Date of birth:

March 3rd, 1911 (Jädersdorf/Pomerania, Germany)

Date of death:

October 27th, 2001 (Ingelheim/Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany)

Service number:

SS-Nr.: 82.578 // NSDAP-Nr.: 1.736.388

Nationality:

German

01.02.1933: joined the NSDAP and entered the SS as SS-Anwärter - 4./ SS-Standarte 44
01.10.1933-06.1937: 4./ LSSAH
15.10.1933: SS-Mann
01.12.1933: SS-Rottenführer
04.1935-06.1936: SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig
01.06.1935: SS-Unterscharführer
09.11.1935: SS-Scharführer
30.04.1936: SS-Untersturmführer - Bataillonsadjutant SS-Totenkopfstandarte Sachsen
20.04.1938: SS-Obersturmführer - SS-Totenkopfstandarte Thuringen
01.06.-01.09.1938: SS-Totenkopfstandarte Oberbayern
Chef 8./ SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie Regiment 1
15.01.1939: Chef 9./ SS-Totenkopfstandarte Oberbayern
01.03.-01.06.1939: Chef 8./ SS-Totenkopfstandarte Oberbayern
20.04.1939: SS-Hauptsturmführer
Summer 1939: sent to Infanterieschule Döberitz
19.10.1939: 5./ SS-Totenkopf-Artillerie Regiment
01.04.1940: sent to Artillerieschule Jüterborg
01.12.1940-08.1941: Adjutant - 5.SS-Division Wiking
04.01.1942: SS-Sturmbannführer and Chef I./ SS-Art.Reg. 5
01.05.1943: Chef SS-Panzer-Abteilung 11 - 11.SS Division Nordland
21.06.1944: SS-Obersturmbannführer
29.07.1944: WIA
1944-05.1945: Führer SS-Panzer Regiment 11 - 11.SS Division Nordland
25.04.1945: WIA in Berlin
28.04.1945 or 01.05.1945: WIA for the 3rd time in Berlin
02.05.1945: captured by the Soviet - Soviet POW in the camps in Minsk, Stalingrad and Sverdlovsk
16.01.1956: released
Tank ace credited with 19 tank kills

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Awarded on:

September 13th, 1936

Awarded on:

1937

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)

Unit:

Adjutant, II. Sturmbann, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte "Thüringen"

Awarded on:

1939

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)

Unit:

SS-Totenkopf-Standarte "Oberbayern"

Awarded on:

1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 5. Batterie, SS-Artillerie-Regiment 3, SS-Division "Totenkopf", Waffen-SS

Awarded on:

August 4th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 5. Batterie, SS-Artillerie-Regiment 3, SS-Division "Totenkopf", Waffen-SS

Awarded on:

October 1st, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 15th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 22nd, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

April 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 1944

WIA 29.07.1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant-colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 11 "Hermann von Salza", 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Nordland'

Awarded on:

August 23rd, 1944

Kausch’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“On the 24.07.1944 the looming breakthrough of the Russian 120th Rifle Division was halted by the efforts of Obersturmbannführer Kausch. As his command post was surrounded by Soviet sub-machine gun wielding soldiers, he led a counterattack with what forces he could rally. Skillfully making the most of a Panzer attack in the neighbouring sector, he was able to close the gap in the German frontline.

Success: Eliminating the dangerous (and potentially game-changing) threat against the deep south flank of the Narva bulge.

On the 28.07.1944 Kausch led a new counterattack with a force of Sturmgeschütze and mounted Panzergrenadiers following a swift and accurate judgement of the situation. He moved against a broad frontline gap and sealed it off, thereby preventing the enemy forces here from commencing their imminent breakthrough towards Reval.

Kausch was wounded on the 29.07.1944 while leading a counterattack.”

Submitted on July 30th 1944.
Preliminary document and decoration on September 7th 1944 to Heeresgruppe Nord.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant-colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, SS-Panzer-Regiment 11 "Hermann von Salza", 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Nordland'

Awarded on:

April 23rd, 1945

• Photo 1: Dobri Dobrev
• - FEDERL, CH., Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Panzerdivisionen 1939-1945, VDM Heinz Nickel, Zweibrücken, 2000.
  - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - SCHNEIDER, J.W., Their Honor Was Loyalty!, Bender (R.James) Publishing, 1993.
  - Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, 2001
  - Krätschmer E.G., Die Ritterkreuzträger der Waffen-SS, Nation Europa Verlag, Coburg, 2003
  - Microfilm Publication A3343. US National Archives.