Karl Auer
Date of Birth: 20.10.1916 - Prienbach am Inn, Niederbayern (German Empire)
Date of Death: 31.03.1997 - Simbach am Inn, Niederbayern (Germany)
NSDAP Number: 4 687 39 (01.05.1937)
SS Number: 281 437 (01.10.1935)
Promotions:
00.00.1935 SS-Sturmmann
00.00.1937 SS-Unterscharführer
00.00.1939 Polizei-Leutnant
01.06.1940 SS-Untersturmführer
05.01.1942 SS-Obersturmführer
09.11.1943 SS-Hauptsturmführer
30.01.1945 SS-Sturmbannführer
Career:
00.04.1933 - 00.00.193_ joined the Hitlerjugend
01.10.1935 - 01.04.1938 Member of SS-Standarte "Germania"
01.04.1938 - 00.03.1940 Member of 3.Sturm / SS-Standarte "Der Führer"
00.00.1940 - 01.06.1940 training to become an officer at SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz
00.03.1940 - 00.00.1941 Zugführer in Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2 / Polizei-Division
00.00.1941 - 00.08.1941 Ordonnanzoffizier II.bataillon / Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2 / Polizei-Division
00.08.1941 - 00.09.1941 Zugführer in 9.Kompanie / Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2 / Polizei-Division
00.09.1941 - 08.08.1943 Chef 2.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2 / Polizei-Division
08.08.1943 - 00.00.194_ Führer I.bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 8 / 4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division
00.00.194_ - 00.05.1945 Kommandeur I.bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 8 / 4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division
00.05.1945 - 00.00.1948 Soviet POW
Awards and Decorations:
00.00.1935 Julleuchter der SS
00.00.193_ Deutsches Reichssportabzeichnen (DRL-Sportabzeichen) in Bronze
00.00.193_ SA Sportabzeichen in Bronze
00.00.193_ Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. März 1938 (Anschluss Medal)
00.00.193_ Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit mit Spange Prager Burg (Sudetenland Medal)
04.05.1940 SS-Dienstauszeichnung IV.Stufe (4 Jahre)
21.08.1941 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse, after successfully leading an assault on a Soviet trench
01.11.1941 Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz, for the wounds received on 04.09.1941
01.11.1941 Infanterie Sturmabzeichen in Silber
17.02.1942 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
01.08.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
01.10.1943 Nahkampfspange in Bronze
25.08.1944 Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber
31.10.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Führer I.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 8 / 4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division
00.00.1944 Panzervernichtungsabzeichen in Silber (1)
25.11.1944 Nahkampfspange in Silber, for 30 days of close-quarters combat
20.03.1945 Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold
22.03.1945 Nahkampfspange in Gold, for more than 50 days of close-quarters combat
22.03.1945 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (for this one, it is still confusing because there is little evidence that he got it. The source of the award date is in the book "Karl Auer SS-Sturmbannführer életrajza" by László Sikora)
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Born on 20 October 1916 in Prienbach (Lower Bavaria) as a farmer’s son, Karl Auer joined the SS-Verfügungstruppe at the age of 19 upon completing vocational training for business. He was promoted to SS-Unterscharführer in 1937 after serving in both SS-Standarte “Deutschland” and SS-Standarte “Der Führer” (both regimental equivalents at the time). After passing an officers’ pre-selection course, subsequent training followed at the Junkerschule (officer-candidate school) in Bad Tölz along with courses at the Army Infantry School. He was promoted to SS-Untersturmführer on 1 June 1940 without having yet experienced combat operations.
To his disappointment, he was not assigned to an elite regiment. Instead, he went to Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2 of the Polizei-Division (Police Division), which reported to the SS but was not yet a part of the Waffen-SS. He was a platoon leader there. The division did not see much employment in the French Campaign. Only when the war in the East began in June 1941 was he given the opportunity for combat service. In the meantime, the Police Division had been incorporated into the Waffen-SS, where Auer was “at home” again.
