Steiner, Felix Martin Julius (Waffen SS)
- Date of birth:
- May 23rd, 1896 (Stallupönen, Ebenrode/Eastern Prussia, Germany)
- Date of death:
- May 12th, 1966 (Munich/Bavaria, Germany)
- Buried on:
- Friedhof am Perlacher Forst
- Service number:
- SS-Nr.: 253.351 // NSDAP-Nr.: 4.264.295
- Nationality:
- German
Biography
Felix Steiner was de commandant van de SS-Standarte Deutschland, SS-Division (mot.) Germania, SS Division Wiking and III SS Panzerkorps. He reached the rank of SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS.
Promotions:
16.03.1914: Fahnenjunker
01.06.1914: Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter
01.08.1914: Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier
11.11.1914: Fähnrich
27.01.1915: Leutnant
18.10.1918: Oberleutnant
01.12.1927: Hauptmann i.G.
00.12.1933: Major i.G.
00.01.1934: Major der Landespolizei
01.01.1934: SA-Anwärter
01.02.1934: SA-Sturmführer
00.01.1935: SS-Sturmbannführer
24.04.1935: SS-Obersturmbannführer
01.06.1936: SS-Standartenführer
24.01.1940: SS-Oberführer
09.11.1940: SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS
01.01.1942: SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS
01.07.1943: SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS
Career:
00.03.1914: Fahnenjunker, 5. Ostpreussisches Infanterie-Regiment 'von Boyen' Nr. 41, Tilsit
14.11.1914: severely WIA
00.00.1915: Kriegsakademie, II. Armee-Korps, Königsberg
00.01.1916-00.05.1916: Leutnant, Ersatz Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 41 «von Boyen»
00.06.1916-00.08.1916: Leutnant, Infanterie-Regiment 376
00.09.1916: Leutnant, Kdr, MG/Scharfschützetruppen Nr 97
00.10.1916: Lt, Kdr, MG/Scharfschützetruppen Nr 46
00.11.1918: Olt, Kdr, 3. Ersatz MG-Kompanie, 17. Armee-Korps
00.00.1919: Oberleutnant, Kompanie-Führer, Freikorps 'von Weiss', Memel
15.03.1919: Freikorps integrated in the Reichswehr as Olt, Kdr, 2. (MG) Kompanie, Schützen-Regiment 2
00.10.1920-20.09.1923: Olt, Kdr, 8. (MG) Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 1
00.09.1923-00.03.1924: Olt, MG-Offizier, Stab, Infanterie-Regiment 1
00.00.1924: Olt, Führergehilfenausbildung, Kriegsakademie-Ersatz der Reichswehr
00.10.1929: Hptm, Adjutant, Infanterie-Regiment 1
00.10.1933-00.12.1933: Offizier z.b.V.
00.00.1933: retired as Major - Landespolizei
00.02.1933: joined the NSDAP and the SA
01.01.1934: Referent, Chef, Ausbildungswesen
00.00.1935: joined the SS
12.06.1935: SS-Ostubaf, Kdr, III. Sturmbann, SS-Standarte 'Deutschland', SS-VT, Ellwangen am Jagst
01.07.1936: SS-Staf, Kdr, SS-Standarte 'Deutschland', SS-VT
00.10.1936: SS-Staf, Ausbilder, SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz
15.03.1939: SS-Ofu, Kdr, SS-Standarte 'Deutschland', SS-VT - campaign in the Sudetes
01.09.1939: campaign in Poland
10.05.1940: campaign in France
01.12.1940: SS-Brif, Kdr, SS-Division 'Wiking'
22.06.1941-00.11.1941: campaing in Russia - Tarnopol, Jitomir, Tcherkassy
00.04.1942: Caucasus, Terek
00.11.1942-01.05.1943: SS-Gruf, Kdr, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division « Wiking » - Don River, Ukraine, Zolotchiv, Mius River
00.01.1943: Manych, Izym
10.05.1943-30.10.1944: SS-Gruf, Kdr, III. (germanischen) SS-Panzer-Korps - Yugoslavia
00.11.1943: Leningrad, Battle of Narva, Battle of Tannenberg Line, Courland
30.10.1944: SS-Ogruf, evacuated for illness
26.11.1944: SS-Ogruf, Oberbefehlshaber, SS-Panzer-Armee-Oberkommando 11, AOK 11 Heeresgruppe Weichsel - Pomerania
25.02.1945: Operation Sonnenwende - Stettin, Oder
05.03.1945-08.05.1945: SS-Ogruf, Kdr, III. (germanischen) SS-Panzer-Korps, 3. Panzer-Armee - Battle of Seelow Heights
21.04.1945-27.04.1945: SS-Ogruf, Kdr, Kdr, Armee-Abteilung 'Steiner' - Finow, East Berlin, Werneuchen, Eberswalde
03.05.1945: captured on the Elbe by US troops then British POW
27.04.1948: released
00.00.1951: founding member of the HIAG - Hilfsgemeinschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit der Angehörigen der ehemaligen Waffen-SS / Mutual aid association of former Waffen-SS members
