Hans Juchem
Encyclopedia
Hans Juchem was a Hauptsturmführer
(Captain) in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
during World War II. He was the second recipient of only 631 awards of the Close Combat Clasp
in Gold.
, during World War I. His father was a local businessman who decided to leave Germany for Switzerland after the German defeat in 1918, and only returned to Germany in 1933.
In 1934, at the age of seventeen he volunteered to join the SS-VT and was posted to the SS Standarte Deutschland, under the command of Felix Steiner
.
He was selected to become an officer and was sent to the SS-Junkerschule in Bad Tölz
in the class of 1938. After graduation he was promoted to Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant).
He also took part in the Western Campaign
in June 1940 and was involved in fighting at Vlissingen in Holland, Cassel, the Marne
and in Orléans
in France where he was wounded for the first time and awarded the Wound Badge
. He was promoted to Obersturmführer
in November 1940, and given command of the 5th Company, SS Regiment Germania.
Now part of the SS Division Wiking Juchem took part in Operation Barbarossa
the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941.
Advancing into the Ukraine
he was involved in fighting at Lemberg, Tarnopol, Rkiwira, Ignatiewka and on the river Mius. He was awarded the Iron Cross
2nd class in September and the Iron Cross 1st class in December 1941.
By this time Juchem had gained a reputation as a good commander and a man to turn to for difficult missions and his company was selected more and more to lead the Division's advance, or as a counter attacking force.
He was awarded the German Cross
in Gold in September 1942 for his achievements in the Caucasus
. He was promoted to Hauptsturmführer
(Captain) in January 1943 and given command of the III.Battalion, 9th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Germania.
In the fighting at the Kuban
bridgehead he personally destroyed several Soviet guns and cut a supply route which was successfully mined.
Juchem was next involved in the battles for Kiev
and Battle of Kharkov
where he was awarded the Close Combat Clasp
in Gold.
Hans Juchem was killed in action three days later on 13 August 1943, during the fighting around the bridgehead on the Izium
.
He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross for his action earlier in the year for his command of the Battalion in the defence of height 186.9.
Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...
(Captain) in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II. He was the second recipient of only 631 awards of the Close Combat Clasp
Close Combat Clasp
The Close Combat Clasp is a German military award instituted on 25 November 1942 for achievement in hand to hand fighting in close quarters. The Close Combat Clasp was worn above the upper left uniform pocket...
in Gold.
Early life
Hans Juchem was born on 4 June 1917 in CologneCologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, during World War I. His father was a local businessman who decided to leave Germany for Switzerland after the German defeat in 1918, and only returned to Germany in 1933.
In 1934, at the age of seventeen he volunteered to join the SS-VT and was posted to the SS Standarte Deutschland, under the command of Felix Steiner
Felix Steiner
Felix Martin Julius Steiner was a German Reichswehr and Waffen-SS officer who served in both World War I and World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
.
He was selected to become an officer and was sent to the SS-Junkerschule in Bad Tölz
Bad Tölz
Bad Tölz is a town in Bavaria, Germany, and administrative center of the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen.- History :Since the retreat of the glaciers at the end of the Ice Age, archaeology has shown continuous occupation of the site of Bad Tölz...
in the class of 1938. After graduation he was promoted to Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(Second Lieutenant).
World War II
Juchem was a platoon commander during the Polish Campaign and took part in the fighting at Mława and Modelin.He also took part in the Western Campaign
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
in June 1940 and was involved in fighting at Vlissingen in Holland, Cassel, the Marne
Marne
Marne is a department in north-eastern France named after the river Marne which flows through the department. The prefecture of Marne is Châlons-en-Champagne...
and in Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
in France where he was wounded for the first time and awarded the Wound Badge
Wound Badge
Wound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
. He was promoted to Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi party that was used by the SS and also as a rank of the SA. Translated as “Senior Assault Leader”, the rank of Obersturmführer was first created in 1932 as the result of an expansion of the Sturmabteilung and the need for an additional rank in...
in November 1940, and given command of the 5th Company, SS Regiment Germania.
Now part of the SS Division Wiking Juchem took part in Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941.
Advancing into the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
he was involved in fighting at Lemberg, Tarnopol, Rkiwira, Ignatiewka and on the river Mius. He was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
2nd class in September and the Iron Cross 1st class in December 1941.
By this time Juchem had gained a reputation as a good commander and a man to turn to for difficult missions and his company was selected more and more to lead the Division's advance, or as a counter attacking force.
He was awarded the German Cross
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold in September 1942 for his achievements in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
. He was promoted to Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...
(Captain) in January 1943 and given command of the III.Battalion, 9th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Germania.
In the fighting at the Kuban
Kuban
Kuban is a geographic region of Southern Russia surrounding the Kuban River, on the Black Sea between the Don Steppe, Volga Delta and the Caucasus...
bridgehead he personally destroyed several Soviet guns and cut a supply route which was successfully mined.
Juchem was next involved in the battles for Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
and Battle of Kharkov
Battle of Kharkov
Battle of Kharkov may refer to:* First Battle of Kharkov, a 1941 battle in which German troops captured the city* Second Battle of Kharkov, a 1942 battle in which Soviet forces attempted to retake the city...
where he was awarded the Close Combat Clasp
Close Combat Clasp
The Close Combat Clasp is a German military award instituted on 25 November 1942 for achievement in hand to hand fighting in close quarters. The Close Combat Clasp was worn above the upper left uniform pocket...
in Gold.
Hans Juchem was killed in action three days later on 13 August 1943, during the fighting around the bridgehead on the Izium
Izium
Izyum , is a city situated on the Donets River in the Kharkiv Oblast of eastern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Iziumsky Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located approximately 75 miles southeast of the oblast capital,...
.
He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross for his action earlier in the year for his command of the Battalion in the defence of height 186.9.