Shutze Lindermann
Name; Lindermann, Bruno
Born; 1918 Nurnburg
Occupation; Professional Soldier
Bruno Lindemann was born on the 9th of June 1918 in Nurnburg, which was to remain his home throughout his childhood. His farther was a life long professional soldier who saw action on the western front in the Great War of 1914-18.
Bruno was the youngest of three children. His sister the eldest married a policeman and raised a family and his older brother also followed there father and became a professional soldier himself. Once Bruno had finished school he was offered an engineering apprenticeship by his uncle, however Bruno’s intention was, and in no doubt, too follow in his farther and brother’s footsteps in becoming a soldier. Bruno showed promise throughout his military training and began to enjoy the comradeship and military way of life, as soldiers were well respected by civilians. Once his training was complete Bruno was posted to an infantry battalion within the Reichswehr divisions.
By June 1937 Bruno was selected to be posted for a six month attachment to the Wachregiment Berlin. Here he carried out ceremonial duties such as escorts and honour guards for state visits and major events. By January 1938 Bruno was back to normal regimental duties back at his battalion. However by mid 1938 Bruno found himself once again back at the Wachregiment Berlin, as a preferential posting, granted for good conduct and service. Berlin became a home from home for him.
Whilst Bruno was serving his second tour of duty at the unit, a major change had happened. In January 1939 Hitler personally renamed the unit to ‘Infanterie-regiment Grossdeutschland’ and in June 1939 Bruno found himself taking part in a parade through the streets of the capital under the newly formed unit’s banner.
Bruno first saw action in France 1940 attached to Kleist’s Panzergruppe. They were engaged in combat in the Ardennes, Meuse Crossing, Stonne, Arras, and closed down on the Dunkirk pocket before moving south to attack across the Seine and reaching Lyon by the time of the French surrender.
After Bruno’s baptism of fire he remained with Grossdeutschland through its several reorganisations, eventually transferring from his infantry battalion to the reconnaissance unit, within the division. Bruno continued serving in the Yugoslav campaign in Romania and eventually Operation Barbarossa on the Russian front where he lost many comrades to the hands of the Red Army and Russia’s harsh winters.
Bruno married his childhood sweetheart whilst on leave and had her settled in Berlin, in there new family home that was strangely already fully furnished.
