Hans Endreß
Encyclopedia
Hans Endraß 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.
Hans Endrass was born on the 5 July 1911, at Stuttgart
.
He volunteered to join the SS in 1934 and was posted to the SS-VT in September 1939 and fought in the Polish Campaign the Battle of France
and the Balkans Campaign.
In 1943 he was given command of the 13th Company, 6th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Theodor Eicke
and promoted to Hauptsturmführer
(Captain) in January 1944.
In January 1945 he was given command of the II.Battalion, 6th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Theodor Eicke.
He was awarded the Knight's Cross while in command of the II.Battalion, which in March 1945 attacked and captured Bajna
, which was used for a further attack on Budapest
.
Endrass was made a prisoner of war
in May 1945 and released from captivity in 1948.
He died in his home town of Stuttgart on the 24 January 1969.
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
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.
Hans Endrass was born on the 5 July 1911, at Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
.
He volunteered to join the SS in 1934 and was posted to the SS-VT in September 1939 and fought in the Polish Campaign the Battle of France
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...
and the Balkans Campaign.
In 1943 he was given command of the 13th Company, 6th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Theodor Eicke
Theodor Eicke
Theodor Eicke was a SS Obergruppenführer , commander of the SS-Division Totenkopf of the Waffen-SS and one of the key figures in the establishment of concentration camps in Nazi Germany. His Nazi Party number was 114,901 and his SS number was 2,921...
and 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 1944.
In January 1945 he was given command of the II.Battalion, 6th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Theodor Eicke.
He was awarded the Knight's Cross while in command of the II.Battalion, which in March 1945 attacked and captured Bajna
Bajna
Bajna is a town and a nagar panchayat in Mathura district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.-Geography:Bajna is located at . It has an average elevation of 183 metres .-Demographics:...
, which was used for a further attack on Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
.
Endrass was made a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in May 1945 and released from captivity in 1948.
He died in his home town of Stuttgart on the 24 January 1969.