Ludwig Hoffmann

Ludwig Hoffmann
Nickname(s)	Spinach
Born	21 March 1908 Großrosseln, Germany
Died	10 February 1999 (aged 90) Saarbrücken, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1939–45
Rank	Hauptsturmführer
Unit	SS-VT 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross I Class Iron Cross II Class Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze Wound Badge Honour Roll Clasp of the Army

Ludwig Hoffmann (21 March 1908 – 10 February 1999) was a Hauptsturmführer (Captain) in the Waffen-SS during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Early life

Ludwig Hoffmann was born on 21 March 1908, in Saarbrücken. He graduated from elementary school in 1926 at Hanover and went on to study law at Heidelberg. After successfully completing his state exams he was employed as an assessor in the Saarbrücker Ludwig office. He volunteered to join the SS-VT in March 1939.

World War II

During World War II, Hoffmann was selected to become an officer and sent to the SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tölz. After graduation, he was promoted to Untersturmfuhrer (Second Lieutenant) in April 1941 and posted to the 3rd SS Division Totenkopf. By the end of 1943, he was in command of its 9th Company.

Hoffmann was then posted to the newly formed 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen as a company commander in the 19th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment. Soon after, he was given command of the III. Battalion, 19th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment. He was then transferred to the 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland as the commander of the 23rd SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Norge on the death of its previous commander Martin Gürz.

Hoffmann commanded this battalion during the withdrawal from Kurland, Pomerania and into Berlin, repeatedly distinguishing himself in combat. He was one of the last members of the Wehrmacht to be awarded the Knight's Cross on 9 May 1945, just before entering Russian captivity.

Post-war

Hoffmann spent over four years in captivity before being released in November 1949. However, due to the circumstances in Germany at the end of the war, he did not find out about his award of the Knight's Cross for 44 years until a collector contacted him about it.

Hoffmann died on 10 February 1999, in Saarbrücken.

Awards

• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 11 May 1945 as SS-Hauptsturmführer as leader of the III./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 23 "Norge"^{[1][Note 1]}

Notes

1. Mr Meentz of the German Federal Archives stated on 20 July 2004 that it cannot be verified that Hoffmann received the Knight's Cross. The presentation date was assigned by Fellgiebel. Ernst-Günther Krätschmer lists him on 9 May 1945. Hoffmann was a member of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR).^[2]

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 232, 493.
2. Scherzer 2007, p. 142.

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.
• Henschler, Henri; Fey, Willi (2003). Armor Battles of the Waffen-SS, 1943–45. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-2905-5.
• Mitcham, Samuel W (2007). Retreat to the Reich : the German defeat in France, 1944. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3384-7.
• Mitcham, Samuel W (2007). The German Defeat in the East, 1944–45. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3371-7.
• Nietrug, Gerd (2004). Die Ritterkreuzträger des Saarlandes 1939 - 1945. Zweibrücken: VDM Nickel. ISBN 3-925480-93-5.
• 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.