• T-34 tank

Date of birth:

May 5th, 1921 (Reinhausen/Göttingen, Germany)

Date of death:

February 18th, 2010 (Göttingen/Lower Saxony, Germany)

Service number:

SS-Nr.: 431.078 // NSDAP-Nr.:

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Erwin Bachmann was SS-Obersturmführer in the Waffen-SS. He joined the SS-Verfügungstruppe as a volunteer in August 1939. Bachmann was posted to 2.Kompanie der SS-Ersatz-Standarte "Germania". At the end of the Polish campaign he was posted to 11.Kompanie des SS-Regiment "Germania" and was involved in the battle for France.
August 1941, Bachmann was promoted to SS-Rottenführer and in September of the same year he took part in the fighting during Operation Barbarossa until November 1941 when he returned to the SS-Ersatz-Standarte "Germania". Bachmann, only 20 years old, was elected for officer’s training and between February and June 1942, attended the SS Junkerschule in Bad Tölz. In May 1942, he was promoted to SS-Oberscharführer and later returned to the SS-Ersatz-Standarte "Germania" which was stationed in Arnhem at the time. September 1942 the Oberscharführer joined the SS-Division "Wiking" and later the newly formed SS-Division "Frundsberg" where he became Adjutant to II-Abteilung des 10.SS-Panzer-Regiment in the rank of SS-Untersturmführer.
In October 1943, Bachmann got his first command of a unit, the 3. Kompanie / 10.SS-Panzer-Regiment/Division "Frundsberg".
After a short training, Bachmann was put in command of 5.Umschulungs-Lehrgang für Sturmgeschütze and was promoted to SS-Obersturmführer in November 1944. After the Battle of the Bulge, his unit was incorporated in Armygroup G and deployed in Operation Nordwind, together with 6.SS-Gebirgs-Division "Nord". Bachman saw action for the last time in Pommerania with 1.Kompanie near Christienenberg where he put a number of T-34 tanks out of action. May 1945, the company moved westwards in the vicinity of Göttingen, Sandbostel where they were taken prisoner by English troops.
Erwin Bachmann passed away February 18th, 2010 and was buried in Göttingen.

Promotions:
1939 SS-Standartenjunker
1941 SS-Rottenführer
1942 SS-Unterscharführer d.R.
1942 SS-Oberscharführer d.R.
10.09.1942: SS-Untersturmführer d.R.
20.11.1944: SS-Obersturmführer d.R.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS- Rottenführer (Corporal)

Awarded on:

September 27th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Oberscharführer der Reserve (Staff Sergeant of Reserves)

Awarded on:

February 18th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Awarded on:

January 2nd, 1945

in silver

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Awarded on:

January 18th, 1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Awarded on:

January 30th, 1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Adjutant, I. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 10, 10. SS-Panzer-Division "Frundsberg", Heeresgruppe G

Awarded on:

February 10th, 1945

Bachmann’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“On the 17.01.1945 the I./SS-Panzer-Regiment 10 had the task of holding the bridgehead that had been created in the Offendorf area. The 3./SS-Pz.Rgt. 10 was subordinated to Kampfgruppe von Lüttichau and received the mission to eject the enemy forces that had entered into the southwestern part of Herrlisheim.

Radio contact had been broken off since 13:30 on this day. Thus, at 16:15, the Abteilung adjutant was sent to establish contact with the 3./SS-Pz.Rgt. 10 and confirm the situation with the Kompanie.

SS-Obersturmführer Bachmann reached the Kompanie and learned that the Kompanie commander had fallen out due to severe wounds.

Bachmann immediately took over command of the Kompanie and launched a surprise thrust into Herrlisheim with a Panzer-Zug. By skillfully employing his own 4 Panzers he was able to launch a very successful surprise attack against the group of enemy tanks in the village (consisting of some 20 tanks altogether). 8 tanks were destroyed in quick succession, and the crews of another 12 tanks gave themselves up without a fight. Their tanks thus fell into our hands in an undamaged and drivable state. One of the 8 destroyed tanks was personally set afire by SS-Obersturmführer Bachmann via a Panzerfaust.

20 German soldiers (including 2 officers) were freed from captivity in the process.

SS-Obersturmführer Bachmann thereby secured the village on his own initiative in a display of extraordinary bravery and decisiveness. The occupation of Herrlisheim laid the groundwork for the Division’s continued operations.

SS-Obersturmführer Bachmann is a man of great character, and he is completely worthy of being awarded the Knight’s Cross.”

Preliminary document dated February 15th 1945.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
• Photo: Willi Schumacher Collection - http://www.ritterkreuztraeger.info/rk/b/B014Bachmann.pdf
  
• - FEDERL, CH., Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Panzerdivisionen 1939-1945, VDM Heinz Nickel, Zweibrücken, 2000.
  - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - SCHNEIDER, J.W., Their Honor Was Loyalty!, Bender (R.James) Publishing, 1993.
  - WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 2004.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Ritterkreuz Archiv II/2010, Veit Scherzer, Ranis, Juni 2010, ISSN 1866-4709
  - Die Ritterkreuztrager
  - Microfilm Publication A3343. US National Archives.