 1917 and was the son of a railway engineer. He went to gymnasium and was a competitive swimmer. After graduation he joined the Army (Freiwilliger - 19.1.37). He was in the 72. Infanterie-Division from 5.11.37 to 14.1.45. He was one of one a few officers of Gren. Rgt. 105 to survive the Cherkassy encirclement. He received the DKiG and Close Combat Clasp in Silver for his actions in the Cherkassy encirclement.

On 15.1.45, Prümm was transfered to "Schule VII fur Fhj. d. Inf. - Millowitz bel Prag - Lehrgruppe II" At the end of the war he was training soldiers in Prague. The Soviets were approaching the city from one side and the Americans from the other. Naturally, all of the Germans in the city wanted to make contact with the Americans and surrender to them instead of the Russians. He was captured by the Americans and was the German officer in charge at the POW camp. An American guard stole his Knights Cross and he demanded to the American officer in charge of the camp that it be returned. It was returned the next day.

Some of his promotions
1.7.40 - Feldwebel
1.2.41 - Leutnant
7.2.43 - Oberleutnant
1.11.44 - Hauptmann

Medals
West Wall Medal - 20.3.40
EKII - 31.8.41
EK1 - 25.11.41
Ostmedaille 41/42 - 17.7.42
Krimschild - 23.8.42
Ritterkreuz - 21.5.43
Close Combat Clasp in Silver - 20.1.44
Infantry Assault Badge in Silver - 21.9.41
Wound badge black - (unknown date)
Wound badge silver - 9.2.42
Wound badge gold - 5.8.42
German Cross in Gold - 24.12.43

Combat Wounds
grenade splinter in left arm - 7.4.41
grenade splinter in right arm - 14.8.41
Pak. splinters in eye, forehead, head - 4.11.41
Shot in leg - 15.1.41
grenade splinter in hip - 15.3.42
grenade splinter in (?) - 6.7.42
grenade splinter in (?) - 5.3.43 - Knight's Cross Action
unknown wounds - 7.9.43


Some great info to a great man! After the war he became a high school principle and died in the late 90s. With the exception of a couple minor conflicts (due to wounds), he took part in every other battle with the 72. Inf. Division until January 1945 including France, Romania, Bulgaria, Sevastopol, Krim, Orel, and Tscherkassy.

[Doktor Krollspell]

Thank you very much for this very detailed information on the wartime experiences and life of Karl Prümm!


With best regards,

Krollspell