Hans Kroh Explained

Hans Kroh
Birth Date:	13 May 1907
Birth Place:	Heidelberg, German Empire
Death Place:	Braunschweig, West Germany
Allegiance:
Branch:	Luftwaffe German Army
Serviceyears:	1935–45 1956–62
Rank:	Generalmajor (Wehrmacht / Bundeswehr)
Commands:	2nd Parachute Division
Battles:	World War II Battle of Crete Battle for Brest
Awards:	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Great Cross of Merit

Hans Kroh (13 May 1907 – 18 July 1967) was a German paratroop general in the Wehrmacht and Bundeswehr and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords of Nazi Germany.

Kroh started his military career in 1935; he transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1936. He took part in the Battle of Crete for which he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 August 1941. In Africa, Kroh served in the Ramcke Parachute Brigade. Kroh commanded the 2nd Parachute Division in the Battle for Brest; he was taken prisoner on 18 September 1944. Kroh was released from custody in 1948 and joined the Bundeswehr in 1956 as Oberst. In 1957 he was promoted to Brigadegeneral and appointed a divisional commander. He retired in 1962 at the rank of Generalmajor. Kroh died in 1967.

Awards

• Iron Cross 2nd Class (22 May 1940) & 1st Class (22 May 1940)^[1]
• Medaglia d'Argento al Valor Militare (9 February 1942)^[2]
• German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1942 as Major in the I./Lw.Jg.Brig. 1^[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 21 August 1941 as Major and commander I./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2^[4]
  • 443rd Oak Leaves on 6 April 1944 as Oberstleutnant and commander of the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2^[4]
  • 96th Schwerter on 12 September 1944 as Oberst and leader of the 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division^[4]
• Great Cross of Merit (12 September 1962)^[2]

References

Bibliography

• Book: 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 . German . Norderstedt, Germany . Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall . 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Book: 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 . German . Jena, Germany . Scherzers Militaer-Verlag . 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Book: Thomas . Franz . Wegmann . Günter . 1986 . Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil II: Fallschirmjäger . The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part II: Paratroopers . German . Osnabrück, Germany . Biblio-Verlag . 978-3-7648-1461-8.
• Book: Thomas , Franz . 1997 . Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K . The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K . German . Osnabrück, Germany . Biblio-Verlag . 978-3-7648-2299-6.

Notes and References

1. Thomas 1997, p. 411.
2. Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 150.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 255.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 476.