Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberfeldwebel (Warrant Officer)

Unit:

4. Kompanie, I. Bataillon, Grenadier-Regiment 4, 32. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

December 21st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberfeldwebel (Warrant Officer)

Unit:

Zugführer, 4. Kompanie, I. Bataillon, Grenadier-Regiment 4, 32. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

April 18th, 1943

The following newspaper article (dated 26.05.1943) describes why Romott was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“Pomeranian Worker with the Knight’s Cross - Oberfeldwebel Romott takes a hotly contested village with 20 men / Outstandingly distinguished as a lone fighter and shock troop leader in three campaigns:

The Pomeranian Oberfeldwebel Hans Romott (a general labourer in civilian life) was awarded the Knight’s Cross by the Führer. This soldier has thereby been honoured for his achievements in the Polish, Western and Eastern campaigns as a Zugführer, assault troop and patrol leader over the course of numerous offensive and defensive battles. War correspondent Ernst Ploetz details as to how Romott earned the Knight’s Cross…

On the morning of the 06.03.1943 a Bataillon (supported by Sturmgeschützen) was sent to attack the heavily manned and well fortified village of K. This attack was fought off by the desperately defending foe. The Soviets themselves then conducted an artillery barrage before launching their own attack, and they succeeded in temporarily penetrating into the friendly main line of battle.

Oberfeldwebel Romott and his Zug were dispatched to conduct a counterthrust, and within a very short time the unit recaptured the old line without any friendly losses. For their part the enemy (in strength of about 80 men) were annihilated, and in the process our troops captured 3 heavy machine-guns, 7 light machine-guns, a heavy mortar and 33 submachine-guns. Romott then carried on beyond his ordered objective on his own initiative, launching an attack against the village of K. despite it being considered unattainable by our side. Storming far ahead of his soldiers, he reached a point about 40 metres away from the western edge of the village after overcoming the ice floes of a river as well as a steep slope, all under heavy enemy fire. The village was still occupied by about 250 Bolsheviks along with their abundant weaponry.

Acting with swift determination, Romott deployed his squads for the attack and stormed into the village at several points with cries of ‘Hurra’. By utilizing the element of surprise he succeeded in eliminating those Soviet elements that still resisted, and those that fled were gunned down. After breaking the enemy resistance Romott attacked and likewise destroyed a group of about 70 Soviet soldiers (led by a commissar) that were located south of the village. In the process he received his fifth war wound from a Bolshevik soldier that ambushed him by playing dead. But, even as the enemy initiated a counterthrust from another direction, Romott was able to issue clear orders despite his severe injury. In this manner the outstanding bravery of Romott and his 20 men resulted in the seizure and holding of a hotly contested village, one which was of decisive importance for the defense of the main battle line. This was accomplished while simultaneously inflicting bloody losses upon the enemy.”