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Hampel, Desiderius (Waffen SS)

Date of birth:
January 20th, 1895 (Sisak/Croatia & Slavonia, Austria)
Date of death:
January 11th, 1981 (Graz/Styria, Austria)
Service number:
SS-Nr.: 468.174 // NSDAP-Nr.:
Nationality:
Austrian (1938-1945, Reichsgau)

Biography

Altough he is listed in Fellgiebel as winner of the Ritterkreuz no evidence of the award can be found in the German Federal Archives. Presumably Desiderius Hampel received the Knight's Cross the same day as Karl Liecke and Hans Hanke. Letter from Ernst-Günther Krätschmer to Von Seemen dated 7 August 1980. According to Von Seemen presumably presented by General Maximilian de Angelis.The OdR processed Hampel's case in 1980 and Fellgiebel decided: Knight's Cross yes, 3 May 1945. In his book he noted: "A justification for the presentation was not given". Hampel was member of the OdR.

Promotions:
15.10.1914: k. u. k. Fähnrich;
01.05.1915: k. u. k. Leutnant;
01.05.1917: k. u. k. Oberleutnant;
01.00.1937: Hauptmann (Hungary);
01.00.1941: Major (Croatia);
15.05.1942: SS-Sturmbannführer;
09.11.1943: SS-Obersturmbannführer;
02.04.1944: SS-Standartenführer;
09.11.1944: SS-Oberführer;
30.01.1945: SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS;

Career:
10.1914: entered Austro-Hungarian Army as cadet - k.-u-k. Inf.Rgt. 16 (kroatische) 04.-05.1915: Zugführer
01.05.1915-10.1915: promoted to Leutnant, given command of 14.Kompanie 10.1915-09.1918: assumed command of 4.(MG) Kompanie
09.1918: deputy battalion commander
01.05.1917: promoted to Oberleutnant
He led a security unit against the Serbs toward the end of the war.
1918-1919: interned by Serbs for a year; later escaped to Vienna, then Budapest.
1925-1928: estate worker. Forestry student, University of Munich
till 12.1937: Forestry worker
12.1937: entered Hungarian Army, serving in Budapest to Mar. 1941
03.-11.1941: commanded an air defense unit at Csepel to time of his discharge
End 1941-15.05.1942: joined Croatian Army as Major (Bojnik) and intelligence officer with IV. Army Corps (?)
15.05.1942: entered the Waffen-SS
25.05.1942-01.06.1943: Kdr., III./SS-Gebirgs-Jager-Regiment 1 "Prinz Eugen"
11.06.-28.09.1943: Kdr., Feld-Ersatz-Bataillon (Training & Replacement Battalion), SS-Freiw.-Geb.- Div. "Prinz Eugen"
28.09.1943-30.01.1945: Kdr., SS-Gebirgs-Jager-Regiment 27
10.-11.1943: V. SS-Gebirgs-Korps during that formations formation in Prague
01.06.1944-05.1945: Kdr., 13.Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS "Handschar" (kroatische Nr. 1)
05.1945: surrendered his division to British forces
06.1945: interned in the POW Camp in Rimini, Italy

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Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
with swords and war decoration
Militärverdienstkreuz III. Klasse
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
1918
Karl-Truppenkreuz
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
1934
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
1937
Kriegserinnerungsmedaille
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
1937
Haborus Emlékérem kardokkal és sisakkal
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Sturmbannführer (Major)
Unit:
Kdr., III. Bataillon, SS-Gebirgs-Jager-Regiment 1 "Prinz Eugen"
Awarded on:
January 30th, 1943
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:
Kdr., SS-Gebirgs-Jager-Regiment 27
Awarded on:
January 30th, 1944
Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2.Klasse mit Schwertern
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Standartenführer (Colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur, SS-Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 27
Awarded on:
June 29th, 1944
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Brigadeführer / Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (Brigadier)
Unit:
Kommandeur, Kampfgruppe ,13. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS "Handschar" (kroat. Nr. 1), Waffen-SS
Awarded on:
May 3rd, 1945

No evidence of the award can be found in the German Federal Archives. Presumably Desiderius Hampel received the Knight's Cross the same day as Karl Liecke and Hans Hanke. Letter from Ernst-Günther Krätschmer to Von Seemen dated 7 August 1980. According to Von Seemen presumably presented by General Maximilian de Angelis.The OdR processed Hampel's case in 1980 and Fellgiebel decided: Knight's Cross yes, 3 May 1945. In his book he noted: "A justification for the presentation was not given". Hampel was member of the OdR.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Sources

Photo