Date of birth:

July 29th, 1920 (Dortmund/Westphalia, Germany)

Date of death:

December 11th, 2004 (Dortmund/Westphalia, Germany)

Nationality:

German

03.10.1940: Ausbildung, Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 289, Herford
29.10.1940: MG-Schütze, 3. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 473, 253. Infanterie-Division - France
00.06.1941: MG-Schütze, 6. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 473, 253. Infanterie-Division - Russia
22.08.1941: WIA for the 1st time
23.08.1941: WIA for the 2nd time
00.08.1941: promoted to Gefreiter
00.02.1942: severely frozen and WIA for the 3rd time to the right eye
00.00.1942: Gefreiter, Gruppenführer, 6. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 473, 253. Infanterie-Division
00.09.1942: WIA near Rzhev for the 4th time and evacuated to a Lazarett in Smolensk
00.09.1942: promoted to Unteroffizier
00.12.1942: Gefreiter, Kompanietruppmelder, 6. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 473, 253. Infanterie-Division
00.01.1943: Unteroffizier, Gruppenführer, Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 473, Aachen
00.02.1944: Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel, Pionieroffizier, Stab, Infanterie-Regiment 871, 356. Infanterie-Division - Italy
00.06.1944: Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel, Kriegsschule II, Haguenau, Alsace
00.09.1944: promoted to Leutnant
00.09.1944-00.10.1944: Leutnant, Kompanieoffizier, Grenadier-Ersatz-Bataillon 88, Fulda
00.10.1944: Leutnant, Abteilungsführer, Reichslehrgang für Volkssturm-Bataillons-Führer, Grafenwöhr
00.02.1945: Leutnant, Führungsstab, Deutscher Volkssturm, Frankfurt, Cottbus and Berlin
29.04.1945: Leutnant, WIA for the 5th time
01.05.1945: Leutnant, WIA for the 6th time
02.05.1945: soviet POW
10.10.1953: released

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Schütze (Private/Rifleman)

Awarded on:

July 29th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Schütze (Private/Rifleman)

Awarded on:

August 1st, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Schütze (Private/Rifleman)

Awarded on:

August 22nd, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

December 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

August 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Gefreiter (Lance Corporal)

Awarded on:

September 14th, 1942

WIA 22.08.1941 + 23.08.1941 + 00.02.1942 + 00.09.1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Gefreiter (Lance Corporal)

Unit:

Melder, 6. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 473, 253. Infanterie-Division

Awarded on:

September 26th, 1942

Hans Sturm was Kompanie runner in Infanterie-Regiment 473 (of the 253. Infanterie-Division). During a Soviet attack near Rzhev, Sturm was ordered to assess the situation. As he was heading for a German machine gun position, a Soviet grenade knocked out the machine gun position. Sturm jumped in and resumed firing the machine gun at the advancing Soviets. A Soviet tank round landed nearby, wounding him severely. Despite his wounds he resumed firing the machine gun and throwing grenades until a relief force drove off the remaining attackers. It was later determined that his actions saved the Regiment from being encircled.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Gefreiter (Lance Corporal)

Unit:

Melder, 6. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 473, 253. Infanterie-Division

Awarded on:

November 5th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel

Unit:

Pionieroffiizer, Stab, Infanterie-Regiment 871, 356. Infanterie-Division

Awarded on:

May 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)

Awarded on:

May 1st, 1945

WIA 22.08.1941 + 23.08.1941 + 00.02.1942 + 00.09.1942 + 29.04.1945 + 01.05.1945

• Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
• - HUß, JÜRGEN & SONDERMANN, HEINZ-WERNER, Ritterkreuzträger im Mannschaftsstand 1941-1945, VDM Heinz Nickel, Zweibrücken, 2009.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
  - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X