Hans Austen

Hans Austen
Born	27 July 1918 Münster
Died	24 January 1994 (aged 75) Wuppertal
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1937–45
Rank	Major
Commands held	II./Grenadier-Regiment 487
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Battle of Smolensk (1943)
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hans Wilhelm Klemens Viktor Maria Austen (27 July 1918 – 24 January 1994) was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (18 July 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (2 July 1941)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (15 March 1942)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal (20 August 1942)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver (4 September 1941)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 14 April 1943 as Hauptmann in the II./Grenadier-Regiment 487^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 December 1943 as Hauptmann and commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 487^[3][4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1987, p. 124.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2007, p. 19.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 118.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 196.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1987). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 1: A–Be [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 1: A–Be] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1153-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945