Hugo Kraas

SS-Brigadeführer Hugo Kraas (25 January 1911 – 20 February 1980) was a German Waffen-SS officer who served with the 1.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and was the last commander of the 12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend. At the Enns River, Austria, Kraas surrendered to Major General Stanley Eric Reinhart's 261st Infantry Regiment.

Early Life - Pre-War SS Service
Hugo Kraas was born in Witten in the Province of Westphalia. He became a member of the Nazi Party in 1934 and the SA later the same year. In July 1935, Krass joined the Heer with the 6. Infantry Regiment (Ratzeburger Jäger). His stay in the army was not long and after only 3 months he was placed into the reserves. In October 1935, Kraas became a member of the Germania Standarte with the rank of SS-Rottenführer. In 1937, Kraas was selected to attend the SS Junkerschule in Braunschweig. He was commissioned on 12 March 1938 as an SS-Untersturmführer and assigned to the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, 14 Panzerjägerkompanie under the command of Kurt Meyer.

Early World War II Operations
With the LSSAH, Kraas took part in the invasion of Poland where he was awarded the Iron Cross second class. He also became the first officer in the entire division to be awarded the Iron Cross first class for repeated personal bravery during the invasion of Holland. As a Kompanie commander in the Meyer's LSSAH's Aufklärungsabteilung (Reconnaissance Detachment), Kraas fought in the Balkans and Russia. On Christmas Day in 1941, he was again decorated, this time with the German Cross in Gold for his exemplary leadership during the first battle of Rostov. In June 1942, Kraas was given command of the I./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt 2 (I. Battalion) leading it throughout the Third Battle of Kharkov. For his role in this operation he was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 28 March 1943. During the ensuing summer Kraas then succeeded Theodor Wisch as a commander of SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt 2 and short time later was also promoted to SS-Obersturmbannführer.

Death
Kraas, died from heart attack in his home in Selk, Schleswig-Holstein, on February 20, 1980.

Dates of rank

 * SS-Rottenführer: 15 October 1935
 * SS-Untersturmführer: 12 March 1938
 * SS-Obersturmführer: 20 April 1939
 * SS-Hauptsturmführer: 1 September 1940
 * SS-Sturmbannführer: 20 April 1942
 * SS-Obersturmbannführer: 21 June 1943
 * SS-Standartenführer: 30 January 1944
 * SS-Oberführer: 30 January 1945
 * SS-Brigadeführer: 20 April 1945

Notable decorations

 * German Cross in Gold (1941)
 * Eastern Front Medal (1942)
 * Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze (1940)
 * Iron Cross Second (1939) and First (1940) Classes
 * Wound Badge in Black (1941)
 * Knight's Cross (1943)
 * Close Combat Clasp in Silver (1943)
 * Oak Leaves (1944)
 * Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 27 February 1943