Hans Kroh

Hans Kroh (13 May 1907 in Heidelberg – 18 July 1967 in Braunschweig) was a German Fallschirmjäger and general in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Biography
Hans Kroh entered the Brandenburg-Havel Police School as a police cadet on April 8, 1926. On October 1, 1935 he became commander of the 2nd Company, General Göring Regiment and transferred to the Luftwaffe on April 1, 1936. Kroh completed the parachutist-rifleman course and became a training director of the Stendal Parachute School. After a period of staff work, on September 1, 1940 he assumed command of I Battalion, 2nd Parachute Regiment.

During the Battle of Crete Kroh took command of Battle Group Sturm, whose objective was Rethymnon airfield, after Oberst Alfred Sturm was taken prisoner by the British Forces. Near Stavromenos and the oil refinery the paratroops held out against a vastly superior enemy force. Following the bitter ten-day struggle, which occupied a large portion of the British-Greek armed forces, the battle group was relieved by mountain infantry. Kroh received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on August 21, 1941.

In Africa Kroh served as Ia of the Ramcke Parachute Brigade. It was Kroh who initiated the brigade's escape through enemy territory following the German withdrawal from El Alamein.

In Russia on the Eastern front Kroh and his regiment fought near Novo Andreyevka and Novgorodka. Near Butor the regiment eliminated a Russian bridgehead on the Dniepr. Kroh also saw action at Kirovograd, where Russian attacks were repulsed.

Hans Kroh commanded the 2nd Parachute Division in the Battle for Brest until he was captured in the St. Pierre district of the city on September 18, 1944.

Hans Kroh joined the Bundeswehr on June 1, 1956 as Oberst. On September 1, 1957 he was promoted to Brigadegeneral. One day later he took command of the 1st Luftlande-Division in Bruchsal. On July 1, 1959 he was again promoted to Generalmajor. He retired on October 1, 1962.He had 3 children Ingeborg, Horst and Anemarie. He died in Braunschweig in 1967.

Awards

 * Wound Badge in Black
 * "Afrika" and "Kreta" Cuffband
 * Medaglia d'Argento al Valor Militare (9 February 1942)
 * Luftwaffe Paratrooper Badge
 * Ground Assault Badge of the Luftwaffe
 * German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1942 as Major in the I./Lw.Jg.Brig. 1
 * Iron Cross
 * 2nd Class (22 May 1940)
 * 1st Class (22 May 1940)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
 * Knight's Cross on 21 August 1941 as Major and commander I./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2
 * 443rd Oak Leaves on 6 April 1944 as Oberstleutnant and commander of the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2
 * 96th Schwerter on 12 September 1944 as Oberst and leader of the 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division
 * Great Cross of Merit (12 September 1962)