Oskar Schäfer
Encyclopedia
Oskar Schäfer was a Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant) in the Waffen-SS
during World War II
, who 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
.
in the Sudetenland
. After completing his high school education in November 1938, he volunteered to join the SS-VT and was assigned to the 12th Company, SS Standarte (Regiment) Deutschland.
and the invasion of the Soviet Union
(Operation Barbarossa
) as an infantryman, almost reaching the gates of Moscow
, with the 2nd SS Division Das Reich and was seriously wounded in the head.
After recovering from his wounds he was transferred to the SS Panzer Battalion 5, of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking serving in the south of the Eastern Front
.
His time with SS Wiking lasted until 1943 when he was posted back to Germany to help train and form a new SS Battalion in the Armour school at Sennelager
. This new Battalion the 103 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion
would use the Tiger tank
.
He deployed back to the Eastern Front with the Battalion, in command of the 3rd Company, of the now named 503 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion in the spring on 1945 and took part in the fighting at Arnswalde and Stargard
. He was again seriously wounded but managed to escape from the Russian encirclement at Kolberg and reach Greifswald
.
Back with the rest of the Battalion he prepared for the Russian assault across the River Oder and the defence of Berlin
. Now commanding a King Tiger
he was wounded again with first degree burns.
On the 28 April while fighting in the Zähringer Strasse area of Wilmersdorf
he was ordered to attend the Führerbunker
to be awarded the Knight's Cross.
The award was presented by Wilhelm Mohnke
who also enlisted Schäfers help in the planned breakout from Berlin on 2 May 1945. His Tiger II leading the Mohnke group was hit crossing the Heer Strasse by a Russian JS II tank
. Schäfer was again seriously wounded suffered further burns, temporarily lost his sight and lost his memory.
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(Second Lieutenant) in the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
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...
, who 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...
.
Early life
Schäfer was born on 16 January 1921 in NixdorfNixdorf
Nixdorf may refer to any of these companies:*Nixdorf Computer AG, a former Paderborn-based computer company *Siemens Nixdorf, the result of the merger of Nixdorf and Siemens *Wincor Nixdorf, one of the successors of Siemens-Nixdorf....
in the Sudetenland
Sudetenland
Sudetenland is the German name used in English in the first half of the 20th century for the northern, southwest and western regions of Czechoslovakia inhabited mostly by ethnic Germans, specifically the border areas of Bohemia, Moravia, and those parts of Silesia being within Czechoslovakia.The...
. After completing his high school education in November 1938, he volunteered to join the SS-VT and was assigned to the 12th Company, SS Standarte (Regiment) Deutschland.
World War II
Schäfer took part in the Polish Campaign, the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
and the invasion of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
) as an infantryman, almost reaching the gates of Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, with the 2nd SS Division Das Reich and was seriously wounded in the head.
After recovering from his wounds he was transferred to the SS Panzer Battalion 5, of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking serving in the south of the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
.
His time with SS Wiking lasted until 1943 when he was posted back to Germany to help train and form a new SS Battalion in the Armour school at Sennelager
Sennelager
Sennelager is a village in Germany that forms part of the City of Paderborn. It is notable by the presence of a British army barracks, where the 20th Armoured Brigade are currently situated...
. This new Battalion the 103 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion
103 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion
SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 103 or s.SS-Panzer Abteilung 103 was originally formed on 1 July 1943 as the II.Battalion, 11 SS Panzer Regiment and sent to Yugoslavia to fight as infantry, however, at the end of November, the battalion was converted back to the Tanks.The Battalion was then issued six...
would use the Tiger tank
Tiger I
Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank developed in 1942 and used in World War II. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of...
.
He deployed back to the Eastern Front with the Battalion, in command of the 3rd Company, of the now named 503 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion in the spring on 1945 and took part in the fighting at Arnswalde and Stargard
Stargard
Starogard or Stargard means old fort or old city in the Pomeranian language, and gard is Old Slavic, Old Germanic, Old Baltic, and Old Finnic for castle or fortification...
. He was again seriously wounded but managed to escape from the Russian encirclement at Kolberg and reach Greifswald
Greifswald
Greifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
.
Back with the rest of the Battalion he prepared for the Russian assault across the River Oder and the defence 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...
. Now commanding a King Tiger
Tiger II
Tiger II is the common name of a German heavy tank of the Second World War. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B,Panzerkampfwagen – abbr: Pz. or Pz.Kfw. Ausführung – abbr: Ausf. .The full titles Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf...
he was wounded again with first degree burns.
On the 28 April while fighting in the Zähringer Strasse area of Wilmersdorf
Wilmersdorf
Wilmersdorf is an inner city locality of Berlin, formerly a borough by itself but since Berlin's 2001 administrative reform a part of the new borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.-History:...
he was ordered to attend 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...
to be awarded the Knight's Cross.
The award was presented by Wilhelm Mohnke
Wilhelm Mohnke
SS-Brigadeführer Wilhelm Mohnke was one of the original 120 members of the SS-Staff Guard "Berlin" formed in March 1933. From those ranks, Mohnke rose to become one of Adolf Hitler's last remaining generals.Mohnke saw action with the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler in France, Poland...
who also enlisted Schäfers help in the planned breakout from Berlin on 2 May 1945. His Tiger II leading the Mohnke group was hit crossing the Heer Strasse by a Russian JS II tank
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...
. Schäfer was again seriously wounded suffered further burns, temporarily lost his sight and lost his memory.