Hans Zorn

Hans Wilhelm Karl Zorn
Born	27 October 1891 Munich
Died	2 August 1943 (aged 51) Kromy, Russia
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1911–43
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	20. Infanterie-Division XXXX. Armeekorps (mot.) XXXXVI. Panzerkorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Siege of Leningrad Demyansk Pocket Battles of Rzhev Battle of Kursk Operation Kutuzov †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Relations	Eduard Zorn (brother)

Hans Wilhelm Karl Zorn (27 October 1891 – 2 August 1943) was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Hans Zorn was killed on 2 August 1943 by Soviet fire during Operation Kutuzov. He was posthumously awarded the Oak leaves to his Knight's Cross on 3 September 1943.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (23 October 1914)^[1]
  • 1st Class (29 January 1916)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (14 May 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (26 May 1940)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 14 June 1942 as General der Infanterie in the XXXXVI. Armeekorps (motorized)^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 27 July 1941 as Generalmajor and commander of 20. Infanterie-Division^[3]
  • 291st Oak Leaves on 3 September 1943 as General der Infanterie and commander of XXXXVI. Panzerkorps^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 476.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 533.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 371.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 62.

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 (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com