Bader, Josef

Date of birth:: February 21st, 1911 (Alt-Oberndorf/Württemberg, Germany)
Date of death:: July 2nd, 1970 (Karlstadt am Main/Bavaria, Germany)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Josef Bader reached the rank of Major.

Career:
?: Kommandeur II. / Grenadier-Regiment 95.

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:: Kommandeur, II. Bataillon, Grenadier-Regiment 95, 294. Infanterie-Division, Heer
Awarded on:: August 23rd, 1943

During the fighting along the Mius river in August 1943, Hauptmann Bader was tasked with taking the village of J. in a counterattack. However this task was complicated by the presence of a commanding hill that was in a position to pour flanking fire into the attacks. German reconnaissance had confirmed the presence of an anti-tank gun strongpoint on top of the hill that was also secured by an extended defensive system in the surrounding ravines and hills. However Bader and his men were able to secure this strongpoint in close combat before the planned friendly artillery barrage took place.

Bader then pressed on into the surrounding Soviet defenses with his Grenadiers in order to eliminate their fire. After carrying this out he found himself 800 metres from an extremely commanding hill that dominated the entire sector. This was the Division’s objective of the day. Bader observed how fleeing Soviet soldiers were causing confusion on the hill. He thus immediately decided to capitalize on this reality and attack this hill with his weak forces despite having no flank protection. He managed to storm the hill with a force of 4 officers and 92 men, and after this he defended it on three sides until the fighting finally subsided.

Bader would subsequently receive the Knight’s Cross for achieving such a noteworthy victory.