Karl Mauss

Infobox Military Person
name=Dr. Karl Mauss
born=birth date|1898|5|17|df=y
died=death date and age|1959|2|9|1898|5|17|df=y


caption=Dr. Karl Mauss
placeofbirth=Ploen in Schleswig-Holstein
placeofdeath=Hamburg
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|German Empire German Empire (to 1918)
flagicon|Germany Weimar Republic (to 1922)
flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
serviceyears=1914 - 1922, 1938 - 1945
rank=Generalleutnant
commands="Panzergrenadier-Regiment 33"
7th Panzer Division
unit=10th Panzer Division
7th Panzer Division
battles=World War I
*Battle of the Somme
*Italian front
World War II
*Invasion of Poland
*Battle of France
*Operation Barbarossa
*Battle of Moscow
*Battle of Kursk
awards="Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit dem Eichenlaub mit Schwertern und Brillanten"
laterwork=Dentist

Dr. Karl Mauss (May 17, 1898 - February 9, 1959) was one of the most distinguished tank commanders of the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a lieutenant general and commander of the 7th Panzer Division, and one of only 27 ever to receive the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves, Swords, and Diamonds.

Early career

Karl Mauss was born in the town of Ploen in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. In 1914, at only sixteen years of age he volunteered to serve during World War I. [Fraschka 1994, p. 325.] Thanks to his obstinacy and the support of his father, he was accepted and joined Jägerregiment 162, serving during the war at Arras, La Bassee, Flanders, Somme and Isonzo. In 1915, barely seventeen as the youngest man in the division, he was awarded the Iron Cross, 2nd class for distinguishing himself as the best scout in the region during the Battle of the Somme. [Frascka 1994, p. 326.] The year after, he was promoted to 2nd lieutenant (becoming one of the youngest commissioned officers of the entire army) and, a short time later after the transfer of his division to the East into the Carpathians, received the Iron Cross, 1st class.

Mauss stayed in the military until 1922 when he moved to Hamburg to study dentistry, and attained his doctorate as dr. med. dent. in 1929. Apparently, civilian life did not suit him, so he re-enlisted as a captain in 1934, serving with Infanterieregiments 69 in Hamburg. He was promoted to "Major" on April 1, 1938.

World War II & Post-war career

At the start of the war, Dr. Mauss served with the 20th motorized infantry division, with which he participated in the 1939 Invasion of Poland. In May 1940 his 10th Panzer Division travelled west to take part in the Battle of France together with Heinz Guderian's XIX Army Corps.

Already in these first engagements Mauss successfully utilized his war experiences from 1914/18, his energy and enthusiasm transferring to his men. In the second phase of the French campaign, Mauss participated in the battles against the French 7th army.

Mauss, now "Oberstleutnant" (promoted on April 1, 1941), also fought in the Soviet campaign, Operation Barbarossa, from its outset. In November 1941, When his battalion successfully defended their positions on the bridgehead by Ugra despite heavy Soviet attacks and calamitous weather conditions, Mauss was awarded the "Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross".

In the year 1942 Mauss was promoted to "Oberst", and after leading his troops with small losses from the hell of Kursk, he was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross in November, 1943. In January 1944 he took command of the famous 7th Panzer Division. In April the same year, he was promoted to "Generalmajor". Furthermore, on October 23, 1944 he received the "Knight's Cross with Oakleaves and Swords" before he was seriously injured by artillery shell fragments in February, 1945 in Gotenhafen and had a leg amputated. He was promoted to "Generalleutnant" in April, and received as the last commander of the 7th Panzer division the "Knight's Cross with Oakleaves, Swords, and Diamonds" on April 15, 1945.

Following the surrender to British troops, Mauss learned that his wife Minna (maiden name Lohoff), the mother of three of their children, had died. A request to go to Lübeck for the funeral was denied. In 1949 he remarried and a year later his son Dietrich was born. [Fraschka 1994, p. 337.]

After the war Mauss worked as a dentist in his own practice. His request for re-enlistment was rejected by the "Bundeswehr" for health reasons.Dr. med. dent. Karl Mauss died of a heart attack following a lengthy illness on 9 February 1959 in Hamburg, at the age of 60.

Awards

* Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold
* Panzer Badge in Silver (3. Class)
* Close Combat Clasp in Bronze
* German Cross in Gold (11 March 1943)
* Eisernes Kreuz 2. and 1. Class
* Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillianten
** Ritterkreuz (26 November 1941)
** 335. Eichenlaub (24 November 1943)
** 101. Schwerter (23 October 1944)
** 26. Brillianten (15 April 1945)
* Mentioned three times in the Wehrmachtbericht

ee also

* The 7th Panzer Division
* Iron Cross

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.
* Fraschka, Günther. "Knight's of the Reich", Atgen, PA: Schiffer Military, 1994. ISBN 0-88740-580-0.
* 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.