Blond Friedrich

Friedrich "Friedel" Blond (29 April 1920 – 28 May 2009) was an Obersturmführer (First Lieutenant) in the Waffen SS during World War II.

He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II. Blond was born on 29 April 1920, in Braunau am Inn. His father was an Officer in the Austrian Army and the family moved to Voralberg where Friedrich grew up. He volunteered for the SS-Standarte Deutschland after the Anschluss of Austria in 1938.

During World War II, Blond took part in the Polish Campaign, the Battle of France, Operation Marita the invasion of the Balkans and Operation Barbarossa the invasion of the Soviet Union. He was selected to become an officer and was posted to the SS-Junkerschule at Posen-Treskau in the Summer of 1944. After Graduation he was promoted to Untersturmführer (Second Lieutenant) and given command of the 12th Company in the SS Training and Reserve Battalion Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, who were based in Hagen.

Blond and his Battalion were moved to Berlin towards the end of the war, his company being reinforced with men from the Army and from the Luftwaffe Flak units. In April 1945, his company was attached to the 23 SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland. On 18 April, Blond was in command of 200 men who formed a defensive line slowly retreating towards the centre of Berlin. After several days of fighting successful defensive battles, the company was reduced to thirty men.

On 28 April 1945, Blond was wounded for the fourth time in the war by bomb splinters and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his bravery in the Battle of Berlin, but did not receive the decoration as there were none available to issue. Blond survived the war and became an officer in the Austrian Army and attained the rank of Colonel.