Otto Baum

Otto Baum (15 November 1911 – 18 June 1998) was a high-ranking commander (Oberführer) of the Waffen-SS during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords of Nazi Germany.

Life and career

Baum was born on 15 November 1911 in Hechingen-Stetten, a son of a merchant. From 1930 to 1932, he studied two semesters of agriculture at the University of Hohenheim. He served as a battalion commander in 3rd SS Totenkopf Infantry Regiment during the Operation Barbarossa, invasion of the Soviet Union. After recovering from severe wounds in 1943, Baum was promoted to regimental commander, and eventually reached the rank of SS-Oberführer. He took command of the SS Division Das Reich in July 1944, and saw action in the Falaise Pocket. After the war, Baum was interned by the British until December 1948.

Awards

• SA Sports Badge in Bronze, 1 December 1936
• Degen (SS), 13 September 1936
• Julleuchter, December 1936
• SS-Ehrenring, 1 December 1937
• Anschluss Medal, 13 March 1938
• 1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class, 25 September 1939
• 1939 Iron Cross 1st Class, 15 June 1940
• Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze, 3 October 1940
• Tank Destruction Badge
• German Cross in Gold, 26 December 1941 as SS-Sturmbannführer in the III./SS-Infanterie-Regiment 3
• Eastern Front Medal, 1942
• Wound Badge in Silver, 21 August 1943
• Demyansk Shield, 31 December 1943
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 8 May 1942 as SS-Sturmbannführer and commander of the III./SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 3
  • 277th Oak Leaves on 22 August 1943 as SS-Obersturmbannführer and commander of SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Thule".
  • 95th Swords on 2 September 1944 as SS-Standartenführer and commander 2. SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich"

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Berger, Florian (1999). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges [With Oak Leaves and Swords. The Highest Decorated Soldiers of the Second World War] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-0-6.
• Mattson, Gregory L. (2002). SS-Das Reich: The History of the Second SS Division, 1944–45. Amber Books. ISBN 0-7603-1255-9.
• Miller, Michael (2016). Knight's Cross Holders of the SS and German Police 1940-45. England: Helion & Company. ISBN 978-1-909982-74-1.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Stockert, Peter (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 3 [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 3] (in German). Bad Friedrichshall, Germany: Friedrichshaller Rundblick. ISBN 978-3-932915-01-7.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1987). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 1: A–Be [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 1: A–Be] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1153-2.
• Westemeier, Jens (2013). Himmlers Krieger: Joachim Peiper und die Waffen-SS in Krieg und Nachkriegszeit [Himmler's Warriors: Joachim Peiper and the Waffen-SS during the War and Post-War Period]. Paderborn, Germany: Ferdinand Schöningh. ISBN 978-3-506-77241-1.