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Max Hansen
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J12779, Max Hansen
Born (1908-07-31)31 July 1908
Died 7 March 1990(1990-03-07) (aged 81)
Place of birth Niebüll, Germany
Place of death Niebüll, Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
Service/branch Flag Schutzstaffel Waffen SS
Years of service 1933–1945
Rank Standartenführer
Unit 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
Commands held 8th Company LSSAH
II./1st Panzer Grenadier Regiment LSSAH
1st Panzer Grenadier Regiment LSSAH
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knights Cross with Oakleaves
Iron Cross 1st Class
Iron Cross 2nd Class
German Cross in Gold
Close Combat Clasp in Gold
Wound Badge in Silver
War Merit Cross with Swords
Bulgarian Military Order for Bravery IV class

Max Hansen (31 July 1908 – 7 March 1990) was a Standartenführer (Colonel), in the Waffen-SS who was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knights Cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II. The Oakleaves was a second award.

Early life[]

Hansen was born on the 31 July 1908 at Niebüll, Germany. Before joining the SS he was apprenticed to a locksmith.

Military career[]

In 1933 he joined the SS-Verfügungstruppe and by 1939 was the commander of the 12th Company in the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. In 1941, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold and promoted to Sturmbannführer (Major). He was given command of the II./1st Panzer Grenadier Regiment LSSAH.[1]

It was whilst commanding this battalion during the Third Battle of Kharkov on 28 March 1943 that Hansen was awarded the Knight's Cross. His battalion broke through to Red Square in Kharkov, conducted house-to-house fighting and opened the way to the city centre, so that the northern part of Kharkov could be taken.[2]

Hansen later went on to command the 1st SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment LSSAH. With his regiment he took part in the Ardennes Offensive and the offensive in Hungary, Operation Spring Awakening in 1945 during which he was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross.[1]

Bundesarchiv Bild 101III-Alber-161-25, Max Hansen

SS-Sturmbannführer Max Hansen in 1943.

He ended the war as a Standartenführer.

Later life[]

Max Hansen died in the town of his birth on 7 March 1990.[1]

Notes[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mitcham, p.183
  2. Agte, p.43

References[]

  • Agte, Patrick. Michael Wittmann and the Waffen SS Tiger Commanders of the SS
  • Berger, Florian (2004) (in German). Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold [Knight's Cross Bearers with the Close Combat Clasp in Gold]. Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-3-7. 
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches]. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Mitcham, Samuel W. Panzers in Winter
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). 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]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 

External links[]

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