• Battle of Berlin

Date of birth:

October 30th, 1906 (Ansbach, German Empire)

Date of death:

April 29th, 1945 (Reich Chancellery, Berlin, Germany)

Service number:

SS-Nr.: 66.680 // NSDAP-Nr.: 1.200.158

Nationality:

German

According to his 'nahkampftage', Hermann-Otto Fegelein was elegible to receive the Nahkampfspange in Gold. Up till now no verification has been found if he actually received it.

00.00.1925: joined the Reiter-Regiment 17
20.04.1927: joined the Bavarian State Police in Munich
00.00.1930: joined the NSDAP and the SA, instructor at the Reitinstitut Fegelein created by his father Hans Fegelein and open to the SS and NSDAP members
00.00.1931: Führer, SS-Reitersturm, Reitinstitut Fegelein
15.05.1933: entered the SS
12.06.1933: promoted to SS-Untersturmführer
20.04.1934: promoted to SS-Obersturmführer
09.11.1934: promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer
30.01.1936: promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer
30.01.1937: promoted to SS-Obersturmbannführer
00.00.1937: won the Deutsches Spring- und Dressurderby
25.07.1937: promoted to SS-Standartenführer, Führer, SS-Haupt-Reitschule München
00.00.1938: won the "Braunes Band von Deutschland"
00.09.1939: SS-Staf, Führer, SS-Totenkopf-Reiter-Standarte, Ordnungspolizei
15.11.1939: renamed in 1. SS-Totenkopf-Reiter-Standarte
07.12.1939: unit involved in the mass shooting of 1,700 such people in the Kampinos Forest, Poland
15.12.1939: SS-Staf, Kdr, 1. SS-Totenkopf-Reiter-Standarte, Höherer SS- und Polizeiführer-Ost
01.03.1940: promoted to SS-Obersturmbannführer der Reserve der Waffen SS
00.03.1940-00.04.1940: anti-partisan fighting against a group of about 100 former Polish soldiers in the area of Kammienna–Konsky–Kielce, Poland
00.04.1940: SS-Ostubaf d.R., Kdr, 1. SS-Totenkopf-Reiter-Standarte, SS-Verfügungstruppe - campaign in Belgium and France
01.03.1941: SS-Ostubaf d.R., Kdr, 1. SS-Kavallerie-Regiment, SS-Verfügungstruppe after renaming
23.04.1941: faced court-martial charges for stealing money and luxury goods in 1940
23.06.1941: SS-Ostubaf d.R., Kdr, 1. SS-Kavallerie-Regiment, 87. Infanterie-Division, 9. Armee - Białystok
05.08.1941: SS-Ostubaf d.R., Führer, SS-Kavallerie-Brigade, Höherer SS- und Polizeiführer-Ost - Pripyat swamps
15.10.1941: slightly WIA as Kdr, SS-Kavallerie-Brigade, 9. Armee - moved to Toropets and then on to Rogachev
28.12.1941: SS-Ostubaf d.R., Führer, SS-Kavallerie-Brigade, 206. Infanterie-Division, XXIII. Armee-Korps - Rzhev
01.02.1942: promoted to SS-Standartenführer der Reserve and activated
05.02.1942: severe fightings northwest of Chertolino
14.02.1942: capture of Yershovo
03.03.1942: on leaves then Inspekteur des Reit- und Fahrwesens, SS-Führungshauptamt
01.12.1942: promoted to SS-Oberführer, Führer, Kampfgruppe "Fegelein", bend of the Don River
21.12.1942: WIA by a Soviet sniper
22.12.1942-23.12.1942: again WIA by a Soviet sniper
20.04.1943: SS-Oberführer, Kdr, 8. SS-Kavallerie-Division "Florian Geyer"
01.05.1943: promoted to SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS
00.05.1943-00.07.1943: Operation 'Weichsel', Operation 'Zeithen', and Operation 'Seydlitz' - region Novoselki, Gomel
26.08.1943: severe fightings near Bespalovka and Bol'shaya Gomol'sha
08.09.1943: counter attack to recapture Hill 199,0 at Verkhniy Bishkin
13.09.1943: WIA at Hill 208.5 in Kharkov to the lower part of his left arm
30.09.1943: severely WIA and sent to a lazarett
01.01.1944: Chef, Amt VI, Office for Rider and Driver Training, SS-Führungshauptamt and SS liaison officer to Hitler's headquarters staff
03.06.1944: married to Gretl Braun, Eva Braun's sister, Salzburg with Hitler, Himmler, and Martin Bormann as witnesses
10.06.1944: promoted to SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS
20.07.1944: slightly WIA to his left thigh from the bomb blast during the failed attempt on Hitler's life at the Wolf's Lair headquarters in Rastenburg, East Prussia
27.04.1945: arrested in civilian clothes in his Berlin apartment by Reichssicherheitsdienst deputy commander SS-Obersturmbannführer Peter Högl and taken back to the Führerbunker in Berlin
28.04.1945: court-martialed by SS-Brigadeführer Wilhelm Mohnke for flagrant desertion, demoted and executed in the garden of the Reich Chancellery

