Ernst-Günther Baade

Infobox Military Person
name=Ernst-Günther Baade
born=birth date|1897|8|20|df=y
died=death date and age|1945|5|8|1897|8|20|df=y
placeofbirth=Falkenhagen
placeofdeath=Bad Segeberg


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|German Empire German Empire (to 1918)
flagicon|Germany Weimar Republic (to 1933)
flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=Heer
serviceyears=1914-1945
rank=Generalleutnant
commands=Schützen-Regiment 115
90. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
unit=
battles=World War I
World War II
awards="Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords"
laterwork=

Generalleutnant Ernst-Günther Baade (20 August 1897 – 8 May 1945) was a German general serving during World War II. He was wounded in action and died from his injuries on the last day of World War II in Europe.

Military career

World War I

Ernst-Günther Baade volunteered for military service in 1914 at the age of seventeen and joined the 9th "Ulanenregiment". Baade distinguished himself in the fighting on the Eastern Front and was chosen for officer candidate training. He was promoted to leutnant in August 1916. In 1918 he was transferred to the Western front where he was wounded by poison gas.

World War II

On 6 March 1942 Baade was assigned to the Führer-Reserve and from 1 April to 30 April 1942 was transferred to the 15. Panzerdivision. Here he was trained to lead a "Schützen-Regiment" in Africa. On 15 April 1942 he took command of Schützen-Regiment 115, committed to action in Libya and Cyrenaica.

"Oberst" Baade distinguished himself on 27 May 1942 through excellent leadership and autonomous decision making, preventing a strong tank attack into the rear of the 15. Panzerdivision. A battalion of the regiment under the personal leadership of "Oberst" Baade managed to infiltrate into Bir Hacheim on the next day. The defenders will to defend was suppressed after 24 hours of bitter fighting. Oberst Baade was awarded the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for this exceptional feat.

"Oberst" Baade was again wounded on 28 July 1942 at El-Alamein when his position was hit by artillery fire. Baade was evacuated to Rome and Germany. For a period of convalescence he was assigned to the Führer-Reserve on 1 August 1942.

Colonel Baade was in charge of the defence of the Straits of Messina during the successful evacuation of German forces from Sicily in early August 1943.

Baade was wounded in the neck and lower leg by a phosphorous projectile on 24 April 1945 when his Kübelwagen was strafed by a British aircraft near Gut Neverstaven in Holstein. Baade was immediately taken to a hospital at Bad Segeberg, where he succumbed to complications arising from the phosphor, maltreatment and overcrowded conditions in the hospital on 8 May 1945.

Awards

* Wound Badge in Silver
* Infantry Assault Badge
* Tank Destruction Badge for Individual Combatants
* Cuffband "Afrika"
* German Cross in Gold (2 November 1941)
* 1914 Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class
* 1939 clasp to the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
** Knight's Cross (27 June 1942)
** 402. Oak Leaves (22 February 1944)
** 111. Swords (16 November 1944)
* Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (8 February 1944, 27 May 1944)

References

* Atkinson, Rick: "The Day of Battle - The War in Sicily and Italy 1943 - 1944" 2007. ISBN 978-0-316-72560-6.
* 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.
* 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.