STURM, Hans
	PERSONALIA   Name:  Sturm, Hans Date of birth:  July 29th, 1920 (Dortmund/Western Phalia, Germany) Nationality:  German BIOGRAPHY:  From 2 May 1945 to 10 October 1953 Hans Sturm was a Soviet POW.       EISERNES KREUZ 2. KLASSE Rank: Schütze Awarded on: July 29th, 1941         EISERNES KREUZ 1. KLASSE Rank: Schütze Awarded on: August 1st, 1941         VERWUNDETENABZEICHEN 1939 IN SCHWARZ Awarded on: August 22nd, 1941         VERWUNDETENABZEICHEN 1939 IN SILBER Awarded on: September 14th, 1942         INFANTERIE-STURMABZEICHEN Awarded on: December 1941 Details: Silver version.         RITTERKREUZ DES EISERNEN KREUZES Rank: Gefreiter Unit: Melder 6. / Infanterie-Regiment 473 / 253.Infanterie-Division Awarded on: September 26th, 1942 Action: Hans Sturm was company runner in Infanterie-Regiment 473 in the 253. Infanterie-Division. During a Soviet attack, Sturm was ordered to assess the situation. As he was heading for a German machine gun position, a Soviet grenade knocked out the machine gun position. Sturm jumped in and resumed firing the machine gun at the advancing Soviets. A Soviet tank round landed nearby, wounding him severely. Despite his wounds he resumed firing the machine gun and throwing grenades until a relief force drove off the remaining enemy. It was later determined that his actions saved the regiment from being encircled.         DEUTSCHES KREUZ IN GOLD Rank: Gefreiter Unit: 6. / Infanterie-Regiment 473 Awarded on: November 5th, 1942 Details: According a letter written by Hans Sturm on 10th November 1989 he claims to have received the DKiG on 26th August 1942.         MEDAILLE "WINTERSCHLACHT IM OSTEN 1941/42" (OSTMEDAILLE) Awarded on: 1942         VERWUNDETENABZEICHEN 1939 IN GOLD Rank: Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) Awarded on: May 1st, 1945         Provide alterations or additional information Picture source:   - Willi Schumacher Collection Information source(s):   - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002 - 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