Hans Waldmüller

Hans Waldmüller
Born	13 September 1912 Bamberg, Germany
Died	8 September 1944 (aged 31) Basse Bodeux, Belgium
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1934–44
Rank	Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant Colonel)
Unit	Sicherheitsdienst 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross I Class Iron Cross II Class German Cross in Gold Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze Eastern Front Medal Wound Badge in Silver

Hans Waldmüller (13 September 1912 – 8 September 1944) was an Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant Colonel) in the Waffen-SS during World War II, who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Early life

Hans Waldmüller was born on the 13 September 1912, in Bamberg Germany. He volunteered to join the SS in 1934, and then transferred to the Sicherheitsdienst (SD) in May 1937. He was selected to become an officer and commissioned on 20 April 1937, and further promoted to Obersturmführer (First Lieutenant) in September 1938.

World War II

During World War II he was promoted in April 1940, to Hauptsturmführer (Captain) and then transferred to the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Regiment in the Summer of 1940 for the Battle of France and Operation Marita the invasion of the Balkans, where he was awarded his first combat decoration, the Iron Cross II class.

He was awarded his Iron Cross I class during Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union in August 1941 and by December he had qualified for the Infantry Assault Badge.

In 1943, the decision was made to form a new SS Division from members of the Hitler Youth and the LSSAH would supply all of the Regimental, Battalion and most of the Company commanders. In time this new division would become the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend.^[1]

Waldmüller was one of the officers selected for transfer and became the commander of the I. Battalion, 25th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment and promoted to Sturmbannführer (Major). Waldmüller was awarded the Knights Cross on 27 August 1944, for his bravery in the Battle of Normandy fighting at Cambes near Caen.

On 8 September 1944, he was allegedly killed by members of the Belgian resistance near Basse-Bodeux.^[2]

Awards

• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 August 1944 as SS-Sturmbannführer and commander of the I./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25 "Hitlerjugend"^{[3][Note 1]}

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as commander of the I./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25.^[4]

References

Citations

1. Reynolds 1997, pp. 10–11.
2. Meyer, p. 172.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 435.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 766.

Further reading

• 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.
• Mitcham, Samuel W (2007). Retreat to the Reich : the German defeat in France, 1944. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3384-7.
• Fey, Will; Henschler, Henri (2003). Armor Battles of the Waffen-SS. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-2905-5.
• Mitcham, Samuel W (2007). The German Defeat in the East, 1944–45. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3371-7.
• Meyer Hubert, The 12th SS: The History of the Hitler Youth Panzer Division, Stackpole Books, 2005.ISBN 0-8117-3198-7.
• Reynolds, Michael (1997). Steel Inferno: I SS Panzer Corps in Normandy. Staplehurst, Kent: Spellmount. ISBN 1-873376-90-1.
• 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.