Allegiance Nazi Germany Battles/wars World War II Died October 2001, Germany Service/branch Waffen-SS | Years of service 1933–45 Name Paul-Albert Kausch Battles and wars World War II Rank Obersturmbannfuhrer | |
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Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Iron Cross 1st Class
Iron Cross 2nd Class
Wound Badge Unit 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking, 11th SS Panzergrenadier Division Nordland Similar People Wladyslaw Sikorski, Gerd von Rundstedt, Heinz Guderian, John Vereker - 6th Visco, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb | ||
Paul Albert Kausch (3 March 1911 – 27 October 2001) was an Obersturmbannfuhrer (Lieutenant Colonel) in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Kausch was one of the original members of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler which he joined in 1933, in 1935 he was selected for officer training and sent to the SS-Junkerschule at Braunschweig being promoted to Untersturmfuhrer (Second Lieutenant) upon graduation, 20 April 1936. He spent the next three years as a platoon and company commander in the Totenkopf Regiment as well as being a company commander in the army's 11th Infantry Regiment. On 20 April 1939, he was promoted to Hauptsturmfuhrer (Captain) and in November 1939, given command of the 5th Battery, SS Totenkopf Artillery Regiment.
During the Battle of France Kausch was awarded the Iron Cross 1st class and in November 1940 he was transferred to the Wiking Division as the Divisional Adjutant. From August 1941 until January 1942, Kausch was the commander of the 1st Battalion, SS Artillery Regiment Wiking, being promoted to Sturmbannfuhrer (Major) in April 1942.
In February 1943, he was tasked with raising the 11th SS Panzer Battalion Nordland, which was ordered to the area of the Oranienbaum sector during the withdrawal to the Narva. Kausch was promoted to Obersturmbannfuhrer (Lieutenant Colonel). For his actions in the July 1944 defensive battles Kausch was decorated with the Knight's Cross on 23 August 1944.
In April 1945, Kausch participated in the final large-scale counterattacks eastward from Strausberg that at first had considerable success, but was then forced into a fighting withdrawal to Berlin. Kausch's unit participated in the last battles of Berlin, and Kausch may have been awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross on 23 April 1945.
On 28 April 1945, Kausch was severely wounded for the third time and on 1 May 1945, he was captured by the Red Army. He remained a prisoner until 16 January 1956, and died in October 2001.