Franz Bäke was a German officer and tank commander during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords of Nazi Germany. In post-war popular culture, Bäke was memorialised in the historical fiction series Panzer Aces by German author Franz Kurowski.
Franz Bäke in February 1944
Adolf Hitler presents awards to Wehrmacht officers; Bäke is on the right
Grave in Hagen
Panzer Aces is an English-language book series by the German author Franz Kurowski. Originally released in 1992 by J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing, a Canadian publisher of military literature, it was licensed in 2002 by the firm to American publishers Ballantine Books and Stackpole Books. The series' books were a commercial success and enjoyed a wide readership among the American public.
Cover art of the 1st edition by J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing. According to The Myth of the Eastern Front:The Nazi–Soviet War in American Popular Culture , the cover art "evokes heroism, determination and might of the German soldier and his weapons".