Otto Baum (SS member)
Otto Baum (born November 15, 1911 in Stetten , Hohenzollernsche Lande , † June 18, 1998 there ) was a German officer in the Waffen SS , most recently an SS Oberführer .
Life
After elementary school he attended secondary school and passed his Abitur there in 1930. He studied at the Agricultural University of Hohenheim and joined the General SS in Stuttgart on November 1, 1933 (13th SS standard). From April 1935 to February 1936 he attended the SS Junk School in Braunschweig . He was a member of the NSDAP with membership number 4.197.040.
On June 1, 1939 he became company commander of the 7th Company SS Infantry Regiment (motorized) " Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler " , two months later this unit took part in the attack on Poland . From March 3, 1941 to November 9, 1942, Baum commanded the III. Battalion of the SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 3 and was involved with this unit on the Eastern Front, among other things, in the fighting in Demyansk . For his successes he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on May 8, 1942. It was used in France and then again on the Eastern Front. On January 30, 1944, he was promoted to SS-Standartenführer . From 18 June 1944 to 1 August 1944 he commanded as oberführer the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division "Götz von Berlichingen" , which was used in France and distinguished himself with his unit particularly in the fight for Saint-Lô from . From July 28 to October 23, 1944, Baum was entrusted with the command of the 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich" (SS disposal division). He then took over command of the 16th SS Panzer Grenadier Division "Reichsführer SS" in Italy on October 24, 1944 . At the end of January 1945 he was transferred to Hungary with the division and surrendered on May 8, 1945 near Völkermarkt / Carinthia.
After being captured by the British from August 1946 to December 1948, Baum worked in the textile industry.
He died on June 18, 1998 in Stetten.
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class
- Infantry Assault Badge
- Medal Winter Battle in the East 1941/42
- Wound badge (1939) in silver
- German cross in gold on December 26, 1941
-
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with oak leaves and swords
- Knight's Cross on May 8, 1942
- Oak leaves on August 22, 1943 (277th award)
- Swords on September 2, 1944 (95th award)
- Demyansk Shield
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Veit Scherzer : Knight's Cross bearer 1939–1945. The holders of the Iron Cross of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and armed forces allied with Germany according to the documents of the Federal Archives. 2nd Edition. Scherzers Militaer-Verlag, Ranis / Jena 2007, ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2 , p. 206.
- ↑ Klaus D. Patzwall , Veit Scherzer: The German Cross 1941-1945. History and owner. Volume II. Publishing house Klaus D. Patzwall. Norderstedt 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X . P. 27.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Baum, Otto |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German SS-Oberführer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 15, 1911 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Stetten |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 18, 1998 |
| Place of death | Stetten |