Baacke, Karl

Oberstleutnant Karl Baacke



Mar.: 15.5.1907, Aurich/ Ostfriesland
Death: 1.4.1944, Orinin, USSR



Joining the army Karl Baacke in 1924 at the age of 17, specifically in Infanterie-Regiment 16. Ten years later he had already attained the rank of Leutnant, to which he was promoted on 1.4.1934. In 1936 he is appointed commander of a liaison platoon (Nachrichtenzug) under Infanterie-Regiment 37. Promotion from platoon commander to company commander follows on 1.4.1937, when, already at the rank of Hauptmann, he assumes command of the 6th Infanterie-Regiment within Infanterie-Regiment 37. Kompanie, which, however, half a year later, in October 1937, is renamed and classified as 2. Kompanie to Infanterie-Regiment 124.


After the outbreak of war, he is transferred to the Führerreserve of the OKH in May/May 1940 and subsequently deployed with the unit to the Balkans. There his unit, which is the 3rd Kompanie belonging to Grenz-Infanterie Regiment 124 (6.Geb.Div./XVIII. Armee-Korps/12. Armee) manages to capture the village of Molos on April 24, 1941 and during the fighting, captures a large number of weapons and captures a number of enemy (24 guns, 200 prisoners and a number of vehicles), opening the way to Athens for other units. For this feat he is awarded the Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz) on 30 June 1941.


Another promotion follows a year later, on 1 July 1942, when he is awarded the rank of Major, but shortly afterwards he is wounded for the third time overall on 11 September 1942. After being transferred to the Führerreserve in early 1943 and promoted to the rank of Oberstleutnant on 1.4.1943, he is awarded a high decoration - the German Cross in Gold (28.2.1943).


After his wounds are healed, he is appointed commander of Grenadier-Regiment 226, to which he is assigned within the 72nd Infanterie-Division (IIIrd Infanterie-Division). Panzer-Korps/8. Armee/Heeresgruppe Süd) commanded during the battles of Orel, Gomel and southeast of Kiev. In addition, he is also appointed commander of the town of Cherkassy (Platzkommandant von Tscherkassy), a post which entailed the duty to empty the town on 13 December 1943 so that the enemy would not notice. For his excellent performance of this task, he was awarded the Knight's Cross and the Eichenlaub on 10.12.1943 as the 352nd in order. At the same time, he is also granted a leave of absence which lasts until the end of January 1944. While returning to the front from leave, he is ordered to assemble a battle group (Kampfgruppe) from soldiers returning from leave and to relieve German troops, among them his Grenadier-Regiment 226, surrounded in the Kanev-Korsun area. However, after the unit is assembled, it is itself surrounded after heavy fighting near Orinin (Kamenets-Podolsk) and Oberstleutnant Baacke is killed in action when he attempts to break through.



Decorations:
- Iron Cross II Class (Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse) - 14.6.1940
- Iron Cross I. Class (Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse) - 21.6.1940
- Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) - 30.6.1940
- Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) - 30.6.1941
- German Cross in Gold (Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuz in Gold) - 28.2.1943
- Close Combat Cross (Nahkampfspange in ?) - ?

Karl Baacke




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