Oskar von Boddien

Oskar von Boddien
Born	19 April 1900 Neuruppin
Died	6 January 1942 (aged 41) Yevpatoria, Ukraine
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	?–1942
Rank	Oberst (Posthumously)
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of the Netherlands Operation Barbarossa Siege of Sevastopol (1941–1942)
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Oskar von Boddien (19 April 1900 – 6 January 1942) was a highly decorated Oberst in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the Aufklärungs-Abteilung 22 (22nd Reconnaissance Battalion) of the 22nd Infantry Division. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Oskar von Boddien was killed 6 January 1942 near Yevpatoria, Ukraine. He was posthumously promoted to Oberst and was awarded Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross.

Oberst (Colonel) Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller, commander of Infanterie-Regiment 105 (105th Infantry Regiment) of the 72nd Infantry Division and charged by the AOK 11 with the leadership of the battles for Yevpatoria, on 6 January 1942 ordered the Aufklärungs-Abteilung 22 to attack the harbor area and conquer the city. Von Boddien together with the 1st Squadron under Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) von Frankenberg commenced the attack. Von Boddien was mortally hit by machine gun fire and von Frankenberg was wounded.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (5 July 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (7 July 1941)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 2 October 1941 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Divisions-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 22^[2]
  • 58th Oak Leaves on 8 January 1942 (posthumously) as Oberstleutnant and commander of Divisions-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 22^[3]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 12 January 1942

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 57.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 116.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 52.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.