00.00.1953: recruited by the US Central Intelligence Agency to found the Gesellschaft für Wehrkunde
00.00.1958: author of the book "Die Freiwilligen der Waffen-SS: Idee und Opfergang"
00.00.1963: author of the book "Die Armee der Geächteten"
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- Awarded on:
- February 1934
- Awarded on:
- December 1935
- Awarded on:
- December 1st, 1936
- Awarded on:
- December 1st, 1937
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Oberführer (Brigade General)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur, SS-Standarte “Deutschland”, “SS-Verfügungsdivision”,18.Armee, Heeresgruppe B
- Awarded on:
- August 15th, 1940
Steiner's Knight's Cross recommendation reads as follows...
"SS-Oberführer Steiner's regiment "Deutschland" was the only infantry regiment of Kampfgruppe Hausser that took part in capturing the island group Seeland from French troops. SS-Oberführer Steiner's superior leadership was instrumental in the Regiment's swift, three day thrust to Vlissingen and the storming of two powerful defensive positions. He distinguished himself personally throughout this endeavor and employed his Battalions and Stuka support against heavy enemy fixe at the Beveland Canal and the causeway to Walcheren Island. This swift success had far reaching influence upon the fighting in Belgium, especially at Antwerp, which was now accessible from the Schelde. SS-Oberführer Steiner also distinguished himself during the fighting in northern France, at La Bassee Canal, at the Lys and the southern front."
166th Award.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Gruppenführer / Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS (Lieutenant General)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur, SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division “Wiking”, Heeresgruppe A
- Awarded on:
- December 23rd, 1942
Awarded for his successes on the Eastern front as commander of the SS-Pz.Gren.Div. "Wiking", especially in the fighting along the Terek river. He particularly distinguished himself through the relief of the 13. Panzer-Division near Gisel, as well as the smashing of a Soviet Guards division that was trying to disrupt the only road into the Korps area near Tschikola (specifically this deed was undertaken by the III./SS-Nordland-Regiment, the so-called Finnish battalion).
159th Award.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Obergruppenführer / General der Waffen-SS (General)
- Awarded on:
- July 6th, 1943
Awarded with swords.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Obergruppenführer / General der Waffen-SS (General)
- Unit:
- Kommandierende General, III. SS-Panzer-Korps
- Awarded on:
- August 10th, 1944
Awarded for the following command achievements...
1) Overseeing the creation of the Division "Nordland" and the Brigade "Nederland", and their organization under the banner of the III. (germanisches) SS-Panzerkorps.
2) The successful defence by these units against enemy breakout attempts from the Oranienbaum pocket.
3) Keeping his forces intact during the retreat from Leningrad and in their redeployment along the Narva front.
4) The epic defense of his units along the Tannenberg line in July of 1944. Despite overwhelming enemy force his soldiers held their ground against all the odds, during which heavy enemy casualties (including 1020 tanks claimed destroyed) were inflicted.
86th Award.
Sources
- Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
- Photo 2:
- Photo 3:
- - MOONEY, PETER, Waffen-SS Knights and their Battles, Schiffer Pub Ltd, 2008.
- THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
- Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
- Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
- Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
- Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
- Schneider J.W., Their Honor was Loyalty!, R. James Bender Publishing, 1977