Hans Kroh

Hans Kroh
Hans Kroh
Born	13 May 1907 Heidelberg
Died	18 July 1967 (aged 60) Braunschweig
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe Heer
Years of service	1935–45 1956–62
Rank	Generalmajor (Wehrmacht) Generalmajor (Bundeswehr)
Commands held	I./FschJägRgt 2, FschJägRgt 2, 2.FschJägDiv
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Crete Battle for Brest
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Great Cross of Merit
Other work	Bundeswehr

Hans Kroh (13 May 1907 in Heidelberg – 18 July 1967 in Braunschweig) was a German Fallschirmjäger and general in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Biography

Hans Kroh entered the Brandenburg-Havel Police School as a police cadet on 8 April 1926. On 1 October 1935 he became commander of a company in the General Göring Regiment and transferred to the Luftwaffe on April 1, 1936. Kroh became a training director of the Stendal Parachute School. After a period of staff work, on September 1, 1940 he assumed command of I Battalion, 2nd Parachute Regiment.

During the Battle of Crete Kroh took command of Battle Group Sturm, whose objective was Rethymnon airfield, after Oberst Alfred Sturm was taken prisoner by the British Forces. After ten days of fighting, the battle group was relieved by mountain infantry. Kroh received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 August 1941. In Africa Kroh served in the Ramcke Parachute Brigade. He then served on the Eastern Front. Kroh commanded the 2nd Parachute Division in the Battle for Brest until he was captured in the St. Pierre district of the city on 18 September 1944.

Hans Kroh joined the Bundeswehr on 1 June 1956 as Oberst. On 1 September 1957 he was promoted to Brigadegeneral. One day later he took command of the 1st Luftlande-Division in Bruchsal. On 1 July 1959 he was again promoted to Generalmajor. He retired on 1 October 1962. He died in Braunschweig in 1967.

Awards

• Wound Badge in Black
• Luftwaffe Paratrooper Badge
• Ground Assault Badge of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross
  • 2nd Class (22 May 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (22 May 1940)^[1]
• Medaglia d'Argento al Valor Militare (9 February 1942)^[2]
• German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1942 as Major in the I./Lw.Jg.Brig. 1^[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 21 August 1941 as Major and commander I./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2^[4][5][6]
  • 443rd Oak Leaves on 6 April 1944 as Oberstleutnant and commander of the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2^[4][7][8]
  • 96th Schwerter on 12 September 1944 as Oberst and leader of the 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division^[4][9][10]
• Great Cross of Merit (12 September 1962)^[2]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 411.
2. Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 150.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 255.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 476.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 275.
6. Von Seemen 1976, p. 208.
7. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 81.
8. Von Seemen 1976, p. 43.
9. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 45.
10. Von Seemen 1976, p. 18.

Bibliography

• Berger, Florian (1999). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges [With Oak Leaves and Swords. The Highest Decorated Soldiers of the Second World War] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-0-6.
• 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.
• Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knights of the Wehrmacht Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military. ISBN 978-0-88740-749-9.
• 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 (1986). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil II: Fallschirmjäger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part II: Paratroopers] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1461-8.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
• Von Seemen, Gerhard (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 : die Ritterkreuzträger sämtlicher Wehrmachtteile, Brillanten-, Schwerter- und Eichenlaubträger in der Reihenfolge der Verleihung : Anhang mit Verleihungsbestimmungen und weiteren Angaben [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 : The Knight's Cross Bearers of All the Armed Services, Diamonds, Swords and Oak Leaves Bearers in the Order of Presentation: Appendix with Further Information and Presentation Requirements] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7909-0051-4.

External links

• Hans Kroh @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht