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| PERSONALIA |
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| Name: |
Kumm, Otto |
| Date of birth: | October 1st, 1909 (Hamburg, Germany)
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| Date of death: |
March 23rd, 2004 (Offenburg, Germany)
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| Nationality: |
German |
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BIOGRAPHY:
Otto Kumm was born on October 1st in Hamburg as son of a merchant. Between April 1st 1925 and March 31st 1929 he followed education for work in a printer factory. After having worked there for a few years, he took service with the SS-Verfügungstruppe on April 1st 1934 and was placed with the I./SS-Standarte Germania in Hamburg. He had already become a member of the NSDAP from December 1st (membership nr: 421 230) and with the SS from December 19th 1931 (membership nr: 18 727). With this he was appointed SS-Anwarter on December 1st 1931 and taken into service on December 19th as SS-Mann. His promotion to SS-Scharführer took place on December 1st 1932, as SS-Truppführer on May 1st 1933, SS-Obertruppführer on November 9th 1933 and SS-Sturmführer on February 15th 1934. In July 1935 he was given the command of the 4. (MG) Kompanie der Standarte as SS-Obersturmführer (promotion 12-08-1934). On September 13th 1936 he was promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer. The SS-Standarte “Deutschland” where he belonged to, moved towards Munich in December 1936. Kumm there became commander of the 2.Kompanie. In March 1938 he commanded a Kompanie with the SS-Standarte “Der Führer”, with which he went into war in Poland in September 1939. From April 1940 Kumm commanded a heavy MG Company with which he invaded the Netherlands in May 1940. His promotion to SS-Sturmbannführer der Waffen-SS followed on September 1st 1940. Kumm’s unit was involved in the invasion of the Soviet Union from June 1941, where he was promoted SS-Obersturmbannführer der Waffen-SS on October 1st 1941. On July 12th 1941 he was appointed as Kommandeur of the SS-Regiment “Der Führer”. On April 20th 1943, Kumm was promoted to SS-Standartenführer der Waffen-SS and he became Chef des Stabes des V. SS-Gebirgskorps during the summer of that same year. Effective from January 30th 1944, Kumm was promoted to SS-Oberführer der Waffen-SS on April 28th 1944. A short time later he took command of the 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division „Prinz Eugen“. During the fighting’s in the Balkan, he was promoted to SS-Brigadeführer/Generalmajor der Waffen-SS on November 21st 1944 what was effective from November 9th 1944. After the retreat from the Balkan and Hungary, he was appointed commander of the 1. SS-Panzerdivision Leibstandarte-SS “Adolf Hitler” on February 6th 1945. With this unit he was taken prisoner of war by the American Army.
After the Second World War, Otto Kumm became the production leader with a printer. He is known as one of the founders of the Post World War Two aid organisation for former Waffen-SS members, the HIAG (Hilfsgemeinschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit der ehemaligen Angehörigen der Waffen-SS e.V). Otto Kumm died on March 23rd 2004. |
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SS-EHRENRING
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Rank:
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SS-Hauptsturmführer
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Awarded on:
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December 1st, 1937
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RITTERKREUZ DES EISERNEN KREUZES
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Rank:
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SS-Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant-colonel)
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Unit:
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Kommandeur SS-Infanterie-Regiment (motorisiert) “Der Führer” / SS-Panzergrenadier-Division “Reich” / 9.Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
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Awarded on:
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February 16th, 1942
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Details:
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870th award.
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RITTERKREUZ MIT EICHENLAUB
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Rank:
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SS-Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant-colonel)
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Unit:
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Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Der Führer" / SS-Panergrenadier-Division "Reich" / SS-Panzerkorps / Heeresgruppe Süd
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Awarded on:
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April 6th, 1943
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Details:
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221st Award.
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WEHRMACHTBERICHT
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Rank:
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SS-Oberführer der Waffen-SS
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Awarded on:
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October 10th, 1944
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RITTERKREUZ MIT EICHENLAUB UND SCHWERTERN
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Rank:
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SS-Brigadeführer / Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (Brigadier)
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Unit:
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7.SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division "Prinz Eugen" / Heeresgruppe E
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Awarded on:
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March 17th, 1945
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Details:
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138th Award.
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Provide alterations or additional information |
| Picture source: |
- Willi Schumacher Collection |
| Information source(s): |
- Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
- Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
- Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
- Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
- Schulz A. e.a., The SS-Brigadeführer, 1933 - 1945
- Ritterkreuztraeger 1939 - 1945
- Axis History Biographical Research via Axis History Forum
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