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Kausch, Paul-Albert 'Peter' (SS-Pz.Reg.11 'HvS')

Date of birth:
March 3rd, 1911 (Jädersdorf/Pomerania, Germany)
Date of death:
October 27th, 2001 (Ingelheim/Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany)
Service number:
SS-Nr.: 82.578 // NSDAP-Nr.: 1.736.388
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

01.02.1933: joined the NSDAP and entered the SS as SS-Anwärter - 4./ SS-Standarte 44
01.10.1933-06.1937: 4./ LSSAH
15.10.1933: SS-Mann
01.12.1933: SS-Rottenführer
04.1935-06.1936: SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig
01.06.1935: SS-Unterscharführer
09.11.1935: SS-Scharführer
30.04.1936: SS-Untersturmführer - Bataillonsadjutant SS-Totenkopfstandarte Sachsen
20.04.1938: SS-Obersturmführer - SS-Totenkopfstandarte Thuringen
01.06.-01.09.1938: SS-Totenkopfstandarte Oberbayern
Chef 8./ SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie Regiment 1
15.01.1939: Chef 9./ SS-Totenkopfstandarte Oberbayern
01.03.-01.06.1939: Chef 8./ SS-Totenkopfstandarte Oberbayern
20.04.1939: SS-Hauptsturmführer
Summer 1939: sent to Infanterieschule Döberitz
19.10.1939: 5./ SS-Totenkopf-Artillerie Regiment
01.04.1940: sent to Artillerieschule Jüterborg
01.12.1940-08.1941: Adjutant - 5.SS-Division Wiking
04.01.1942: SS-Sturmbannführer and Chef I./ SS-Art.Reg. 5
01.05.1943: Chef SS-Panzer-Abteilung 11 - 11.SS Division Nordland
21.06.1944: SS-Obersturmbannführer
29.07.1944: WIA
1944-05.1945: Führer SS-Panzer Regiment 11 - 11.SS Division Nordland
25.04.1945: WIA in Berlin
28.04.1945 or 01.05.1945: WIA for the 3rd time in Berlin
02.05.1945: captured by the Soviet - Soviet POW in the camps in Minsk, Stalingrad and Sverdlovsk
16.01.1956: released
Tank ace credited with 19 tank kills





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Awarded on:
September 13th, 1936
Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS
SS-Ehrenring
Awarded on:
1937
SS-Dienstauszeichnung 4.Stufe (4 Jahre)
Rank:
SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Adjutant, II. Sturmbann, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte "Thüringen"
Awarded on:
1939
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
Rank:
SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)
Unit:
SS-Totenkopf-Standarte "Oberbayern"
Awarded on:
1939
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 5. Batterie, SS-Artillerie-Regiment 3, SS-Division "Totenkopf", Waffen-SS
Awarded on:
August 4th, 1940
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 5. Batterie, SS-Artillerie-Regiment 3, SS-Division "Totenkopf", Waffen-SS
Awarded on:
October 1st, 1940
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
(Allgemeines) Sturmabzeichen
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1941
SS-Dienstauszeichnung 3.Stufe (8 Jahre)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
September 15th, 1942
Medaille
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 22nd, 1942
Vapaudenristin 3.luokka (VR 3)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
April 1943
Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP 10 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
July 1944
WIA 29.07.1944
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 11 "Hermann von Salza", 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Nordland'
Awarded on:
August 23rd, 1944
Kausch’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“On the 24.07.1944 the looming breakthrough of the Russian 120th Rifle Division was halted by the efforts of Obersturmbannführer Kausch. As his command post was surrounded by Soviet sub-machine gun wielding soldiers, he led a counterattack with what forces he could rally. Skillfully making the most of a Panzer attack in the neighbouring sector, he was able to close the gap in the German frontline.

Success: Eliminating the dangerous (and potentially game-changing) threat against the deep south flank of the Narva bulge.

On the 28.07.1944 Kausch led a new counterattack with a force of Sturmgeschütze and mounted Panzergrenadiers following a swift and accurate judgement of the situation. He moved against a broad frontline gap and sealed it off, thereby preventing the enemy forces here from commencing their imminent breakthrough towards Reval.

Kausch was wounded on the 29.07.1944 while leading a counterattack.”

Submitted on July 30th 1944.
Preliminary document and decoration on September 7th 1944 to Heeresgruppe Nord.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur, SS-Panzer-Regiment 11 "Hermann von Salza", 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Nordland'
Awarded on:
April 23rd, 1945
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
Awarded for his leadership of the SS-Panzer-Regiment 11 during the final battles around Berlin. In the fighting east of and inside the city the unit destroyed 487 enemy tanks and was the backbone of many defensive battles, such as that on the 18.04.1945 west of Reichenberg (6 km north of Buckow). Here, out of a force of 70 Soviet tanks attacking from the Ringenwalde area, 50 were destroyed.

845th Award. Unofficial award.

Sources

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