Franz Hack (3 February 1915 - 9 June 1997) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 May 1944 as SS-Sturmbannführer and Kommandeur III.Bataillon (gepanzerte) / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking". Hack’s Ritterkreuz recommendation reads as follows:
“During the night attack on 17 April 1944 against Hill 189.5 and the high ground south of it (1.5 km southwest of Kovel) SS-Sturmbannführer Hack, commander of the III./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. Germania, particularly distinguished himself through his outstanding bravery before the enemy.
The enemy was entirely aware of the importance of Hill 189.5, from which it was possible to have a commanding view of Fortress Kovel, the only supply road that led to the city as well as the entire area to the north and northwest of the place. With this in mind they had heavily fortified the hill, and its defenders would fight bitterly for it.
The capture of this commanding enemy position was very much necessary in order to fully bring about the relief of Fortress Kovel. Due to the strong enemy defenses both here and on the eastern and western flanks, the only way this could be achieved was by a night attack.
After assembling at Gleisdreieck (west of Kovel), Bataillon Hack received the order to thrust southwards along the Kovel—Wlodzimicrz railway line in a night attack. The enemy strongpoints along both sides of the railroad would be seized via surprise attack, and thereafter the enemy position on Hill 189.5 would be attacked, captured and held.
The surprise attack against the first strongpoint at the railway bridge, conducted by 2 assault groups, became pinned down in the Soviet barbed wire obstacles. Fire support by heavy weapons was no longer possible as both our troops and the enemies’ were now too close together. Knowing that everything depended on the success of this first phase of the attack, Hack rushed to the forefront of both assault groups. He bombarded enemy resistance nests that had been cleverly positioned between the bridge abutments with 5 Panzerfausts. Then, after a hand grenade salvo, he was the first to penetrate into the enemy strongpoint with one of the two assault group leaders.
Through this exemplary and ruthless commitment to the battle, Hack brought the two assault groups forward and cleared out the enemy positions while personally participating in the fighting with his own machine-pistol and hand grenades.
Here he was wounded by hand grenade splinters in the face and right hand. However Hack continued the attack undaunted by his wounds, capturing the second strongpoint during the breakthrough. After a swift assembly of the Bataillon’s follow-up units he began the assault against Hill 189.5, where the Soviets were prepared to defend with grim determination.
However the enemy couldn’t resist the attacking spirit of the Bataillon, with the commander himself fighting in the forward line. After a short, hard close-quarter battle the enemy was thrown out of his positions at Hill 189.5 and forced to retreat to the south. In order to facilitate the continuation of the friendly attack, Hack initiated a swift pursuit thrust further south along the railway line on his own initiative, wresting control of one Soviet strongpoint after another. By first light the Bataillon had captured and occupied the enemy positions at the overpass 400 metres to the southwest of Hill 188. An enemy counterthrust launched shortly afterwards from the southwest was defeated, and over the course of the day the newly conquered position was prepared to take on further enemy counterattacks.
Only now, after he had organized the defense, did Hack allow himself to be treated for his wounds. Through his prudent leadership and personal daring he has a decisive share in the success of this offensive operation, one which was of great importance for the relief of ‘Fortress’ Kovel.
Hack has been wounded six times in this war, and is a holder of the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold, Nahkampfspange in Bronze and the Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold. Hack is worthy to be awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes.”
Franz Hack received the Eichenlaub #844 to his Ritterkreuz on 20 April 1945 as SS-Obersturmbannführer and Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 10 "Westland" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking". The medal was awarded for the following combat actions:
1) On 20 October 1944 Hack recaptured the so-called ‘Arko-Hill’, west of Wieliezew, with only 18 men. He then defended it against three strong counterattacks.
2) On 6 January 1945 Hack and his Regiment attacked the village of Czabdi, as part of the breakthrough of the Vertes mountains south of Tarjan. After bitter urban combat that lasted through the night, the village was firmly in his hands by the start of the day, and it was thereby possible to continue advancing towards Bicske.
3) On 11 January 1945 Hack and his Regiment captured and held the village of Pilisszentkereszt, located in the Pilisszentlelek area southeast of Gran.
4) On 2 February 1945 Hack allowed himself to be encircled in Ureghegy in order to tie down the enemy. Only after his side had taken the necessary countermeasures did he break out to Seregelyes. In this battle 14 enemy tanks and 13 anti-tank guns were eliminated.
Franz Hack was the first person whose awarding of the Eichenlaub did not occur with a number. According to his own words the award was made by SS-Obergruppenführer Gille and SS-Oberführer Ulrich. The awarding was confirmed by an entry between 15th - 20th April in the recommendations book of OKH/PA/P 5 and an entry in the Soldbuch of Hack with the date of 20th April 1945. According the countings it would have been the 844th Award.
Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=539548
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/8802/Hack-Franz-Waffen-SS.htm
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