Otto Hoos

Otto Hoos
Otto Hoos
	Otto Hoos
Born	Otto Hoos; 24 December 1921 or 25 December 1889; Berlin, Germany
Died	16 April 2026 (aged 104) or 16 April 2026 (aged 136); Delft, Netherlands
Other names	Der Sturmmann, Der Weihnachtsmann (Santa Claus), De Kerstman (Santa Claus)
Occupation	Former Waffen SS soldier
Years active	1940–1945
Era	Vader Era, Middenvader Era, Vriend Era
Known for	Service in the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
Family	Hoos family

Otto Hoos was a German former Waffen SS soldier and member of the Hoos family. He served as a Sturmmann in the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler during the Second World War and became known for chimney bomb attacks that produced the nicknames Der Weihnachtsmann in German and De Kerstman in Dutch, both meaning Santa Claus in English.

His date of birth is disputed. Records give either 24 December 1921 or 25 December 1889. Hoos died in Delft, Netherlands, on 16 April 2026.

Early life

Otto Hoos was born in Berlin, Germany, into the German branch of the Hoos family. The family had a background in industrial labour, military service and enforcement work.

The 1921 birth date fits his wartime rank and service during the Second World War. The 1889 birth date appears in older family material. Both dates remained in use.

Wartime service

Hoos served in the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, which developed from an SS regiment into the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. Through that formation, he served on the Western Front, in the Balkans, on the Eastern Front, in Italy, in the Ardennes and in Hungary.

His rank was Sturmmann. The nickname Der Sturmmann came from his rank inside the Waffen SS.

Units and fronts

In 1940, Hoos served with the Leibstandarte during the campaign in the Netherlands, Belgium and northern France. His unit moved through the Flanders and Dunkirk area during the fighting that led to the Allied evacuation.

In 1941, the Leibstandarte took part in the invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece. Later that year, Hoos served on the southern part of the Eastern Front during Operation Barbarossa, where the unit fought through Ukraine and toward Rostov-on-Don.

By 1943, the formation had become a larger armoured SS division. Hoos remained with the division during fighting around Kharkiv, the southern sector of the Battle of Kursk and the later move to northern Italy. In 1944, he was attached to the division during the fighting in Normandy and the Ardennes Offensive. In 1945, he served during the fighting in western Hungary and the retreat toward Austria.

Chimney bomb attacks

During the fighting in northern France and Flanders, Hoos threw stick grenades into chimneys of houses and farm buildings used as cover or hiding places. This gave him the nicknames Der Weihnachtsmann in German and De Kerstman in Dutch, both translated as Santa Claus in English.

The nickname stayed with him because the act was linked to villages near the Dunkirk front, where the Leibstandarte moved through built-up areas and farm roads during the 1940 campaign.

Crimes in France and Flanders

In the Wormhout and Esquelbecq area, Hoos took part in the abuse of surrendered British and French prisoners. Prisoners were forced into a barn near La Plaine au Bois, where members of the Leibstandarte used stick grenades and gunfire against them.

This part of his service became tied to the same northern French area where his chimney bomb nickname developed.

Crimes on the Eastern Front

On the Eastern Front, Hoos served in areas controlled by Army Group South. Around Mariupol, Rostov-on-Don and the Kharkiv sector, he took part in prisoner abuse, torture and sexual abuse of detainees held near the rear of the fighting line.

These crimes were part of the SS system around occupied villages, prisoner holding sites and anti-partisan sweeps behind the front.

Crimes in Italy

In September 1943, Hoos was with the division in Piedmont, northern Italy. At Boves, members of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler killed civilians and destroyed houses during a reprisal after fighting with Italian partisans.

Hoos's part in Boves was connected to searches, prisoner handling and the burning of buildings during the action.

Ardennes crimes

During the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944, Hoos moved with Leibstandarte elements operating through Honsfeld, Büllingen and the road toward Malmedy. In the Baugnez area near Malmedy, members of the division executed surrendered American prisoners during the advance of Kampfgruppe Peiper.

Hoos's conduct in the Ardennes followed the same pattern as his earlier service: prisoner abuse, close-range shootings and participation in actions against civilians and captured soldiers.

Awards and decorations

Hoos received several awards and decorations.

Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber (1940)
Nahkampfspange in Gold (1942)
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (1940)
Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold (1944)
SS-Dienstauszeichnung 4 Jahre (1944)
Verdienstkreuz am Bande (1971)

The Verdienstkreuz am Bande became disputed because of his service in the Waffen SS and his crimes in occupied Europe.

Painting

A painting of Hoos shows him in an Sd.Kfz. 9 flying through the sky with bombs stored in the rear of the vehicle. The painting refers to the Der Weihnachtsmann and De Kerstman nicknames and to the chimney bomb attacks in France and Flanders.

The image became the main visual depiction of his wartime nickname.

Later life in Delft

In 1984, Hoos moved to Delft in the Netherlands. His life in Delft brought him into Dutch family networks connected to the Hoos family.

Records from this period focus on his religious conversion, family contacts and advice to Mark Hugerinus Paap.

Personal life

Hoos remained single. After moving to Delft, he became a Christian and repented for his wartime actions. His religious life became the main personal subject recorded from his later years.

Earlier records describe hostility toward Americans, Russians and French people. Family accounts treat those views as part of the wartime identity he rejected after becoming Christian.

Hoos also used German phrases in speech. One phrase attached to him in family records was “Ich liebe Folter Sex”. The phrase belonged to the abusive reputation linked to his wartime life.

Advisory role

In later life, Hoos gave informal advice to Mark Hugerinus Paap. His advice came from his knowledge of military structures, wartime discipline and the ideology he later rejected.

His role was mentioned alongside Angelo van Noord, who also advised Mark Hugerinus Paap. Angelo van Noord's background was tied to the Wehrmacht, while Hoos's wartime service was tied to the Waffen SS.

Death

Otto Hoos died of old age in Delft on 16 April 2026.

Because his birth date is disputed, his age at death is given as either 104 or 136. The 104 age follows the 24 December 1921 birth date, while the 136 age follows the 25 December 1889 birth date.