Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 20th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 3rd, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1941

Silver version.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant der Schutzpolizei (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

SS-Polizei-Artillerie-Regiment, SS-Polizei-Division, Waffen-SS

Awarded on:

February 8th, 1942

Mentined in Ehrenblatt des Heeres.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann der Schützpolizei (Captain)

Unit:

Chef, 3. Batterie, SS-Polizei-Artillerie-Regiment, SS-Polizei-Division, Waffen-SS

Awarded on:

October 23rd, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Sturmbannführer / Major der Schutzpolizei

Unit:

Kommandeur, SS-Polizei-Panzer-Abteilung 4, 4. SS-Polizei-Division, Waffen-SS

Awarded on:

March 17th, 1945

Etthöfer’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“The commander of the SS-Panzer-Abteilung 4, SS-Sturmbannführer Etthöfer, was involved in continuous operations in the Banat and Hungary alongside his Abteilung from the 26.09.1944 up until his death on the 20.11.1944.

After a march from Greece to the Banat area, one in which the Panzers had to overcome a 400-600 km march in mountainous terrain, the commander succeeded in transferring all his Panzers into the Division’s operational area despite the great technical difficulties encountered.

Leading at the head of his Abteilung, he was the soul of his unit’s offensive spirit while on the attack and its iron backbone during all retreat movements and defensive missions.

On the 02.10.1944 he led the attack against Saravale with his command Panzer and 6 Sturmgeschützen. Our infantry’s attack had ground to a halt due to the heavy enemy resistance and the onset of darkness. But Etthöfer independently decided to penetrate into the village during the night with a ruthless flanking thrust, and succeeding in capturing it. In the process he overcame a major enemy AT gun position, and through his bold entry he prevented the insertion of enemy reserves into the village.

During the Division’s march from Szeged into its new operational area around Szolnok the enemy succeeded in building a bridgehead east of Kistelek with strong forces. This heavily endangered the important main supply road Szeged—Szolnok. SS-Sturmbannführer Etthöfer was dispatched to eliminate this bridgehead with a Kampfgruppe. He plunged into the enemy while leading at the head of his Sturmgeschütze, and after overwhelming a major enemy AT gun blocking position he managed to whittle the bridgehead down to a depth of 2 km in the initial onslaught. Strong infantry resistance and heavy artillery fire made a further attack down this same axis impossible.

Acting on his own sense of responsibility, Etthöfer reorganized his Kampfgruppe for a new attack and led his Sturmgeschütze in a wide flanking maneuver far towards the south. He not only directed his Sturmgeschütze but also the infantry and the artillery (being a former member of the latter branch). He and his troops broke the enemy’s resistance, overcome multiple Soviet anti-tank gun positions with exemplary daring, rolled up the bridgehead and ultimately either destroyed the enemy or threw them back across the Theiß. This success did away with the threat to the north-south connection between Szeged and Szolnok, and ensured that this vital supply road remained open.

Over the course of the Division’s further battles Etthöfer succeeded in achieving great successes with his Abteilung.

On the 11.11.1944 a retreat movement from the positions south of Jasz—Also—Szt.-György was carried out. Enemy tanks were reported. Etthöfer immediately proceeded to the foremost Sturmgeschützen that were covering the withdrawal movements. He knew that their original withdrawal timetable was no longer adequate due to the bad road conditions which were causing traffic jams further back. Therefore he ordered them to continue to maintain their position without infantry support. The withdrawal of friendly forces was meanwhile noticed by the enemy. The Russians immediately pursued with a force that included 23 tanks. The 3 defending Sturmgeschütze took up the battle and destroyed 16 tanks in a short time. This was enough to halt the attack. The exemplary tenacity and initiative of SS-Sturmbannführer Etthöfer was thus the main factor on this day that enabled an entire regimental group to pull back and occupy its new position in order.

Starting on the 16.11.1944 the Division was required to hold its positions south of Lörinczi, and as such Etthöfer’s Abteilung was employed to aid at the hotspots of the defense.

On the 20.11.1944, after the enemy had deeply penetrated into the frontline, the Kompanie commander of the Sturmgeschütze determined it was not possible to mount an attack of his own due to the heavy smoke that hindered visibility. The commander of the Abteilung thought otherwise however, and once again leading in his own Sturmgeschütz he led a counterthrust with 6 other such vehicles that managed to throw back the enemy infantry and restore the old frontline.

Through this courageously led counterthrust the impending danger of an enemy thrust to Lörinczi was eliminated.

In the last phase of this successful counterthrust the commander of the SS-Panzerabteilung 4 was hit by a burst of machine-pistol fire while giving orders to friendly infantry from his open hatch, and he died a hero’s death.”

Submitted on February 16th 1945. Posthumously awarded