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Traut, Hans Emil Julius Ludwig Karl

Date of birth:
January 25th, 1895 (Saargemünd/Lothringen, Germany)
Date of death:
December 9th, 1974 (Darmstadt/Hesse, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
September 20th, 1939

Had already received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 21st October 1914.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 4th, 1939

Had already received the Iron Cross 1st Class on 17th January 1917.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur I. / Infanterie-Regiment 90 / 20.Infanterie-Division / XXXI.Armee-Korps
Awarded on:
August 5th, 1940
The following wartime excerpt (dated 30.08.1940) describes why Traut received the Knight’s Cross…

“On the 16.06.1940 Oberstleutnant Traut thrusted against Vesoul from the direction of Langres in order to swiftly capture this vital railroad junction and thereby block the enemy’s retreat route towards the south. Despite becoming increasingly threatened from the north in the process, Oberstleutnant Traut pushed forward towards Pont-sur-Saône with his reinforced Bataillon. After a hard fight he and his men secured the river crossing there and immediately thereafter continued the attack towards Vesoul.

The mountain positioned just before Vesoul had to be taken, and so Oberstleutnant Traut continued to prosecute his attack in the late evening hours. However the assault stalled about halfway up the slope under the fire of numerous machine-guns. Oberstleutnant Traut thus personally rallied his troops for a renewed attack, which succeeded in eliminating the enemy resistance nests one by one. The commanding mountain finally ended up in friendly hands at almost the same time as the break of dawn, and with this the fate of Vesoul was sealed.”

153rd Award.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Unit:
Füher 10. Infanterie-Division (motorisiert) / 4.Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:
January 23rd, 1942
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
Awarded for his outstanding leadership of the Infanterie-Regiment 41 during Operation Barbarossa, which included the following actions...

1) The fight for Shlobin on the 06.07.1941, and the subsequent crossing over the Dnieper.

2) The defense of Propoisk (19.-25.07.1941).

3) Defeating a Soviet battalion's attack into the German rear areas at Novosybkov with a scratch force of supply troops and a Flak Zug (24.08.1941).

4) The determined defense of his Regiment north of the Desna against a Soviet attack by parts of 4 divisions (27.08.1941).

5) Pushing back strong elements of 4 Soviet divisions to the NW during the battle at the Glukhov bridgehead. In a four-day attack operation the division captured 1700 prisoners and much hostile materiel (29.09.1941).

6) The battle for Negino, which changed hands several times until at last the village was firmly in the hands of Traut's Regiment on the 11.10.1941.

7) Storming the town of Yefremov while subordinated to the 18. Panzer-Division (17-22.11.1941).

8) The defense of Gorlovo. On the 08.12.1941 he launched an attack with the subordinated I. and II./Infanterie-Regiment 20 on the heights at the village of Klekotki. The assault succeeded in conquering the village, and in doing so released 39 German prisoners and reopened the road Gorlowo—Jepifan.

67th Award.
At the same time Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 41.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur 78. Sturm-Division
Awarded on:
December 15th, 1943
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Award 495/1.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
March 13th, 1944
Wehrmachtbericht

Sources

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