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Kron, Otto-Wilhelm (SS-Totenkopf-Flak-Abteilung)

    Date of birth:
    February 28th, 1911 (Speyer/Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany)
    Date of death:
    August 9th, 1955 (Dachau/Bavaria, Germany)
    Service number:
    SS-Nr.: 31.441 // NSDAP-Nr.: 3.061.726
    Nationality:
    German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

    Biography

    Otto Wilhelm Kron was son of a Police Official and studied Law at Wurzburg University.

    01.10.1931: joined the SS - 5./ II./ 3. SS-Standarte
    02.06.1932: SS-Mann - Hilfspolizei
    07.12.1932: SS-Unterscharführer
    12.01.1933: SS-Scharführer
    01.05.1933: joined the NSDAP
    00.00.1933-00.00.1935: assigned to SS-Wachtruppe Dachau
    01.04.1934: SS-Oberscharführer
    00.00.1934: SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz (?)
    01.11.1934: SS-Hauptscharführer
    00.00.1935-00.00.1936: assigned to I./ SS-Totenkopf-Verbande 'Oberbayern'
    01.06.1935: SS-Untersturmführer
    01.05.1936: assigned to V./ SS-Totenkopf-Verbande 'Oberbayern'
    13.09.1936: SS-Obersturmführer
    10.07.1937: assigned to the V./ SS-Totenkopf-Verbande 'Brandenberg'
    11.07.1938: Chef, 12. Hundertschaft, III./ SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 1 'Oberbayern'
    01.07.1938-01.10.1938: assigned to the training of the 4./ II./ SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 'Ostmark'
    02.10.1938: SS-Hauptsturmführer
    01.10.1938: Chef, 4. Hundertschaft, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 1 'Oberbayern'
    16.10.1939-01.01.1941: Führer, 4./ SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 1
    01.01.1941-03.03.1941: Führer, 8./ SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 1
    03.03.1941-10.05.1941: SS-Totenkopf-Ersatz-Bataillon
    00.04.1942: Kdr, SS-Totenkopf-Flak-Ausbildung-Abteilung - training at Truppenübungsplatz "Sennelager"
    10.05.1941-27.08.1943: Kommandeur, SS-Totenkopf-Flak-Abteilung, SS-Division 'Totenkopf'
    21.01.1942: SS-Sturmbannführer
    17.03.1943: Kdr, SS-Totenkopf-Aufklärungs-Abteilung
    06.07.1943: severely WIA to the legs during an air raid and sent to a Lazarret
    27.08.1943-00.00.1944: appointed to the SS-Panzer-Aufklärungs-Ausbildung- und Ersatz-Abteilung 1 - Ellwangen
    20.04.1944: SS-Obersturmbannführer
    00.02.1945: Chefgruppe, Amtsgruppe C - Waffen SS, SS-Personal-Haupt-Amt
    00.05.1945: surrendered in Austria
    00.00.1955: trialed at Dachau
    09.08.1955: died abruptly of an incurable ilness on his Larynx during his detention in Dachau

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    DRL Sportabzeichen in Bronze
    Bronzes SA-Sportabzeichen
    Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS
    SS-Ehrenring
    Awarded on:
    December 1937
    Julleuchter der SS
    Ehrenwinkel der Alten Kämpfer
    SS-Dienstauszeichnung 4.Stufe (4 Jahre)
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
    Unit:
    Chef, 4. Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 1
    Awarded on:
    June 22nd, 1940
    Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
    Unit:
    Führer, SS-Totenkopf-Ersatz-Bataillon
    Awarded on:
    December 19th, 1941
    Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
    Unit:
    Führer, SS-Totenkopf-Flak-Abteilung, SS-Division 'Totenkopf
    Awarded on:
    June 28th, 1942
    Kron’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

    “SS-Hauptsturmführer Korn, who previously distinguished himself during the hard winter months in the defense of Molwotizy, has once again proven himself. On the night of the 24-25.04.1942, as part of Operation “Fallreep”, he led a Kampfgruppe which seized a crossing over the Wileny stream in a surprise attack and thereafter, despite heavy enemy resistance, the Kampfgruppe was able to create a bridgehead under Kron’s brave leadership.

    Through the creation of this bridgehead it was possible to launch a further advance westwards towards Star Ramuschewo and northwards towards Prissmorshje from a solid starting point. This would lead to the first contact with the relief group led by von Seydlitz, which was attacking towards Ramuschewo from the northwest.

    In the further prosecution of this operation, SS-Hauptsturmführer Kron received the order to cover the right flank of the attacking group with his Bataillon and create a frontline opposite the Sutschan bog.

    On the afternoon of the 25.04.1942 freshly arrived strong enemy forces attacked the east wing of the advancing German troops in the forests west and southwest of Alexandrowko, threatening to roll them up from the flank. This would have threatened the territorial gains which had cost so much bloody combat to obtain. Recognizing the critical situation, SS-Hauptsturmführer Kron made an independent decision to intervene despite currently being attacked himself and having only very weak forces following the fall of all his officers. He ruthlessly exposed his front, assembled all available troops and used these to attack into the flank of the incoming enemy.

    In hard and bloody forest combat, which was fought partially in belly-deep swamps, he was able to smash the hostile forces and force them to retreat in a display of death-defying devotion. Through this decisive action SS-Hauptsturmführer Kron has a major share in the successful conclusion of the Operation “Fallreep”, which resulted in the breaking of the encirclement around the Demyansk pocket. In recognition of his crucial intervention and its associated success, I ask that this brave officer be awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.”
    Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

    Sources

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