Bio of Generalleutnant Dr.rer.pol. Hermann Hohn (1897-1968)

Hermann Hohn

Date of Birth: 11.10.1897 - Renchen, Baden (German Empire)
Date of Death: 13.11.1968 - Ladenburg, Baden-Württemberg (West Germany)

Doctorate in Political Science: 00.10.1931

Promotions:
24.08.1916 Gefreiter
21.12.1916 Unteroffizier
30.07.1917 Fähnrich
20.10.1917 Leutnant
01.09.1935 Hauptmann
01.08.1938 Major
01.08.1941 Oberstleutnant
01.02.1943 Oberst
01.03.1944 Generalmajor
30.01.1945 Generalleutnant

Career:
15.01.1915 Entered Army Service
15.01.1915 - 08.03.1915 War Volunteer in the III.Recruitment-Depot / 10.Fuß-Artillerie-Regiment
08.03.1915 - 15.04.1915 4.Batterie / Reserve-Abteilung / 10.Fuß-Artillerie-Regiment
15.04.1915 - 01.05.1916 Transferred to the Survey-Office of 3rd Line-Battery of the 110th Foot-Artillery-Regiment, then Artillery-Survey-Troop 23
01.05.1916 - 24.08.1916 4.Batterie / Reserve-Abteilung / 10.Fuß-Artillerie-Regiment
24.08.1916 - 14.10.1916 Stab 66. Fuß-Artillerie-Abteilung
14.10.1916 - 21.06.1917 2.Batterie / 70.Fuß-Artillerie-Regiment
11.04.1917 - 07.06.1917 Detached to Fahnenjunker-Course in Jüterbog
21.06.1917 - 21.08.1917 Reserveabteilung / 16.Fuß-Artillerie-Regiment
21.08.1917 - 19.11.1917 3.Batterie / 32.Fuß-Artillerie-Abteilung
19.11.1917 - 25.05.1918 Stab 32. Fuß-Artillerie-Abteilung
20.11.1917 - 05.12.1917 Detached to Communications-Medium-School Prezany
25.05.1918 - 22.07.1918 Adjutant 32. Fuß-Artillerie-Abteilung
22.07.1918 - 11.08.1918 Detached to Group-Photographic-School Loos
11.08.1918 - 18.12.1918 Transferred to 2nd Battery of the 32nd Foot-Artillery-Battalion
12.08.1918 - 15.09.1918 Detached to Course at the Army-Artillery-School Maubeuge
18.12.1918 - 10.01.1919 Reserve-Abteilung / 17.Fuß-Artillerie-Regiment
10.01.1919 - 04.04.1919 Stabsoffizier & Batterieführer di I.Battalion / 17.Fuß-Artillerie-Regiment
04.04.1919 - 31.07.1919 Transferred to the Volunteer Foot-Artillery-Battalion Dieskau
31.07.1919 - 17.01.1920 Ordinance-Officer with the Staff of the 6th Heavy Reichswehr-Artillery-Regiment
17.01.1920 - 15.05.1920 Ordinance-Officer with the Staff of the 8th Reichswehr-Brigade
15.05.1920 - 31.12.1920 While retaining Post with 8th Reichswehr-Brigade, transferred into the 8th Light Reichswehr-Artillery-Regiment
00.06.1920 Command with 8th Reichswehr-Brigade Lifted
31.12.1920 Retired from the military
01.04.1922 - 13.08.1923 Studies of Political Economics at the University of Heidelberg
00.00.1923 - 00.00.1929 Employed with the Bank, Finance Office & in turn Accountancy work
04.11.1929 - 00.10.1931 Studies at the Marketing High School Mannheim
00.10.1931 - 00.02.1933 Examination as a Diploma Marketing Instructor
00.02.1933 Attained Doctorate
01.09.1935 Entered Army Service
01.09.1935 - 15.10.1935 Assigned with the Training-Battalion of Infantry-Regiment Regensburg
15.10.1935 - 06.10.1936 Chef 3.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 62
06.10.1936 - 12.10.1937 Kompaniechef di Infanterie-Regiment 82
12.10.1937 - 01.07.1939 Chef 3.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 74
01.07.1939 - 16.09.1939 Transferred to the General-Staff of the General-Command of Border-Troop Eifel
16.09.1939 - 31.10.1939 With the General-Staff of the General-Command of XXIII. Army-Corps
01.11.1939 - 08.12.1940 Adjutant 72. Infanterie-Division
09.12.1940 - 29.08.1941 Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 105
30.08.1941 - 12.05.1942 Grenadier-Ersatz-Bataillon 105
13.05.1942 - 30.06.1942 Führerreserve 72. Infanterie-Division
01.07.1942 - 15.09.1942 Führer Grenadier-Regiment 124
16.09.1942 - 04.11.1943 Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 105
05.11.1943 - 25.03.1944 mit der Führung beauftragt 72. Infanterie-Division
01.03.1944 - 25.03.1944 Kommandeur 72. Infanterie-Division
15.03.1944 - 20.04.1944 Detached to 10th Division-Leaders-Course
26.03.1944 - 25.05.1944 Führerreserve Oberkommando des Heeres
26.05.1944 - 30.06.1944 Designated Kommandeur 50. Infanterie-Division but Command did not become effective
01.07.1944 - 20.04.1945 Kommandeur 72. Infanterie-Division
20.04.1945 - 09.05.1945 mit der Führung beauftragt XI. Armeekorps
09.05.1945 - 23.02.1948 In Captivity
23.02.1948 Released