Auer experienced the successful advance through the Baltic States with the Polizei-Division. As a liaison officer on the headquarters staff of the II./Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2, he took the place of wounded, killed or otherwise incapacitated platoon leaders on several occasions, thereby gaining his first combat experience. Finally designated a platoon leader in the 9./Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2, he soon received the Iron Cross, Second Class for the assault of a Soviet trench line. He was then designated as the Company Commander of the 2./Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2. One of his comrades was Helmut Dörner, the later recipient of the Swords to the Knight’s Cross and the Close Combat Clasp in Silver. Company Commanders such as Dörner and Auer made the reputation of the division and continually inspired the men under their command in actions taking place at Slusk and Luga. SS-Untersturmführer Auer was wounded for the first time on 4 September 1941 during an assault and, as a result, did not experience the harsh winter fighting at Leningrad. He was promoted to SS-Obersturmführer on 5 January 1942 while recuperating in a field hospital.
Having returned to the field and been placed back at the head of his old company once again, Auer then had the Iron Cross, First Class awarded to him retroactively, as well as the Infantry Assault Badge. With the institution of the Close Combat Clasp, the company commander was credited with a few days of close-combat service occurring from the summer to the fall of 1941. Another wound, sustained during an attack, was added to his medical file in 1942—by the end of the war this list would get longer…
The year 1942 not only saw fierce defensive fighting at Leningrad—the Red Army tried in vain several times to relieve the encircled city—but also demanding combat operations against partisan units in rear areas. These well-organized, surprisingly well-equipped and motivated opponents had become a genuine danger to rear-area services, small bases and especially railroad supply efforts. Entire battalions of the Polizei-Division were assigned to the struggle against the partisans, since almost every day a train was lost because of tracks having been blown up or sabotaged. Auer led his company during dangerous combat operations in endless forests and often found himself involved in bitter firefights.
Since capture often meant death and all available means were used to obtain information (on both sides), including torture, a partisan fighter seldom surrendered. Instead, he fought to the end and without mercy. More than once, a dying guerrilla would take an infantryman with him into death by pulling the pin on a final hand grenade or drawing out a hidden knife. This method of fighting was especially hard, and the German Armed Forces, in some instances, did not shrink from “punishment” of the civilian population. At no time did Auer participate in such actions.
Karl Auer finally received the Close Combat Clasp in Bronze in the fall of 1943 during combat operations against regular forces of the Red Army. Shortly thereafter, promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer, he was given command of the I./SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 8, which was how his regiment had been redesignated. His regimental commanding officer was the aforementioned SS-Obersturmbannführer Dörner.
After several weeks of employment against partisans in Greece—the division had been sent there not only because of its need to be reconstituted and reorganized, but also because of its experience in combating such foes—Auer and his men fought in Rumania. Auer led his battalion through many a hard test in such places as Jassy, Szolnok and Temesvar. In September 1944, Auer was wounded once again.
In October, the Russians were only 50 miles from Budapest.
After becoming embroiled in heavy fighting taking place on the Hungarian Front, the division was able to free itself from being encircled by a Soviet army corps at Temeschburg and then pull back over the Theiß. For this hard-won defensive success, the successful break-out from a small encirclement, as well as vigorous counterattacks being conducted at Sag and Sandra, Auer was awarded the Knight’s Cross on 31 October 1944. He also received the Close Combat Clasp in Silver somewhat later. By then, Auer had also been awarded the Tank Destruction Badge and was also a recipient of the Wound Badge in Silver.
The division fought in Hungary in late 1944 and sustained heavy casualties. The formation had been pushed back during the Soviet offensive and was forced to pull back to the northwest along with formations of the German Army. Kampfgruppe Auer, along with surviving remnants of the 4. SS-Polizei-Panzer-Grenadier-Division, was attached to an army division and saw operations on the Oder Front in January 1945. It was there that SS-Sturmbannführer Auer experienced the Red Army’s final offensive against Berlin (30 January 1945).
Forced into the so-called West Prussian Pocket by the fury and the superior might of the offensive, the SS grenadiers fought alongside the famous 7. Panzer-Division (commanded by Diamonds recipient Dr. Mauß) and the 251. Infanterie-Division in the Gotenhafen sector.
