Helmut Bauer

Helmut Bauer
Born	2 February 1920 Baden, Germany
Died	30 November 1967 (aged 47) Wertheim am Main, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1936–45
Rank	Obersturmführer
Unit	5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class Wound Badge

Helmut Bauer (2 February 1920 – 30 November 1967) was an Obersturmführer (first lieutenant) in the Waffen-SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Early life

Helmut Bauer was born on the 2 February 1920 in Mittelschefflenz Baden. In November 1938, he volunteered to join the SS and was posted to the 17th Company, SS Deutschland Regiment stationed in Ellwangen.

World War II

At the start of World War II in Europe, he was in the Motorcycle Company and took part in the Polish Campaign and the Battle of France. At the end of the campaign in France, the Waffen-SS formed a new Division of foreign volunteers SS Division Wiking. Bauer was posted into the Reconnaissance Battalion of this new Division.

In the summer of 1942, Bauer was transferred to the 5th SS Panzer Battalion as a platoon commander in the 3rd Company; in 1943 Bauer was promoted to Oberscharführer (Senior Group Leader). He was awarded the Knight's Cross in September 1943.

After a hospital stay to recover from a serious wound in 1944, Bauer was promoted to Untersturmführer (second lieutenant) and returned to the SS Wiking as a Company commander and by the end of the war promoted to Obersturmführer (first lieutenant).

Helmut Bauer survived the war and died on the 30 November 1967, in Wertheim am Main.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (27 July 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (7 March 1943)^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 September 1943 as SS-Oberscharführer and Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 "Wiking"^{[2][Note 1]}

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./SS-Panzer-Regiment 5.^[3]

References

Citations

1. Federl 2000, p. 24.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 124, 484.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 205.

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.
• Federl, Christian (2000). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Panzerdivisionen 1939–1945 Die Panzertruppe [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Panzer Divisions 1939–1945 The Panzer Force] (in German). Zweibrücken, Germany: VDM Heinz Nickel. ISBN 978-3-925480-43-0.
• Mitcham, Samuel W (2007). Retreat to the Reich : the German defeat in France, 1944. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3384-7.
• 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.