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Flügel, Hans (Waffen SS)

    Date of birth:
    February 13th, 1919 (Arzberg/Bavaria, Germany)
    Date of death:
    March 1st, 1989 (Naila/Bavaria, Germany)
    Service number:
    SS-Nr.: 287.016 // NSDAP-Nr.: 5.229.201
    Nationality:
    German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

    Biography

    In service from August 5th 1935.

    Promotions:
    5th August 1935: SS-Anwärter;
    1935: SS-Mann;
    1936: SS-Sturmmann;
    1936: SS-Rottenführer;
    1st April 1937: SS-Unterscharführer der Reserve;
    1st February 1940: SS-Hauptscharführer der Reserve;
    13th June 1940: SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve;
    30th January 1942: SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve;
    9th November 1943: SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve;
    January 1945: SS-Sturmbannführer der Reserve.

    Career:
    5th August 1935 - 1938: SS-Totenkopfstandarte "Oberbayern";
    30th March 1938 - 1st October 1938: RAD;
    1938 - 1939: 12. / SS-Standarte "Deutschland", SS-VT;
    1st February 1940 - 8th May 1940: SS-Junkerschule "Bad Tölz", 1.Reserve Führer Lehrgang;
    1940 - ?: Zugführer 4.(MG) / SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Deutschland" , SS-Division "Reich";
    July 1941 - ?: Zugführer 8. / SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Deutschland" , SS-Division "Reich";
    August 1941 - 26th October 1941: Adjutant SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 2 , SS-Division "Reich";
    June 1942 - ?: 3. / SS-Panzer-Abteilung 5 , SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking";
    December 1942 - ?: 2./ SS-Panzer-Abteilung 5 , SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking";
    ? - 25th August 1943: SS-Panzer-Ausbildungs-und Ersatz-Regiment;
    25th August 1943 - 1st November 1943: O4 III.(germanischer)SS.Panzer-Korps;
    1st November 1943 - ? November 1943: Chef 1. / schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 103;
    1944: Adjutant SS-Panzer-Regiment 5, SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking";
    15th August 1944 - ? 1945: Kommandeur II. / SS-Panzer-Regiment 5, SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking".

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    Awarded on:
    February 1934
    Ehrenwinkel der Alten Kämpfer
    DRL Sportabzeichen in Bronze
    Bronzes SA-Sportabzeichen
    SS-Dienstauszeichnung 4.Stufe (4 Jahre)
    Awarded on:
    1939
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
    Awarded on:
    1939
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
    Awarded on:
    1939
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)
    Unit:
    Zugführer, 4.(MG) Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Reigment "Deutschland", SS-Division "Reich"
    Awarded on:
    June 19th, 1940
    Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)
    Unit:
    Zugführer, 4.(MG) Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Reigment "Deutschland", SS-Division "Reich"
    Awarded on:
    July 1st, 1940
    Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)

    Silver version.
    Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)
    Unit:
    Zugführer, 8. Kompanie, SS-infanterie-Regiment "Deutschland", SS-Division "Reich"
    Awarded on:
    August 4th, 1941
    Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)
    Unit:
    Adjutant, SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 2, SS-Division "Reich"
    Awarded on:
    October 1941
    Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Silber
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)
    Unit:
    3. Kompanie, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 5, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking"
    Awarded on:
    August 1942

    Silver version.
    Panzerkampfabzeichen (ohne Zahl)
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    1942
    Medaille
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)
    Unit:
    Chef, 2. Kompanie, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 5, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking"
    Awarded on:
    December 8th, 1942
    Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)
    Unit:
    2. Kompanie, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 5, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking"
    Awarded on:
    March 1943
    Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Gold
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve (Captain of Reserves)
    Unit:
    Chef, 1. Kompanie, schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 103
    Awarded on:
    November 1943
    Panzerkampfabzeichen II Stufe
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve (Captain of Reserves)
    Unit:
    Kommandeur, II. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 5, 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking", IV. SS-Panzerkorps, Heeresgruppe Mitte
    Awarded on:
    October 16th, 1944
    Flügel’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

    “The Russians penetrated into the village of Stanislawow in the early morning hours of the 18.08.1944 following a drumfire-like artillery preparation. They constantly funnelled in additional infantry, tanks, anti-tank guns and AA guns and continued their advance towards the Stanislawow farm and a general northward direction. They occupied the Stanislawow sector with 2 strong regiments.

    The 3 weak Kompanien available to the II./SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 received the order to retake Stanislawow along with an SPW group following a friendly artillery preparation.

    At 14:30 SS-Hauptsturmführer Flügel commenced the attack with his Abteilung. 7. Kompanie would launch a wide strike to the west while the 5. and 6. Kompanien would tie down the enemy from the front with coordinated fire. The first attack objective, the Stanislawow farm, was secured by strong enemy anti-tank, anti-air and tank forces similar to the northern and eastern edges of Stanislawow itself. This caused the attack to stall at close range.

    In this critical situation Flügel personally set himself at the head of 7. Kompanie after he had positioned all the Abteilung’s remaining vehicles for a renewed firefight against the north and northwestern edges of Stanislawow. In an exceptionally daring drive Flügel and 6 Panzers broke into the commanding Stanislawow farm and destroyed 19 heavy enemy anti-tank guns. Flügel thrust further towards the western edge of the heavily defended village and perceived that it could only be captured from the west. Flügel thus drove to the rest of the Abteilung in his command Panzer, reorganized the Kompanien and drove to the northern edge of Stanislawow (once again at the head of his vehicles), penetrating into the city and linking up with the western group. In hard urban combat the Panzers thrust through Stanislawow and attacked the strong enemy anti-tank/Flak line on its eastern side, which was simultaneously suppressed by a few Panzers firing from the northeast.

    Through this flexibly led attack, during which he applied himself to the utmost, Flügel succeeded in occupying Stanislawow. The enemy did not expect the attack. It led to the destruction of strong enemy assembly areas.

    The following enemy materiel was eliminated over a very small area at the cost of no friendly losses:

    41 heavy anti-tank guns
    5 Flak guns
    6 tanks
    1 assault gun
    Over 900 enemy dead and prisoners
    A large number of infantry weapons.

    Flügel has proven himself as a fighter in all campaigns of this war. As a Panzer Zugführer, Kompanie-Führer and Abteilungs-Führer he has distinguished himself through his exceptional tactical acumen and daring. He has achieved all his assigned missions with minimal friendly losses.

    Flügel has received a total of 6 wounds, some of which were severe.

    I hold him as particularly worthy of the award of the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross.”

    Although the document lists the day of this action as the 18.08.1944, other primary sources indicate that this action could not have taken place near Stanislawow on this day. The available evidence suggests that the true date of this action was the 09.08.1944.

    Submitted on September 8th 1944.
    Preliminary document and decoration on October 25th 1944 to Heeresgruppe Mitte.
    According to the recommendation the action took place on August 18th, 1944. Looking at the course of the war in the area the date must actually have been around August 9th-10th, 1944.
    Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve (Captain of Reserves)
    Unit:
    Kommandeur, II. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 5, 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking", IV. SS-Panzerkorps, Heeresgruppe Mitte
    Awarded on:
    1944
    Panzerkampfabzeichen IV Stufe

    Sources

    Photo