Hans Kroh

Hans Kroh
Hans Kroh
Born	(1907-05-13)13 May 1907 Heidelberg
Died	Braunschweig
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe Heer
Years of service	1935–45 1956–62
Rank	Generalmajor (Wehrmacht) Generalmajor (Bundeswehr)
Commands held	I./FschJägRgt 2, FschJägRgt 2, 2.FschJägDiv
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Crete Battle for Brest
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Great Cross of Merit
Other work	Bundeswehr

Hans Kroh (13 May 1907 in Heidelberg – 18 July 1967 in Braunschweig) was a German Fallschirmjäger and general in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Biography

Hans Kroh entered the Brandenburg-Havel Police School as a police cadet on 8 April 1926. On 1 October 1935 he became commander of a company in the General Göring Regiment and transferred to the Luftwaffe on April 1, 1936. Kroh became a training director of the Stendal Parachute School. After a period of staff work, on September 1, 1940 he assumed command of I Battalion, 2nd Parachute Regiment.

During the Battle of Crete Kroh took command of Battle Group Sturm, whose objective was Rethymnon airfield, after Oberst Alfred Sturm was taken prisoner by the British Forces. After ten days of fighting, the battle group was relieved by mountain infantry. Kroh received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 August 1941. In Africa Kroh served in the Ramcke Parachute Brigade. He then served on the Eastern Front. Kroh commanded the 2nd Parachute Division in the Battle for Brest until he was captured in the St. Pierre district of the city on 18 September 1944.

Hans Kroh joined the Bundeswehr on 1 June 1956 as Oberst. On 1 September 1957 he was promoted to Brigadegeneral. One day later he took command of the 1st Luftlande-Division in Bruchsal. On 1 July 1959 he was again promoted to Generalmajor. He retired on 1 October 1962. He died in Braunschweig in 1967.

Awards

• Wound Badge in Black
• Luftwaffe Paratrooper Badge
• Ground Assault Badge of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross
  • 2nd Class (22 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (22 May 1940)
• Medaglia d'Argento al Valor Militare (9 February 1942)
• German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1942 as Major in the I./Lw.Jg.Brig. 1
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 21 August 1941 as Major and commander I./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2
  • 443rd Oak Leaves on 6 April 1944 as Oberstleutnant and commander of the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2
  • 96th Schwerter on 12 September 1944 as Oberst and leader of the 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division
• Great Cross of Merit (12 September 1962)

External links

• Hans Kroh @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht

Military offices
Preceded by Generalleutnant Gustav Wilke	Commander of 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division (Wehrmacht) 17 March 1944 – 1 June 1944	Succeeded by General Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke
Preceded by General Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke	Commander of 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division (Wehrmacht) 11 August 1944 – 15 November 1944	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Walter Lackner
Preceded by Oberst Bern von Baer	Commander of the 1. Luftlande-Division (Bundeswehr) September 1957 – 30 September 1962	Succeeded by Generalmajor Walter Gericke