Schöne, Hans-Wolfgang

Date of birth:: October 4th, 1909 (Meißen/Saxony, Germany)
Date of death:: August 21st, 2000 (Celle/Lowersaxony, Germany)
Nationality:: German

Biography

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Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)
Unit:: Führer, II. Bataillon, Grenadier-Regiment 1242, Panzergrenadier-Division „Kurmark“, 9. Armee
Awarded on:: March 23rd, 1945

Awarded the Knight’s Cross for commanding the defense of Klessin in March of 1945. Here he commanded a Bataillon of officer candidates, and despite being heavily outnumbered and encircled they were able to hold the city for 300 hours. Their presence in the city enabled them to observe and bring down devastating fire on Soviet forces in the area (with up to 250 guns at times) with the help of a command tank in the city that was converted into an observation vehicle. On the night of the 21/22.03.1945 the city was evacuated. Klessin, along with a mere 70 men out of the original 400 defenders, managed to make it back to German lines. However their sacrifice here prevented a Soviet breakthrough at Podelzig (along the Oder front).

For his achievements in this action, Schöne would receive the Knight’s Cross.