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Paul Leopold Kraus
| Paul Leopold Kraus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 May 1919 Austria |
| Died | 22 September 2014 |
| Nativity | Austria |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 33386646 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Rank at Ritchie | Corporal |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 22 (23 August – 21 October 1944) |
| Section | 5C |
| Enlisted | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Teams | IPW 183, MII 501-G |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Paul Leo Kraus (1919 – 22 September 2014) was a Ritchie Boy (from Austria; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 22 and served with IPW Team 183.
Biography[edit | edit source]
Paul Leopold Kraus (born Pavel Leopold Kraus) was born on 21 May 1919 in Austria. A refugee in China before reaching the United States, he joined the Army soon after arrival and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 22).
Kraus served in Europe as an infantry sergeant and interrogator with IPW/MII Team 501-G. Packet accounts place him in combat alongside Audie Murphy’s unit and credit him with identifying Otto Skorzeny among prisoners; he was among early Allied troops at Berchtesgaden. After the war he worked for Seagram.
Kraus died on 22 September 2014. His story is told in Joanie Schirm’s Adventurers Against Their Will.
Research notes[edit | edit source]
- Also Class 11 5B IPW Ge
- Packet and obituary support Leopold / Pavel Leopold; enrichment sets middle=Leopold on the live title Kraus, Paul Leo (33386646). A later title move to Kraus, Paul Leopold (33386646) is recommended. Live rank_final Colonel is not reasserted (wartime sources describe a sergeant). Audie Murphy and Otto Skorzeny are not wiki-linked (not Ritchie Boys).
Gallery[edit | edit source]
-
Paul Leopold Kraus portrait (RB Archive) -
Paul Leopold Kraus with laboratory glassware and a Kentucky Gentleman bottle (RB Archive)
Technical record[edit | edit source]
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 95 |
| Nara ASN | 33386646 |
| Nara Name | KRAUS PAUL L |
| Nara State | 1 |
| Nara County | 7 |
| Nara POE | 3110 |
| Nara DOE | 11242 |
| Nara Grade Alpha | PV0 |
| Nara Grade Code | 8 |
| Nara Branch Alpha | BI |
| Nara Branch Code | 0 |
| Branch | Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA |
| Nara Term or Enlistment | 5 |
| Term of enlistment | Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law |
| Defer. Date | 0 |
| Nara Source | 0 |
| Nara Nativity | N2 |
| Nara Year of Birth | 19 |
| Nara Race | J |
| Nara Race Description | White not yet a citizen |
| Nara Education | 0 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 105 |
| Nara Marital Status | 6 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 67 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 141 |
| Class_ASN | 33386646 |
| Class_Name | KRAUS, Paul L. |
| match_method | asn_exact_name_exact |
| row_source | both |
Timeline[edit | edit source]
- 21 May 1919 — Born Pavel Leopold Kraus in Austria.
- World War II — Reached the United States after refuge in China; entered the Army.
- World War II — Trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 22); served as an infantry sergeant and interrogator in Europe (MII 501-G).
- 22 September 2014 — Died.
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Joanie Schirm, Adventurers Against Their Will (chapter on Pavel/Paul Leopold Kraus)
- Paul Leopold Kraus with laboratory glassware and a Kentucky Gentleman bottle (RB Archive)
- Paul Leopold Kraus portrait (RB Archive)
- Folder identity dates: 21 May 1919 – 22 September 2014
- RB Archive notes on Joanie Schirm, Adventurers Against Their Will (chapter on Pavel/Paul Leopold Kraus)
- Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
- Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
- NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
- 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-09-25 (1 post)
- Facebook-linked source: amazon.com
- Paul Leopold Kraus obituary listing (RB Archive link)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Paul Leo Kraus for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Kraus, Paul Leo for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: PAUL L. KRAUS.docx)