Awards and Decorations:
31.10.1917 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
09.02.1918 Schlesisches Bewährungsabzeichen I.Klasse
00.03.1919 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.19__ Orden vom Zähringer Löwen, Ritter II.Klasse mit Schwertern
00.00.19__ Schlesischer Adler II.Stufe
00.00.19__ Schlesischer Adler I.Stufe
00.01.1935 Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914-1918
00.00.193_ Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV.Klasse
26.06.1940 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
23.07.1941 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.194_ Ordinul Mihai Viteazul (Order of Michael the Brave, Romania)
00.00.194_ Orden Sveti Alexandar (Royal Order of St. Alexander, Officer Cross with Swords, Bulgaria)
00.00.194_ Ordinul Coroana Romaniei (Order of the Crown of Romania, Commander Cross)
00.00.194_ Medalia Cruciada împotriva comunismului (Crusade Against Communism Medal, Romania)
00.00.194_ Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber
10.03.1942 Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
23.08.1942 Krimschild
00.00.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
00.09.1942 Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber
14.12.1942 Ehrenblattspange des Heeres und Waffen-SS #1393
17.04.1943 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
28.11.1943 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes #2375, as Oberst and stellvertretender Führer 72. Infanterie-Division. Starting on 14 November 1943 Hohn and his battered Division were stationed as the primary defenders of the city of Cherkassy, a cornerstone of the Dnieper front, against a much superior enemy. On 15 November 1943, in response to the formation of the dangerous Soviet bridgehead around Swidowok, Hohn launched a flank attack that got as far as Swidowok itself by dangerously exposing the remainder of his front. The risk paid off however, and by doing so he prevented the penetration of strong Soviet forces into the flank and rear of the German lines. Later, on 22 November 1943, the Soviets launched a powerful combined arms assault with 7 regiments backed up with AFVs and artillery. It managed to create a broad gap in the German frontline and penetrate into the rear of the defense, while advancing eastwards. Coupled with the simultaneous massed assaults east of Cherkassy itself, there was a real danger the city would be encircled. In response Hohn made the independent decision to send a Kampfgruppe from the south into the flank and rear of the penetrating enemy, which busted open the encirclement ring southeast of Cherkassy. Hohn would subsequently play a major role in destroying the Soviet forces that were trapped by this maneuver. He would later be awarded the Ritterkreuz for his notable defensive achievements during this time.
06.12.1943 Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
01.03.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #410, as Oberst and Führer 72. Infanterie-Division. The following newspaper article (dated 8 March 1944) describes why Hohn received the Eichenlaub: “During the fierce combat west of Cherkassy in February 1944 the 72. Infanterie-Division belonged to the Kampfgruppe of General der Artillerie Stemmermann. Oberst Hohn was the soul of the resistance of his Division on this occasion also. He repeatedly reorganized the defenses, built up new defensive fronts on his own initiative and prevented the enemy’s sought-after breakthrough through the encircled Kampfgruppe via furious countermoves of his own. He and his men formed the vanguard during the smashing of the Soviet encirclement ring. Despite the weeks of heavy fighting in the muddied-up terrain he was able to draw on his own outstanding bravery and tireless energy to inspire his Grenadiers to give their best and force the breakthrough of the enemy lines.”
19.08.1944 Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
31.10.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #109, as Generalmajor and Kommandeur 72. Infanterie Division. The medal was awarded for the outstanding leadership of his Division during the fighting in summer 1944 in the Sandomierz-Opatow-Ostrowice area.

Source :
Jim Haley photo collection
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2010/08/generalleutnant-drrerpol-hermann-hohn.html
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Hohn,_Hermann
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=248258&hilit=hermann+hohn
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/H/HohnH-R.htm
https://www.oocities.org/~orion47/WEHRMACHT/HEER/Generalleutnant/HOHN_HERMANN.html
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/6830/Hohn-Drrerpol-Hermann.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20110105224610/http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Infanterie/H/Hohn-Hermann.htm