Hermann Bix

Hermann Bix
Born	10 October 1914 Strehlitz
Died	31 July 1986 (aged 71) Wiesbaden
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1935–45 1956–70
Rank	Oberfeldwebel (Wehrmacht) Oberstabsfeldwebel (Bundeswehr)
Unit	4th Panzer Division
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of Moscow Battle of Radzymin (1944) Courland Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hermann Bix (10 October 1914 – 31 July 1986) was a tank commander in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded by Nazi Germany to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Biography

Hermann Bix was born on 10 October 1914 in Strehlitz in the region of Silesia. He joined the Wehrmacht in 1935. He served in the Invasion of Poland and Battle of France. In June 1941 he took part in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. On 20 October 1941 he was awarded the Iron Cross I and II. Class, and the German Cross in Gold on 5 November 1942.

Bix was appointed to the Panzer Regiment 35 attached to the 4th Panzer Division on Eastern Front. He later served near Danzig in East Prussia; his unit was encircled in the Courland pocket in January 1945. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 March 1945.

In 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr and served until 1970, retiring as an Oberstabsfeldwebel (Sergeant Major).

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (30 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (20 October 1941)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver (18 August 1944)
• Eastern Front Medal
• Panzer Badge
  • II Class (18 August 1944)
  • IV (100) (22 March 1945)
• German Cross in Gold on 5 November 1942 as Feldwebel in the 8./Panzer-Regiment 15^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 March 1945 as Oberfeldwebel and Zugführer (platoon leader) in 3./Panzer-Regiment 35^[2]

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 44.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 114.

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.