Corps. The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Hans Traut was captured by Soviet forces in 1944, in 1947 he was sentenced to 25 years of forced labor and was held until 1955. Iron Cross (1914) Hans Traut had been nominated for and Swords in December 1943 for his skilled leadership of the 78.
Bibliography.
Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (21 October 1914) 1st Class (17 January 1917) Wound Badge in Black Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (20 September 1939) 1st Class (4 October 1939) Eastern Front Medal Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight"s Cross on 5 August 1940 as Oberstleutnant and commander of I./Infanterie-Regiment 90 67th Oak Leaves on 23 January 1942 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 41 (mot) and leader of 10. Infanterie-Division German Cross in Gold on 15 December 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 78. Sturm-Division Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (13 March 1944) Hans Traut had been nominated for Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords in December 1943 for his skilled leadership of the 78. Sturm-Division. This request was denied without reason.
