Gefreiter Querino Franki - 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division
3. Fallschirmjäger-Division was formed in the Reims, France area in late summer/early fall, 1943 with a combination of new recruits and an experienced cadre from 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division. It remained in France until it was committed to the Normandy fighting the following June. Facing the Americans in the vicinity of St. Lo, it suffered heavy casualties and lost even more of its ranks when it was surrounded during the German collapse in France later in the summer. While some of the unit survived, even after another encirclement in August at Mons in Belgium, the division was finally able to reform in Holland in September utilizing the few survivors from the campaign in France. Its reformation was cut short as elements were quickly organized as part of the response to the Allied Operation Market Garden on September 17th in Holland and was later put in the line in the Roer River/Hürtgen Forest area the following month. The division was finally pulled from the line in mid-December, only to be quickly organized as part of I. SS-Panzerkorps in Belgium for the upcoming German counteroffensive.
Among the men fighting with the unit at the time, was Jäger Querino Franki, an Italian (or German of Italian decent), possibly from South Tyrol or similar. He qualified as a Fallschirmjäger in August 1943 and was possibly part of the newly formed division organized in late 1943 that saw heavy action in France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany from June through December. Franki belonged to Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 8, one of the division’s three regiments. His award documnet for his Parachute Qualification Badge is shown above and includes the signature of Generaloberst Bruno Loerzer
The German counteroffensive, that commenced on December 16, 1944 and ultimately became known as the Battle of the Bulge, was organized as three armies, to the north, center and south. The northern “shoulder” was organized as 6. Panzerarmee and included the best trained and equipped troops of the whole counteroffensive. These troops, given their location in the northern part of the front, were tasked (with priority) with the drive to Antwerp to ultimately separate the Allied forces in the west. Among the elite troops in this area were I. SS Panzerkorps (including Kampfgruppe Peiper), in which 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division played a supporting role. They were rushed forward as infantry to push west and support the German armored troops punching a hole through the American lines. Once again, the division saw heavy casualties, as the men were sent forward in infantry waves without proper support, many of which with minimal experience, in the face of surprisingly stiff American resistance. Nevertheless, the division pushed on for over a week with Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 8 on the left flank. Through days of heavy fighting, the division finally reached the road from Malmedy to St. Vith in the Ligneuville area by the end of the month. With the whole offensive coming to a standstill in the face of stiffening American organization and resistance, 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division went on the defensive by January.
3. Fallschirmjäger-Division is shown on the map above, on the lower right hand corner, where it lined up as part of/in support of I. SS Panzerkorps. Ligneuville is shown center/left.
In response to the fighting in the “Bulge”, men of the division were decorated for bravery. One was Franki, now a Gefreiter, who was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class on December 31, 1944. The date of the document likely matches with the actions of the division itself; a lull in the fighting and a momentum switch from offensive to defense likely provided for an opportunity for much needed organization and paperwork. Franki’s award document, shown here, was signed by Generalmajor Walther Wadehn, division commander.