Helmut Bauer
Encyclopedia
Helmut Bauer was a Obersturmführer
(First Lieutenant) 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.
.
In November 1938 he volunteered to join the SS and was posted to the 17th Company, SS Deutschland Regiment stationed in Ellwangen
.
.
At the end of the campaign in France the Waffen SS formed a new Division of foreign volunteers SS Division Wiking, Bauer was posted into this Reconnaissance Battalion of this new Division.
In the summer of 1942, Bauer was transferred to the 5th SS Panzer Battalion as a platoon commander in the 3rd Company, in 1943 and Bauer was promoted to Oberscharführer
(Senior Group Leader) and involved in the heavy fighting the Battalion was involved in during July and August. During the fighting around Andreyevka
and Izium
he displayed his leadership talents supporting the 2nd Company which was engaged by a number of T-34
and T-60
tanks. Bauer decided to attack and destroyed them without loss. For which he was awarded the Knight's Cross in September 1943.
After a lengthy stay in hospital recovering from a serious wound in 1944, Bauer was promoted to Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant) and returned to the SS Wiking as a Company commander and by the end of the war promoted to Obersturmführer
(First Lieutenant).
Helmut Bauer survived the war and died on the 30 November 1967, in Wertheim am Main
.
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...
(First Lieutenant) in the Waffen SS during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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.
Early life
Helmut Bauer was born on the 2 February 1920 in Mittelschefflenz BadenBaden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
.
In November 1938 he volunteered to join the SS and was posted to the 17th Company, SS Deutschland Regiment stationed in Ellwangen
Ellwangen
Ellwangen an der Jagst, officially Ellwangen , in common use simply Ellwangen is a town in the district of Ostalbkreis in the east of Baden-Württemberg in Germany...
.
World War II
At the start of World War II he was in the Motorcycle Company and took part in the Polish Campaign and the Battle of FranceBattle 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...
.
At the end of the campaign in France the Waffen SS formed a new Division of foreign volunteers SS Division Wiking, Bauer was posted into this Reconnaissance Battalion of this new Division.
In the summer of 1942, Bauer was transferred to the 5th SS Panzer Battalion as a platoon commander in the 3rd Company, in 1943 and Bauer was promoted to Oberscharführer
Oberscharführer
Oberscharführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that existed between the years of 1932 and 1945. Translated as “Senior Squad Leader”, Oberscharführer was first used as a rank of the Sturmabteilung and was created due to an expansion of the enlisted positions required by growing SA membership...
(Senior Group Leader) and involved in the heavy fighting the Battalion was involved in during July and August. During the fighting around Andreyevka
Andreyevka
Andreyevka is the name of several inhabited localities in Russia.-Altai Krai:As of 2010, two rural localities in Altai Krai bear this name:*Andreyevka, Shipunovsky District, Altai Krai, a settlement in Zerkalsky Selsoviet of Shipunovsky District...
and 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 displayed his leadership talents supporting the 2nd Company which was engaged by a number of T-34
T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
and T-60
T-60
The T-60 scout tank was a light tank produced by the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1942. In this time over 6,292 were built. The tank was designed to replace the obsolete T-38 amphibious scout tank.-Design:...
tanks. Bauer decided to attack and destroyed them without loss. For which he was awarded the Knight's Cross in September 1943.
After a lengthy stay in hospital recovering from a serious wound in 1944, Bauer 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) and returned to the SS Wiking as a Company commander and by the end of the war 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...
(First Lieutenant).
Helmut Bauer survived the war and died on the 30 November 1967, in Wertheim am Main
Wertheim am Main
Wertheim is a town in southwestern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg with a population of 24,202. It is located on the confluence of the rivers Tauber and Main.It is known for its wine, castle and medieval town centre.-Geography:...
.