Bruno Hinz

Bruno Hinz (25 August 1915 — 28 February 1968) was a Hauptsturmführer (Captain) in the Waffen-SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves.

Bruno Hinz joined the 10th Company, SS-Standarte Deutschland in Munich in October 1936 and was part of the forces connected with the Anschluss of Austria and the occupation of the Sudetenland and the annexation of Memel.

At the beginning of World War II he was severely wounded in May 1940 during the Battle of France and promoted to Unterscharführer (Officer Candidate) in September 1940. From December 1940 to March 1941, he was assigned to the SS replacement battalion Germany. He was then selected for officer training and sent to the SS-Junkerschule at Brunswick. After six months, training he was posted to the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking at the same time being promoted to Untersturmführer (Second Lieutenant) and given command of the 2nd Company, SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Westland. It was while in command of this company that he was awarded the German Cross in Gold in April 1943.

In September 1943 his company was in a defensive position on the Dnieper which allowed the 5th SS Panzer Division, to cross the Dnepr River, but during the battle Hinz was severely wounded. Sent to recuperate in the hospital in Germany he was promoted to Obersturmführer (First Lieutenant) in November 1943 and awarded the Knight's Cross in December 1943 for this action. After six months in hospital he returned to active service in February 1944 to took over command of the 2nd Company, 38th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment.

He was next in action in Normandy, when cut off by the advancing allied forces near Saint-Lô, he succeeded in guiding his men through the allied lines. For this he received the award of the Oakleaves for the Knight's Cross on 23 August 1944.

After being wounded again, he was temporarily sent to the SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tolz as the school commander. While at the school he was promoted to Hauptsturmführer (Captain) in November 1944.

In January 1945 he was posted to the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen as a Battalion commander and in March 1945 was captured by the Americans and made a prisoner of war. As well as being awarded the Wound Badge in Gold, he was awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp in Gold, which was only awarded 631 times during the war.