wear the uniform of an SS private, to conceal his identity in the event of capture. The group attempted to fight its way back to Germany but, after a fierce battle with Czech partisans, surrendered in Neudorf, southwest of Komotau on 6 May. His true identity was not discovered by his captors, and Hanke was thus placed in a Prisoner of War (POW) camp alongside low-ranking SS members. There were a total of 65 POWs when the Czechs decided to move them all by foot in June 1945. When a train passed the march route, Hanke and several other POWs attempted to escape, clinging to the train. The Czechs opened fire, wounding Hanke and two other POWs. They were then beaten to death with rifle butts by the Czechs. Summary of his SS and military career Dates of rank SS-Anwärter - 15 February 1934 SS-Sturmbannführer - 1 July 1934 SS-Obersturmbannführer - 20 April 1935 SS-Standartenführer - 15 September 1935 SS-Oberführer - 20 April 1937 Panzerschütze - 1937 Leutnant d.R. - 1939 Oberleutnant d.R. - 1940 SS-Brigadeführer - 30 January 1941 SS-Gruppenführer - 20 April 1941 Hauptmann d.R. - 1942 SS-Obergruppenführer - 30 January 1944 Reichsführer-SS und Chef der Deutschen Polizei - 29 April 1945 Decorations Honour Chevron for the Old Guard SS Honour Ring Sword of honour of the Reichsführer-SS Golden Party Badge SS Long Service Award, 2nd, 3rd and 4th classes Nazi Party Long Service Award in Bronze and Silver War Merit Cross, 1st and 2nd class, both without Swords Olympic Games Decoration, First Class (1936) German Equestrian Badge in Silver (1938) Wound Badge in Black (1939) Panzer Badge in Silver (1940) Iron Cross of 1939, 1st and 2nd class (1940) Hitler Youth Badge of Honour in Gold with Oak Leaves (30 August 1941) German Order (12 April 1945) See also List of Gauleiters References Citations Bibliography Moll, Martin. Der Sturz alter Kämpfer. Ein neuer Zugang zur Herrschaftsanalyse des NS-Regimes, in: Historische Mitteilungen der Ranke-Gesellschaft 5. Jg. (1992), S. 1–51. Further reading Richter, Jana. Karl Hanke, in: Hermann Weiß (Hg.): Biographisches Lexikon zum Dritten Reich, Frankfurt a. M. 1998, S. 177f. Sereny, Gitta (2005). Albert Speer. Sein Ringen mit der Wahrheit, München. . 1903 births 1945 deaths People from Lubań Politicians from the Province of Silesia Gauleiters Reichswehr personnel Reichsführer-SS Holocaust perpetrators Nazi Party officials Nazi propagandists Members of the Reichstag of the Weimar Republic Members of the Reichstag