Bio of SS-Obersturmbannführer Hans Stern (1907-1972)

Johannes "Hans" Stern

Date of Birth: 02.05.1907 - Kassel, Hesse-Kassel (German Empire)
Date of Death: 30.03.1972 - Horressen, Montabaur, Rheinland-Pfalz (West Germany)

Battles and Campaigns: Invasion of Poland (1939), Battle of France (1940), Operation Barbarossa (1941), Siege of Leningrad (1941-1944), Western Allied invasion of Germany (1944-1945)
SS Number: 473.358 (V) (transferred from the Heer to the Waffen-SS on 30.01.1944)

Promotions:
00.00.19__ Leutnant
00.00.19__ Oberleutnant
00.00.194_ Hauptmann
00.00.194_ Major
00.00.194_ Oberstleutnant
30.01.1944 SS-Obersturmbannführer
00.00.19__ Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)

Career:
00.00.19__ Chef 3.Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 11 / 6.Panzer-Division
00.00.1943 transferred to the Waffen-SS
00.00.1944 Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Ausbildungs-und-Ersatz-Regiment
00.00.1945 Kommandeur SS-Brigade Westfalen

Awards and Decorations:
00.00.193_ Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen in Bronze
00.00.193_ Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber
26.09.1939 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
29.06.1940 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
15.07.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Hauptmann and Chef 3.Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 11 / 6.Panzer-Division
00.00.1942 Medaille „Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42“ (Ostmedaille)
01.10.194_ Kriegsverdienstkreuz II.Klasse mit Schwertern
01.10.194_ Kriegsverdienstkreuz I.Klasse mit Schwertern

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Hans Stern proved himself as a tank commander in the Polish campaign (1939) and the Western campaign in 1940. As Hauptmann and chief of the 3rd company of the 11th Panzer Regiment of the 6th Panzer Division, Stern distinguished himself particularly well at the beginning of the Russian campaign and thus ensured the division's rapid action in the northern section of the Eastern Front, for which he was awarded the Ritterkreuz.

In 1943 he transferred to the Waffen-SS, was still listed at the SS-Fuhramt (SS-FHA) in October 1944, was commander of the SS-Panzer-Ausbildungs-und-Ersatz-Regiment (SS Tank Training and Replacement Regiment) at the Truppenübungsplatz Sennelager near Paderborn, and led in Final battle for Germany in 1945, with the last rank of SS Obersturmbannführer and Commander of SS-Panzer-Brigade "Westfalen". The brigade consisted of two regiments, named after their respective commanders: “Holzer” (SS-Obersturmbannführer Friedrich Holzer had around 1,500 men) and “Meyer” (SS-Sturmbannführer Hans Adolf Meyer had around 1,200 men), plus the 2nd and 3rd . Companies of the schwere Panzer-Abteilung 507 (the heavy tank battalion was reorganized in Sennelager on March 9, 1945. In March, the 2nd company were equipped with six Tigers II and three Jagdpanthers, while the 3rd company with 15 Tigers II), and the 3rd company of the schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 512.

After the war and imprisonment, Stern joined the Bundeswehr, where he retired as a Oberstleutnant on December 31, 1962.

Hans Stern died on March 30, 1972.

Hans Stern. Possibly before the war or early in the war.



Hauptmann Hans Stern (Chef 3.Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 11 / 6.Panzer-Division) during the advance to Leningrad, early September 1941. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Zoll of PK (Propaganda-Kompanie) 694.

Ritterkreuzträger Hans Stern before he was transferred to the Waffen-SS.

Hans Stern (2 May 1907 - 30 March 1972) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 July 1941 as Hauptmann and Chef 3. Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 11 / 6.Panzer-Division, and later transferred to the Waffen-SS with the last rank as SS-Obersturmbannführer. Denis Daum photo collection.

Source :
Denis Daum photo collection
Michael D. Miller photo collection
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-210-0112-01A,_Russland,_Panzeroffizier.jpg
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Stern,_Hans
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2281004#p2281004
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Hans_Stern_(SS_officer)
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/85768/Stern-Hans.htm
http://web.archive.org/web/20131225161305/http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Infanterie/S/Stern-Hans.htm