Hans-Peter Knaust

Hans-Peter Knaust (7 August 1906 – 22 October 1983) was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career
Knaust was born on 7 August 1906 in Kiel in the Province of Schleswig-Holstein, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia. Knaust joined Infanterie-Regiment 4 (4th Infantry Regiment) on 5 March 1924 and was transferred to Infanterie-Regiment 5 (5th Infantry Regiment) on 1 April 1934. Both regiments were subordinated to the 2. Division of the Reichswehr in the Weimar Republic.

Battle of Arnhem
Knaust led a Kampfgruppe (battle group) against John Frost's forces in the Battle of Arnhem (17–26 September 1944) during the Western Allies' Operation Market Garden, the ill-fated attempt to capture the bridges over the Rhine.

Awards and decorations

 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (24 May 1940)
 * 1st Class (21 July 1940)
 * Wound Badge (1939)
 * in Black (?)
 * in Silver (?)
 * Eastern Front Medal
 * German Cross in Gold on 28 February 1942 as Major in the II./Schützen-Regiment 4
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
 * Knight's Cross on 28 September 1944 as Major and commander of Kampfgruppe "Sonnenstuhl" in the II. SS-Panzerkorps
 * 843rd Oak Leaves on 17 April 1945 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Regiment "Knaust" in the 490. Infanterie-Division
 * Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 18 April 1945