Josef Armberger

Josef Armberger
File:JosefArmberger.jpg
Nickname	Sepp
Born	(1920-06-26)June 26, 1920
Died	20 August 1944(1944-08-20) (aged 24)
Place of birth	Gugging, Austria
Place of death	Evreux, France
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1938–1945
Rank	Obersturmführer
Unit	1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
Commands held	5th Flak Company,1st SS Anti Aircraft Battalion LSSAH 8th Company, 1st SS Panzer Regiment LSSAH
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class Wound Badge in Silver Wound Badge in Gold War Merit Cross with swords Close Combat Clasp in Bronze Tank Destruction Badge Infantry Assault Badge Honour Roll Clasp of the Army

Josef Armberger was an Obersturmführer (Senior Assault (or Storm) Leader) in the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II, the highest award for bravery of Nazi Germany.

Early life

He was born in Gugging Austria on the 26 June 1920, he spent his early life working in a Vineyard and joined the SS on 1 May 1938 and was given the SS number 372 349 he was sent to the SS disposal unit to receive officer training.

World War II

He was then posted to the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler attached to the Anti Aircraft Battalion and took part in the Battle of France and the Balkans Campaign. During Operation Barbarossa he was wounded three times on the 11,13,14 March 1943 but remained with his troops and a short time later took over command of the 5th Flak Company. He was wounded again on the 10 April 1944 and this time sent to the SS hospital in Vienna to recover from his wounds. After recovering he returned to the LSSAH and took over command of the 8th Company, SS Panzer Regiment 1 LSSAH and moved to France.

During operations in Normandy the company was active in the areas of Saint-Lambert, Tournay-sur-Dive, and Villedieu les Bailleul, during the fighting to break out of the Falaise Gap on 19 August 1944, he showed special bravery. After a fierce fire fight with Allied tanks, SS-Obersturmführer Armberger on the 20 August as the leader of the 8th Company led them from the trap at Falaise, on the way destroying a larger number of tanks. Personally knocking out 4 Sherman tanks with Panzerfausts. Afterwards he was killed in the heavy fighting in the area northeast of Mossey / Evreux On the 31 October 1944 he received the Knight's Cross posthumously.

Josef Armberger's grave is located at the military cemetery Champigny in the department of Eure.

See also

• Waffen SS
• 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
• List of Knight's Cross holders 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [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]. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
• Krätschmer, Ernst-Günther (1999). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Waffen-SS [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Waffen-SS]. Coburg, Germany: Nation Europa Verlag. ISBN 978-3-920677-43-9. 
• Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). 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]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 7909-0284-5.