Hans Baumann (Waffen-SS)
| class="fn" colspan="2" style="background-color: #B0C4DE; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Hans Baumann | |
|---|---|
| colspan="2" style="background-color: #B0C4DE; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | | |
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa; line-height: 1.5em;" | File:SS-Rottenführer Hans Baumann.png | |
| Birth date | 29 April 1923 |
| Death date | 24 November 2022 (aged 99) |
| Place of death | Stolberg (Rheinland) near Aachen, Germany |
| Allegiance | File:Flag of the NSDAP (1920–1945).svg National Socialist Germany |
| Service/branch | File:Flag Schutzstaffel.png Waffen-SS |
| Years of service | 1940–1944 |
| Rank | SS-Unterscharführer |
| Unit | 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Iron Cross |
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Hans Baumann (1923–2022) was a German NCO of the Waffen-SS, finally SS-Unterscharführer and Panzer-Kommandant in WWII. He died peacefully only five months before his 100th birthday as one of the very last living members of the Leibstandarte.
Life
WWII
Baumann joined, with written parental consent, the SS-Verfügungsdivision in 1940 and gained his first experiences in the endphase of the Battle of France. During the Operation Barbarossa he served in the Leibstandarte SS „Adolf Hitler“ (Aufklärungsabteilung), then in the 5th Company/II. Abteilung/SS-Panzer-Regiment LSSAH (since 22 October 1943 known as SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH) and in the SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 1 „LSSAH“.[1] He fought under divisional commander Sepp Dietrich during the Battle of Charkow, during Fall Achse after Italy's betrayal (his friend Kurt Sametreiter received the Knight's Cross at this time) and then again on the Eastern Front.
In the spring of 1944, his tank destroyer detachment was transferred to France and incorporated into the new 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. With the SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 12 of the 12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitlerjugend”[2] he took part in the Battle of Normandy, and in the Battle of the Bulge commanding Jagdpanzer IV. Then, again transferred to the Eastern Front, he was wounded at the Gran beachhead (Gran-Brückenkopf) in Hungary.
Final struggle
After costly retreat and defensive battles (Battle of Vienna (1945) in German), his path led him to Allied captivity, from which he was released in March 1947.
Post-war
In the post-war time, he recorded his memories for posterity in the book "Mein Einsatz als Panzerjäger".
Awards and decorations (excerpt)
- Iron Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class
- Panzer Badge (Panzerkampfabzeichen des Heeres) in Silver, I., II. and III. Grade
- Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal
- Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen 1939) in Black
Gallery
- SS-Rottenführer Hans Baumann II.jpg
- SS-Unterscharführer Hans-Baumann.jpg
- Hans Baumann – Mein Einsatz als Panzerjäger I.jpg
- Hans Baumann – Mein Einsatz als Panzerjäger II.jpg
- Hans Baumann (1923-2022).jpg
References
- ↑ The SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 1 LSSAH was resurrected after Normandy in November 1944 in Sennelager from the SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 1.
- ↑ Namenliste 12. SS-Panzer-Division “HJ”