Hans Kroh

Infobox Military Person
name=Hans Kroh
lived=birth date|1907|5|13|df=y — death date and age|1967|7|18|1907|5|13|df=y
placeofbirth=Heidelberg
placeofdeath=Braunschweig


caption=Hans Kroh
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (to 1945)
flagicon|West Germany West Germany
branch=Luftwaffe
serviceyears=1935-1945, 1956-1962
rank=Generalmajor (Wehrmacht)
Generalmajor (Bundeswehr)
commands=I./FschJägRgt 2, FschJägRgt 2, 2.FschJägDiv
unit=
battles=World War II
*Battle of Crete
*Battle for Brest
awards=Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Great Cross of Merit
laterwork=Bundeswehr

Hans Kroh (13 May 1907 in Heidelberg – 18 July 1967 in Braunschweig) was a highly decorated German Fallschirmjäger and general in the Bundeswehr.

Biography

Hans Kroh entered the Brandenburg-Havel Police School as a police cadet on April 8, 1926. On October 1, 1935 he became commander of the 2nd Company, General Göring Regiment and transferred to the Luftwaffe on April 1, 1936. Kroh completed the parachutist-rifleman course and became a training director of the Stendal Parachute School. After a period of staff work, on September 1, 1940 he assumed command of I Battalion, 2nd Parachute Regiment.

During the Battle of Crete Kroh took command of Battle Group Sturm, whose objective was Rethymnon airfield, after Oberst Alfred Sturm was taken prisoner by the British Forces. Near Stavromenos and the oil refinery the paratroops held out against a vastly superior enemy force. Following the bitter ten-day struggle, which occupied a large portion of the Britisch-Greek armed forces, the battle group was relieved by mountain infantry. Kroh received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on August 21, 1941.

In Africa Kroh served as Ia of the Ramcke Parachute Brigade. It was Kroh who initiated the brigade's escape through enemy territory following the German withdrawal from El Alamein.

In Russia on the Eastern front Kroh and his regiment fought near Novo Andreyevka and Novgorodka. Near Butor the regiment eliminated a Russian bridgehead on the Dniepr. Kroh also saw action at Kirovograd, where Russian attacks were repulsed.

Hans Kroh commanded the 2nd Parachute Division in the Battle for Brest until he was captured in the St. Pierre district of the city on September 18, 1944.

Hans Kroh joined the Bundeswehr on June 1, 1956 as Oberst. On September 1, 1957 he was promoted to Brigadegeneral. One day later he took command of the 1st Luftlande-Division in Bruchsal. On July 1, 1959 he was again promoted to Generalmajor. He retired on October 1, 1962.

Awards

* Wound Badge in Black
* "Afrika" and "Kreta" Cuffband
* Luftwaffe Paratrooper Badge
* Medaglia d'Argento al Valor Militare (9 February 1942)
* Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge
* German Cross in Gold (24 December 1942)
* Iron Cross
** 2nd Class (22 May 1940)
** 1st Class (22 May 1940)
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
** Knight's Cross (21 August 1941)
** 443. Oak Leaves (6 April 1944)
** 96. Schwerter (12 September 1944)
* Great Cross of Merit (12 September 1962)

References

* Berger, Florian, "Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges". Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2006. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
* Kurowski, Franz. "Knights of the Wehrmacht Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger". Schiffer Military. ISBN 0-88740-749-8.
* Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit. "Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II". Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.

External links

* [http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/K/KrohH.htm Hans Kroh @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht]