Otto Baum

Otto Baum
Born	(1911-11-15)15 November 1911 Stetten, Province of Hohenzollern, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died	Hechingen-Stetten, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1934–45
Rank	SS-Oberführer
Service number	NSDAP #4,197,040 SS #237,056
Commands held	16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS 2nd SS Division Das Reich
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Otto Baum, (15 November 1911 in Hechingen-Stetten – 18 June 1998 in Hechingen-Stetten) was an SS-Oberführer (Senior Colonel) of the Waffen-SS. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Early life and career

Baum was born on 15 November 1911 in Hechingen-Stetten, at the time in Kingdom of Württemberg. He was the son of Emil Baum, a merchant. In 1930, Baum graduated with his Abitur (university-preparatory high school diploma) from a Realgymnasium—a secondary school built on the mid-level Realschule. From 1930 to 1932, he completed a number of agricultural internships at a number of farms. In parallel he studied two semesters agriculture at the University of Hohenheim.

World War II

He served as a battalion commander in 3rd SS Totenkopf Infantry Regiment during the invasion of the Soviet Union. After recovering from severe wounds in 1943, he was promoted to regimental commander, and eventually reached the rank of SS-Oberführer . He took command of the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich in July 1944, and saw action in the Falaise Pocket.

Summary of SS career

Decorations

• Anschluss Medal (13 March 1938)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (25 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (15 June 1940)
• Infantry Assault Badge (3 October 1940)
• Eastern Front Medal
• Tank Destruction Badge
• German Cross in Gold on 26 December 1941 as SS-Sturmbannführer in the III./SS-Infanterie-Regiment 3
• Wound Badge in Silver
• Demyansk Shield
• 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 SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Totenkopf"
  • 95th Swords on 2 September 1944 as SS-Standartenführer and commander 2. SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich"
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 29 July 1944

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
29 July 1944 (Addendum)	In den schweren Kämpfen im Raum St. Lo – Lassay haben sich in den letzten Wochen in Abwehr und Gegenangriff besonders ausgezeichnet: Die 17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Götz von Berlichingen" unter Führung ihres schwer verwundeten Kommandeurs Brigadeführer Ostendorff und seines Vertreters Standartenführer Baum, die 353. Infanterie-Division unter Führung ihres Divisionskommandeurs Generalleutnant Mahlmann, das Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5 unter seinem Kommandeur Major Heinz Becker, das Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 9 unter seinem Kommandeur Major Kurt Stephani und das Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 15 unter seinem Kommandeur Oberstleutnant Gröschke.	In the heavy fighting of the recent weeks in the St. Lo - Lassay area have particularly distinguished themselves in defense and counter-attacks: The 17th SS-Panzer- Grenadier-Division "Götz von Berlichingen" led by their severely wounded commander Brigadeführer Ostendorff and his representative Standartenführer Baum, the 353rd Infantry Division, led by their divisional commander Lieutenant General Mahlmann, the Parachute Regiment 5 under his commander Major Heinz Becker, the Parachute Regiment 9 under his commander Major Kurt Stephani and the Parachute Regiment 15 under its commander Lieutenant Colonel Gröschke.

Dates of rank

1 January 1935:	SS-Rottenführer
1 July 1935:	SS-Unterscharführer
9 November 1935:	SS-Standartenjunker
25 February 1936:	SS-Standartenoberjunker
20 April 1936:	SS-Untersturmführer
12 September 1937:	SS-Obersturmführer
9 November 1939:	SS-Hauptsturmführer
21 June 1941:	SS-Sturmbannführer
9 November 1942:	SS-Obersturmbannführer
30 January 1944:	SS-Standartenführer
17 September 1944:	SS-Oberführer

References

Bibliography

Military offices
Preceded by SS-Standartenführer Otto Binge	Commander of 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen 18 June 1944 – 1 August 1944	Succeeded by SS-Standartenführer Otto Binge
Preceded by SS-Standartenführer Christian Tychsen	Commander of 2nd SS Division Das Reich 28 July 1944 – 23 October 1944	Succeeded by SS-Gruppenführer Heinz Lammerding
Preceded by SS-Gruppenführer Max Simon	Commander of 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS 24 October 1944 – 8 May 1945	Succeeded by None