While the battalion defended its positions for days at Rahmel—in spite of heavy casualties, all the while suffering from a shortage of heavy weapons and ammunition, and combined with an enemy carrying out incessant attacks—Karl Auer was recommended for the Honor Roll of the German Army and then for the Oakleaves. Additionally, his battalion was twice submitted for mention in the Wehrmacht Daily Report. As a result of the confusion during the final weeks of the war and the chaos in the gradually shrinking pocketed, not one of the four (!) recommendations was processed. But at least the Close Combat Clasp in Gold, earned for participation in 50 raids, frontal assaults, antiarmor engagements and trench fighting was awarded to the battalion commander on 22 March 1945.
Taken prisoner within the pocket by the Russians in May, the Bavarian set foot on German soil again as a free man at the end of 1948 and later built-up a new existence for himself as a wholesaler of tobacco products.
Karl Auer died on 31 March 1997.
SS-Obersturmführer Karl Auer of Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2 / Polizei-Division is seen wearing Ordnungspolizei uniform when his unit was still not part of the Waffen-SS although structurally responsible to the Reichsführer-SS. It was only after they returned to the Waffen-SS that the members of the Polizei-Division had the "right" to wear the SS uniform just like other Waffen-SS units. This photo was most likely taken before the start of the Unternehmen Barbarossa (German invasion of Russia) in the summer of 1941.
SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Auer on the day he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as Führer of I.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 8 / 4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division, 31 October 1944. The year 1942 brought him to fight against the communist guerrillas around Leningrad, who always pestered the rear lines of the German troops. After that Auer and his unit were sent to Greece for several weeks to fight partisans there, before being posted to Romania and Hungary. In Hungary the Polizei-Division survived the Soviet encirclement of Temeschburg and then withdrew to Theiß. For success in this heavy defensive battle, successful escape from encirclement, and successful counterattacks at Sag and Sandra, Auer was awarded the Ritterkreuz.
SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Auer as Kommandeur of I.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 8 / 4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division. He is one of only 98 men in the entire Wehrmacht to have earned both the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes and the Nahkampfspange in Gold, the latter is specifically given to those who have successfully survived at least 50 days of close combat, a.k.a. hand-to-hand fighting.
Waffen-SS veterans at a reunion held after the war, including early members of Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler in 1933. From left to right: Theodor "Teddy" Wisch, Jöhnke (behind Wisch), Blöth (behind Mohnke), Wilhelm Mohnke, Rudolf Sandig, Helmut Beermann, Bergmann, Johannes " Hans" Wellershaus, Alfred Gilles, Albert Stenwedel, Nebel, Karl Auer, Hans Krüger, Hermann Petersen, Karl Rettlinger, Alfred Bünning, Karl Grewe, Karl Kreutz, Dr. Harald Wagner, Hubert Meyer, and Webers. Markus Lippl photo collection.
Proposal for the award of Ritterkreuz to Karl Auer.
Vorläufiges Besitzzeugnis (Preliminary Certificate) of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes dated 16 November 1944 for SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Auer (who formally received it on 31 October 1944). At first, usually the recipient receives a brief telegram with the news that he has been awarded the Ritterkreuz (or a medal of the equivalent/higher grade). With this announcement, he is entitled to have a Vorläufiges Besitzzeugnis as well as the posting of the date of the award on his Soldbuch. Next, he will receive an official award document known as "Ritterkreuzurkunde" (Certificate of the Knight's Cross). This document always comes with the medal which is housed in a red leather case bearing the Reichsadler's insignia. Most of the times the Hitler's signature was printed, but when there was time, the Führer always took the time to write his own signature.
Source :
"The Face of Courage, The 98 Men Who Received the Knight's Cross and the Close-Combat Clasp in Gold" by Florian Berger
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2014/10/ss-sturmbannfuhrer-karl-auer-1916-1997.html
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Auer,_Karl
https://www.emedals.com/germany-ss-a-lot-of-photographs-and-award-documents-to-ss-sturmbannfuhrer-karl-auer-96798
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=159818&p=1407008&hilit=karl+auer#p1407008
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/28140/Auer-Karl-Waffen-SS.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20110104225826fw_/http://ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Waffen-SS/A/Auer-Karl.htm
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