Franz Wittelsbach Prinz von Bayern

Born: 10. March 1919 in Bistritz am Hostein / Czechoslovakia

Died: 24. October 1999 in Freiwaldau / Czech Republic

Buried: 29. October 1999 at city cemetery in Jauernig / Czech Republic

Promotions:

Oberleutnant: 01.07.1940
Leutnant: 25.08.1939
Oberfaehnrich: 30.05.1939
Faehnrich: 30.01.1939
Unteroffizier: 01.03.1938
Gefreiter: 19.11.1937

Career:

17.01.1941 - Cashiered from Wehrmacht: (Prinzenerlass)
14.01.1941- 28.01.1941- Munich (house of arrest)
26.12.1940 - 14.01.1941- Straflager Dachau (imprisoned)
25.12.1940- Arrested in Munich
19.12.1940- Munich (Christmas leave)
17.12.1940- Luftwaffe transfer completed. Ordered to report to Flying School at Schleissheim by Munich.
07.12.1940- Darmstadt
04.12.1940- 06.12.1940 Berlin
20.11.1940 - 1.12.1940 Paris,Orleans, Normandy
10.11.1940- Assigned to 15.Panzer-Division in Darmstadt
04.09.1940- 10.11.1940 - Berlin
23.08.1940- 3.09.1940 - Bad Liebenstein
07.08.1940- Berlin
14.07.1940- Request to transfer from Heer to Luftwaffe
03.07.1940- 04.8.1040 - Paris
01.07.1940- 11.10.1940 - Assigned to personal staff of Generaloberst Heinz Guderian
25.06.1940- By order of OKW, relieved from all combat duties, temporary transfer to Gen.Stab.Panzergruppe Guderian
20.06.1940- 1.7.1940 - Besancon (hospital)
19.06.1940- Belchen Mountains
18.06.1940- passing Belfort, Giromagny
17.06.1940- Montbeliard, toward Belfort
16.06.1940- crossing Saone at Quitteur, Besancon
15.06.1940- Chaumont, Langres, Gray-sur-Saone
14.06.1940- St. Dizier, Joinville
13.06.1940- moving south, Rhein-Marne Canal, reaching Etrepy
12.06.1940- Suippes, Bussy-le-Cheteau
11.06.1940- La Neuville, Betheneville
10.06.1940- south of Retourne river, Juniville
08.06.1940- Chateau-Porcien
30.05.1940- moving southeast, resting
29.05.1940- Gravelines
25.05.1940- Atlantic coast, siege of Gravelines
24.05.1940- Aa Canal,Bourbourgville
23.05.1940- toward Gravelines
22.05.1940- Calais area
21.05.1940- Desvres, toward Calais
20.05.1940- Amiens, driving toward the Channel
19.05.1940- crossing Somme toward Amnies
18.05.1940- west toward Peronne
17.05.1940- Ribemont, crossing Oise
16.05.1940- Montcornet, toward Marle
15.05.1940- reached Bouvellemont
14.05.1940- Chemery, west toward Vendresse
13.05.1940- crossing river Meuse at Floing, Bois-de-la-Marfee
12.05.1940- crossing to France, reaching Sedan
11.05.1940- Neufchateau and Bertrix, to Bouillon Belgium
10.05.1940- from Wallendorf through Luxemburg to Belgium
09.05.1940- Luxemburg border
15.04.1940- Trier, Mosel river
13.04.1940- Berlin
11.04.1940- Erfurt
04.04.1940 - 10.04.1940 Stuttgart
01.04.1940- 03.04.1940- Frankfurt
19.03.1940- Mosel river
06.03.1940- 18.03.1940- Frankfurt
16.02.1940- Erfurt
08.02.1940 - 15.02.1940- Feldberg
28.12.1939- Erfurt
23.12.1939 - 27.12.1939 Munich (Christmas leave)
03.12.1939- Erfurt
04.10.1939 - 25.11.1939 Warsaw area
04.10.1939- Warsaw
23.09.1939- Tomaszow
22.09.1939- turning southwest
21.09.1939- Modlin,Warsaw area
20.09.1939- toward Warsaw
18.09.1939- Wyszogrod, Vistula river
17.09.1939- Mlodzyeszyn, Sochaczew
16.09.1939- Bzura river, Rybno
15.09.1939- Bzura river
08.09.1939- Gora Kalwarija, Vistula river
07.09.1939- Nowe Miasto
06.09.1939- Tomaschau
05.09.1939- Petrikau
04.09.1939- Rozprza,toward Petrikau
03.09.1939- Milejow area,Kamiensk
02.09.1939- Gidle, Warthe river
01.09.1939- Klobuck, Poland
06.1939- Erfurt 1.Panzer-Division
02.1939 - 06.1939 Panzertruppenschule Wuensdorf
31.1. - 4.2. 1939 Munich
15.11. 1938 - 02.1939 Kriegsschule Wiener-Neustadt
11.1938 - Erfurt
10.1938 - Eger, Karlsbad Sudetenland
07.1938 - Recalled to Erfurt 1.Panzer-Division
05.1938 - 07.1938 Kriegsschule Munich
03.1938 - 05.1938 Kriegsschule Potsdam-Bornstedt
12.1937 - 03.1938 - Erfurt
19.11.1937 - 25.06.1940 - 1.Panzer-Division

Campaigns:

Sudetenland
Poland
Luxemburg
Belgium
France

Decorations:

1939 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse: 08.11.1940 (preliminary awarded on 21.6.1940 in Besancon, France. Officially presented in Berlin on November 11, 1940 by GFM W. Keitel)
1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse: 19.10.1939
Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber: 03.6.1940 (actually awarded on 25.5.1940)
Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwartz: 20.5.1940
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938: 17.11.1939
Flugzeugfuehrerabzeichen
eligible for Segelflugzeugfuehrerabzeichen - never actually awarded

Notes:

Son of Prince Georg of Bavaria (1880-1943) and grandson of Fieldmarshal Prince Leopold of Bavaria (visit the Wittelsbach family ablum).
Often referred to only as Franz Wittelsbach von Bayern (a name he himself preferred).
He attained A, B and C glider certificates and a pilot's license, all before the age of 16.
Nicknamed by Guderian "The Panzer Prince."
In 1940, Franz became the owner of Chateau du Mont-Cerisy in Normandy, France.

Postwar:

Lived for much of his life in Jauernig Sudetenland/Czechoslovakia under his mother's maiden name "Zapletal."
On 5. March 1946 found not affected, by the Law of Liberation from Nazism and Militarism, by the Spruchkammer (Principal de-Nazifiction) Court in Nurnberg.

OBERLEUTNANT

FRANZ HANS LEOPOLD MARIA WITTELSBACH, PRINZ VON BAYERN

Thank you the following individuals and organizations for contributing information and photos to my research: Thomas Darius, Heinz-Guenther Guderian, APA, Heinz van den Sande, the Kahl family, Clara Suarez-Gause, Laura del Barrio Arragon & Jiri Vanek

Private Photo 1937

Wehrpass

Disclaimer: The creator of this website is not affiliated, or in any way personally acquainted, with the members of the Royal House of Bavaria, the Zapletal family or the descendants of Franz Wittelsbach, Prinz von Bayern.
The objective of this website is to pay a tribute to the personal bravery and heroism of Franz Wittelsbach, Prinz von Bayern; a man who, without fear for his own safety, rescued my parents and thousands of others from certain death following the end of World War II.

...before the night has come, have I lived to see the last warrior of the wise race of the Mohicans.

James Fenimore Cooper

George H. Wythe