Hahm, Walther Karl Otto.

Hahm, Walther Karrl Otto, born 21-12-1894, in Neudorf-Sulau, today’s Sulimierz in Lower Silesia , started his military service on 07-08-1914 as a war volunteer in the replacement battalion of the Grand Ducal Mecklenburg Fusilier Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm No. 90. Already on 23-08-1914 he was transferred to the 214th Reserve Infantry Regiment with which he was deployed until the end of January 1915. During this time he was awarded the Iron Cross I and II Class.

In Neuflize (France, north-east of Reims) he successfully completed his cadet course as a sub-commander by the end of March 1915 and was promoted to Fahnrich on 18-04-1915. Already on 18-06-1915 he was appointed Leutnant – following a hospital stay from July to September 1915 – adjutant of the II Batallion of the 23rd Infantry Regiment from 01-10-1915 to 04-04-1917. Hahm experienced the end of the First World War as a regiment adjutant of the 23rd Infantry Regiment (24-04-1917 to 26-05-1919)

As a member of the Reichswehr, he was appointed after 2 assignments as adjutant (II Battalion, 16th Reichswehr Infantry Regiment from 26-05-1919 to 15-02-1920 and adjutant of the II Battalion, 15th Reichswehr Infantry Regiment (15-02-1920 to 01-02 01-1921) as a Leutnant company officer of the 7th Infantry Regiment (01-01-1921 till 01-10-1926). He was then transferred to the Infantry School (01-10-1921 to 14-02-1922) as a riding instructor  at the 14th Mounted Battery of the 3rd Artillery Regiment (01-10-1923 to 30-09-1925).

After employment with the 8th (MG) company, 7th infantry regiment (01-10-1926 to 01-09-1929 for heavy weapons in Döberitz (06-10-1931 to 21-10-193) he became company commander of the 8th (MG, Machinegun ) Company, 7th Infantry Regiment (01-02-1932 to 01-10-1934). His second command assignment was with the III Battalion of the Infantry Regiment Görlitz (01-10-1934 to 15-10-1935). The last peace garrison was Munchen, where he was employed as an instructor at the Munchen War School (15-10-1935 to 26-08-1938), Here he was also promoted to major.

He experienced the beginning of the war in 1939 with the Führer Reserve High Command of the Army (26-08-1939 to 07-02-1940). By telex from the Army Personnel Office OKW dated 07-02-1940, Oberleutnant Hahm becomes commander of II Battalion Infantry Regiment 81 and fights in the Reims, Nevers and Dijon area. With effect from 20-12-1940, he was initially transferred to the Führer Reserve High Command of the Army. The next day, Oberleutnant Hahm joined the 62nd Infantry Division under  command of Generalleutnant Helmuth Huffmann,

as commander of the 480th Infantry Regiment until 01-01-1942. With effect from 01-08-1942 he was promoted to Oberst.

In the battles for Romanishche and from the Dnieper to the Desna, he earned the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 05-11-1941 as a 650th soldier in the Wehrmacht. His regiment was instrumental in destroying a Soviet armored regiment deployed against the southern flank of the 2nd Army, under command of Generalfeldmarschall Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von Weichs  . Stopping this attack was vital. In addition, the attack on Chernihiv on 01-09-1941 under heavy enemy artillery fire was of decisive importance for the formation of the Desna bridgehead. After the previous commander General Arthur Schmidt found a higher position, General Schmidt survived the war and died 05-11-1987, age 92, in Karlsruhe  Oberst Hahm was put in charge of the 260th Infantry Division on 01-01-1942. On 01-04-1942 he was appointed Generalmajor and Commander of the 260th Infantry Division. In this Walther Hahm came as a hunter on the recommendation of Oberst Max Fremerey to the divisional staff.

The soldiers of the 260th Infantry Division knew him as a “tough dog” who always took care of the soldiers entrusted to him. A little anecdote should underline this judgment. During the advance into France in 1940, divisional member Karl Lorch expertly repaired the car of his regimental commander, Oberst Hahm. As thanks for this help, he did not reward the soldier with money or special leave, he gave him two bottles of sparkling wine. Karl Loch took these two special bottles home to drink on special occasions. He enjoyed one bottle on his silver anniversary in 1951, and the second on his 70th birthday. But he could also be a very uncomfortable superior. A member of Panzerjagerabteilung 260 reports the following story.

The soldiers of the Panzertruppe or Jäger Panzertruppe Division normally wore laced boots. When General Hahm caught one of these men in puzzle cups, the soldier had to report to the infantry immediately. General Hahm explained that whoever can carry puzzle breakers like the infantry can also dig holes like the infantry.

On 22-01-1944 he left the division as lGeneralleutnant and until 01-04-1944 he was again a member of the Führer Reserve high command of the army. As commander of the 289th Division, General Hahm fought in Kurland and was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross as the 676th soldier of the Wehrmacht on 09-09-1944.

Another appointment to the Fuhrer Reserve Obercommando des Heeres (01-04-1944 to 02-11-1944) and a appointment to the Commander-in-Chief West as commanding General to 01-04-1945 followed. On 09-12-1944, during the battles in the Saar area, initially in charge, he took over as commanding General of the LXXXII Army Corps until 01-04-1945.

For a few days he was Commanding General of the XIII Army Corps in the Main-Thuringia area before he had to surrender as General of Infantry to the 31st US Division on May 8th, 1945. He was taken prisoner of war by the British in Werl  and was released in 1947.

Death and burial ground of Hahm, Walther Karl Otto.

General Walther Hahm died of leukemia, age 56, in Heide/Holstein on 11-08-1951 and was buried in a cemetery in northern Germany. At his own request, he shares the grave with a “simple” soldier.

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