Karl Körner
Encyclopedia
Karl Körner was a Hauptscharführer
in the Waffen SS during World War II
and one of the most successful Panzer-Commander Aces who had a score of 102 tanks within only 3 months and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
during World War II
.
Karl Körner was born on 19 April 1920, in Hoym
Germany
and during World War II he volunteered to join the Waffen SS.
He started the war in the SS-VT on 27 March 1940 in the 4th Company, SS Reserve Battalion of SS Regiment "Germania" in Hamburg-Langenhorn and was transferred to Klagenfurt on 28 April 1940 where the Regiment "Nordland" for SS Division "Wiking" was formed. In the 4th Company of "Nordland" Körner was active as a s.MG-Schütze on the Eastern-front till the beginning of 1943.
After his 2nd wound he came in the SS Reserve Battalion of the new SS Division "Nordland" in Kroatia.
By the end of 1943 he was transferred to 103 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion which was in training and finally the Battalion was send to the Eastern-front on 27 January 1945.
In April 1945, Karl Körner was a platoon commander in the 2nd Company, 503 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion acting in support of an infantry attack in the area of Bollersdorf to the east of Berlin
, during the attack he located two JS II tanks
. He destroyed the first and the second drove into a tank ditch when reversing to get into a firing position and was then abandoned by the crew.
Advancing further along the road from Bollersdorf to Strausberg
he observed a Russian tank brigade consisting of another eleven JS II tanks and around 120 to 150 T-34/85's being refueled and rearmed. He opened fire with his King Tiger and destroyed the JS II tanks and attacked the T-34's with the other 2 King Tigers of his platoon which arrived later. Some of the fuel and ammunition trucks caught in the attack exploded causing panic amongst the tank crews. After Körner had expended all the Tiger's ammunition supply (39 rounds for 39 tanks destroyed) he withdrew back to the German Lines.
In the following days, the 503 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion was forced back into the defense of Berlin. In the withdrawal, Körner destroyed 102 Russian tanks and 26 anti tank guns, for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross
in the Führerbunker
on the 29 April 1945. After the award ceremony he returned to what was left of his Battalion fighting in the Charlottenburg
area.
Karl Körner survived the war and died on 8 August 1997 in Neu-Eichenberg
.
Hauptscharführer
Hauptscharführer was a Nazi paramilitary rank which was used by the Schutzstaffel between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank was the highest enlisted rank of the SS, with the exception of the special Waffen-SS rank of Sturmscharführer....
in the Waffen SS during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and one of the most successful Panzer-Commander Aces who had a score of 102 tanks within only 3 months and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Karl Körner was born on 19 April 1920, in Hoym
Hoym
Hoym is a town and former municipality in the district of Salzlandkreis in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 15 July 2009, it is part of the town Seeland. Hoym is located on the river Selke, between the towns Aschersleben and Quedlinburg. One of the main features of the town is Schloss Hoym,...
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and during World War II he volunteered to join the Waffen SS.
He started the war in the SS-VT on 27 March 1940 in the 4th Company, SS Reserve Battalion of SS Regiment "Germania" in Hamburg-Langenhorn and was transferred to Klagenfurt on 28 April 1940 where the Regiment "Nordland" for SS Division "Wiking" was formed. In the 4th Company of "Nordland" Körner was active as a s.MG-Schütze on the Eastern-front till the beginning of 1943.
After his 2nd wound he came in the SS Reserve Battalion of the new SS Division "Nordland" in Kroatia.
By the end of 1943 he was transferred to 103 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion which was in training and finally the Battalion was send to the Eastern-front on 27 January 1945.
In April 1945, Karl Körner was a platoon commander in the 2nd Company, 503 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion acting in support of an infantry attack in the area of Bollersdorf to the east of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, during the attack he located two JS II tanks
Iosif Stalin tank
The Iosif Stalin tank , was a heavy tank developed by the Soviet Union during World War II and first used in the Kursk area in September 1943...
. He destroyed the first and the second drove into a tank ditch when reversing to get into a firing position and was then abandoned by the crew.
Advancing further along the road from Bollersdorf to Strausberg
Strausberg
Strausberg is a city in Brandenburg, Germany, located 30 km east of Berlin. With a population of 26,206 in 2010 it is the largest town in the district of Märkisch-Oderland.-History:...
he observed a Russian tank brigade consisting of another eleven JS II tanks and around 120 to 150 T-34/85's being refueled and rearmed. He opened fire with his King Tiger and destroyed the JS II tanks and attacked the T-34's with the other 2 King Tigers of his platoon which arrived later. Some of the fuel and ammunition trucks caught in the attack exploded causing panic amongst the tank crews. After Körner had expended all the Tiger's ammunition supply (39 rounds for 39 tanks destroyed) he withdrew back to the German Lines.
In the following days, the 503 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion was forced back into the defense of Berlin. In the withdrawal, Körner destroyed 102 Russian tanks and 26 anti tank guns, for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
in the Führerbunker
Führerbunker
The Führerbunker was located beneath Hitler's New Reich Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. It was part of a subterranean bunker complex which was constructed in two major phases, one part in 1936 and the other in 1943...
on the 29 April 1945. After the award ceremony he returned to what was left of his Battalion fighting in the Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, named after Queen consort Sophia Charlotte...
area.
Karl Körner survived the war and died on 8 August 1997 in Neu-Eichenberg
Neu-Eichenberg
-Location:Neu-Eichenberg lies near the three-state common point shared by Hesse, Thuringia and Lower Saxony between Kassel and Göttingen .-Neighbouring communities:...
.
Awards
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (29 April 1945)
- Iron Cross I Class (1945)
- Iron Cross II Class
- Panzer Badge in Silver "75" (1945)
- Wound Badge in Silver (1945)
- Wound Badge in Black
Further reading
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- Mitcham, Jr. Samuel, Retreat to the Reich, Stackpole books 2007. ISBN 081173384X
- Henschler Henri & Fey Will, Armor Battles of the Waffen-SS, 1943-45 Stackpole Books, 2003. ISBN 0811729052
- Mitcham Samuel, The German Defeat in the East, 1944-45,Stackpole Books, 2007. ISBN 0811733718