Hans Graf

Hans Graf
Birth date	23 September 1889(1889-09-23)
Place of birth	Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire
Death date	8 September 1980 (aged 90)
Place of death	Munich, Bavaria, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire National Socialist Germany
Service/branch	Prussian Army Imperial German Army Freikorps Heer
Rank	Hauptmann
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Iron Cross House Order of Hohenzollern War Merit Cross

Hans Karl Friedrich Gustav Graf (1889–1980) was a highly decorated German officer and knight of the rare Military Karl Friedrich Merit Order of the Grand Duchy of Baden.

Life

Hans Graf was the son of bank official Friedrich Graf and his wife Elisabeth, née Mühlbaur. At some point, the family presumably relocated temporarily to Mannheim, Grand Duchy of Baden. This is the only way to explain why a Bavarian would join a Baden regiment. He joined the 2. Badisches Grenadier-Regiment „Kaiser Wilhelm I.“ Nr. 110, was promoted to Unteroffizier and then to Fähnrich (Officer Cadet) on 19 July 1913. On 22 March 1914, he was promoted to Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant), his patent was backdated to 23 March 1912.

WWI and Freikorps

Graf took part in WWI with distinction, was wounded at least three times and was well decorated. On 20 May 1917, he was promoted to Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant). After serving with the Freikorps (Grenzschutz Ost), he was discharged from military service and received the Charakter als Hauptmann (Honorary Captain).

WWII

Graf was apparently reactivated for WWII as Hauptmann z. V., precise information about this is not available.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
• Baden Order of the Zähringer Lion (Orden vom Zähringer Löwen), Knight's Cross II. Class with Swords (BZL3b⚔/BZ3b⚔) on 19 August 1915
• Baden Military Karl Friedrich Merit Order, Knight's Cross (BV3) on 3 May 1918
• Prussian Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross with Swords (HOH3⚔) on 23 June 1918
• Wound Badge (1918) in Mattweiß (Silver)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords
• War Merit Cross (1939), 2nd Class with Swords

Gallery

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External links

• Baden, Nachlass des Oberleutnants Hans Graf, mit Ritterkreuz des Militärischen Karl-Friedrich-Verdienstordens, mit den Verleihungsurkunden, Verleihungsetuis usw., Wörschler-Orden (Archive)