Max Hansen (SS officer)

For other uses, see Max Hansen (disambiguation).

Max Hansen
Born	31 July 1908(1908-07-31) Niebüll, Germany
Died	7 March 1990(1990-03-07) (aged 81) Niebüll, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1933–1945
Rank	Standartenführer
Unit	1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
Commands held	8th Company LSSAH II./1st Panzer Grenadier Regiment LSSAH 1st Panzer Grenadier Regiment LSSAH
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knights Cross with Oakleaves Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class German Cross in Gold Close Combat Clasp in Gold Wound Badge in Silver War Merit Cross with Swords Bulgarian Military Order for Bravery IV class

SS-Sturmbannführer Max Hansen in 1943.

Max Hansen was a Standartenführer (Colonel), in the Waffen-SS who was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knights Cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II. The Oakleaves was a second award.

Hansen was born on the 31 July 1908 at Niebüll, Germany. Before joining the SS he was apprenticed to a locksmith. In 1933 he joined the SS-Verfügungstruppe and by 1939 was the commander of the 12th Company in the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. In 1941 he was awarded the German Cross in Gold and promoted to Sturmbannführer (Major), and given command of the II./1st Panzer Grenadier Regiment LSSAH.^[1] It was whilst commanding this battalion during the Third Battle of Kharkov on 28 March 1943 that he was awarded the Knight's Cross. His battalion broke through to Red Square in Kharkov, conducted house-to-house fighting and opened the way to the city centre, so that the northern part of Kharkov could be taken.^[2]

Hansen later went on to command the 1st SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment LSSAH. With his regiment he took part in the Ardennes Offensive and the offensive in Hungary, Operation Spring Awakening in 1945 during which he was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross.^[1]

He ended the war as a Standartenführer. Max Hansen died in the town of his birth on 7 March 1990.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Mitcham, p.183
2. ^ Agte, p.43

Bibliography

• Agte, Patrick. Michael Wittmann and the Waffen SS Tiger Commanders of the SS
• Berger, Florian. Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold. Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2004. ISBN 3-9501307-3-X.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Mitcham, Samuel W. Panzers in Winter

External links

Media related to Max Hansen at Wikimedia Commons

• Max Hansen @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht

Persondata
Name	Hansen, Max
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	31 July 1908
Place of birth	Niebüll, Germany
Date of death	7 March 1990
Place of death	Niebüll, Germany