Otto Baum

Otto Baum
Born	15 November 1911(1911-11-15) Stetten
Died	18 June 1998(1998-06-18) (aged 86) Hechingen-Stetten
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Rank	Oberführer
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 Stetten – 18 June 1998) was an SS-Oberführer (Senior Colonel/Brigadier General) of the Waffen-SS. He was also 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.

Awards

• Wound Badge in Silver (21 August 1943)
• Iron Cross
  • 2nd Class (25 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (15 June 1940)
• Eastern Front Medal
• Tank Destruction Badge
• Infantry Assault Badge (3 October 1940)
• German Cross in Gold (26 December 1941)
• Demyansk Shield (31 December 1943)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 8 May 1942 as Sturmbannführer and commander of the III./SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 3
  • 277th Oak Leaves on 22 August 1943 as Obersturmbannführer and commander SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Totenkopf"
  • 95th Swords on 2 September 1944 as Standartenführer and commander 2. SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich"
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 29 July 1944

References

• Berger, Florian: Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges (With oak leaves and swords: the highest decorated soldiers of World War II). Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2006. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5. (German)
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2001). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (The holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, 1939–1945). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5. (German)
• Krätschmer, Ernst-Günther (1999). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Waffen-SS (in German). Coburg, Germany: Nation Europa Verlag GmbH. ISBN 3-920677-43-9.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit: Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (The German Cross 1930–1945: History and holders, vol. 2). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X. (German)
• Yerger, Mark C (1997). Waffen-SS Commanders: The Army, Corps and Divisional Leaders of a Legend: Augsberger to Kreutz. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0764303562. 

External links

• Otto Baum @ lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de (German)

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