Franz Schädle
Encyclopedia
SS
-Obersturmbannführer
(Lieutenant Colonel) Franz Schädle (19 November 1906 – 1 May 1945) was the commander of Adolf Hitler
's personal bodyguard (the SS-Begleitkommando des Führers
), from 5 January 1945 until his death on 1 May 1945, aged 38.
and after trade school he worked as a construction technician. He joined the SS on 1 February 1930. On 1 March 1932, Schädle became one of eight founding members of Hitler's personal bodyguard. He also served on the staff of Reichsführer-SS
Heinrich Himmler
from 1 May 1934. Schädle guarded Hitler at his headquarters and accompanied him on all his trips.
On 5 January 1945, Schädle was appointed commander of the bodyguard unit. On 28 April 1945 he was wounded in the leg by shrapnel. According to Otto Günsche
, Schädle was present at Hitler's cremation in the garden of the Reich Chancellery
on 30 April 1945. Schädle later committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a pistol, rather than join the break out from the Reich Chancellery to escape from the advancing Red Army
.
German film Downfall
(Der Untergang). Schädle is portrayed by Igor Bubenchikov.
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
-Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer was a paramilitary Nazi Party rank used by both the SA and the SS. It was created in May 1933 to fill the need for an additional field grade officer rank above Sturmbannführer as the SA expanded. It became an SS rank at the same time...
(Lieutenant Colonel) Franz Schädle (19 November 1906 – 1 May 1945) was the commander of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's personal bodyguard (the SS-Begleitkommando des Führers
SS-Begleitkommando des Führers
SS-Begleitkommando des Führers was originally an eight-man SS squad assigned with protecting the life of Adolf Hitler during the early 1930s.-Formation:...
), from 5 January 1945 until his death on 1 May 1945, aged 38.
Biography
He was born in Westerheim, Baden-WürttembergWesterheim, Baden-Württemberg
-Location:Westerheim is a town in the district of Alb-Donau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.It is located at a height of 800 meters on the Swabian Alb, about 30 Kilometers north-west of Ulm.-History:...
and after trade school he worked as a construction technician. He joined the SS on 1 February 1930. On 1 March 1932, Schädle became one of eight founding members of Hitler's personal bodyguard. He also served on the staff of Reichsführer-SS
Reichsführer-SS
was a special SS rank that existed between the years of 1925 and 1945. Reichsführer-SS was a title from 1925 to 1933 and, after 1934, the highest rank of the German Schutzstaffel .-Definition:...
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
from 1 May 1934. Schädle guarded Hitler at his headquarters and accompanied him on all his trips.
On 5 January 1945, Schädle was appointed commander of the bodyguard unit. On 28 April 1945 he was wounded in the leg by shrapnel. According to Otto Günsche
Otto Günsche
Otto Günsche was a Sturmbannführer in the Waffen-SS and a member of 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler before he became Adolf Hitler's personal adjutant. He was captured by soldiers of the Red Army on 2 May 1945...
, Schädle was present at Hitler's cremation in the garden of the Reich Chancellery
Reich Chancellery
The Reich Chancellery was the traditional name of the office of the Chancellor of Germany in the period of the German Reich from 1871 to 1945...
on 30 April 1945. Schädle later committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a pistol, rather than join the break out from the Reich Chancellery to escape from the advancing Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
.
Film portrayal
Franz Schädle's suicide is depicted in a brief scene in the 20042004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
German film Downfall
Downfall (film)
Downfall is a 2004 German/Italian/Austrian epic war film directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, depicting the final ten days of Adolf Hitler's life in his Berlin bunker and Nazi Germany in 1945....
(Der Untergang). Schädle is portrayed by Igor Bubenchikov.