Helmut Bauer

Helmut Bauer was an Obersturmführer (First Lieutenant) in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Early life
Helmut Bauer was born on the 2 February 1920 in Mittelschefflenz Baden. In November 1938 he volunteered to join the SS and was posted to the 17th Company, SS Deutschland Regiment stationed in Ellwangen.

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 France.

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.