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Nr. 24.180

Awarded on:

February 1934

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Awarded on:

December 16th, 1935

Rank:

SS-Standartenführer (Colonel)

Awarded on:

December 1st, 1937

Rank:

SS-Standartenführer (Colonel)

Awarded on:

December 1st, 1937

Awarded on:

1936

Awarded on:

April 1st, 1939

Awarded on:

April 1st, 1939

Awarded on:

1939

Awarded on:

1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmbannführer der Reserve (Lieutenant-colonel of Reserves)

Unit:

Führer, 1. SS-Totenkopf-Reiter-Standarte, HSSPF Ost

Awarded on:

December 15th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmbannführer der Reserve (Lieutenant-colonel of Reserves)

Unit:

Führer, SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 1, 87. Infanterie-Division

Awarded on:

June 28th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmbannführer der Reserve (Lieutenant-colonel of Reserves)

Unit:

Führer, SS-Kavallerie-Brigade, XXIII. Armeekorps, 9. Armee, Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmbannführer der Reserve (Lieutenant-colonel of Reserves)

Unit:

Führer, SS-Kavallerie-Brigade, XXIII. Armeekorps, 9. Armee, Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1941

Rank:

SS-Obersturmbannführer der Reserve (Lieutenant-colonel of Reserves)

Awarded on:

1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Standartenführer der Reserve (Colonel)

Unit:

Führer, SS-Kavallerie-Brigade, XXIII. Armeekorps, 9. Armee, Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

March 2nd, 1942

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

“Starting on the 25.01.1942 the SS-Kav.Brigade took up a sector on the southeastern front of the XXIII. Armee-Korps along the line north of Mal.Nikulino—Polowinino—Saizewo—Dmitrowo—Sokolowo. Its mission was to prevent strong enemy elements that had broken through the frontline gap west of Rzhev towards the south from attacking the rear of the 206. Infanterie-Division.

In difficult, somewhat costly and yet boldly conducted battles the Brigade not only prevented all such attempts by the enemy. Subsequently, it also carried out the main attacks that led to the encirclement and destruction of those enemy elements located southwest of Rzhev.

During all this combat the personal fearlessness, exemplary bravery and steady offensive spirit of the Brigade commander shone through in both attack and defense. He carried out his task over the course of unremitting patrol operations and attacks, and in doing so inspired his men to do likewise.

On the 05.02.1942 the Brigade launched an attack at the decision of its commander against a strong enemy group that had halted in and northwest of Tschertolino. It was comprised of elements of the 381st Rifle Division.

The attack was carried out with exceptional spirit under the Brigade commander’s personal leadership despite the difficult weather/terrain conditions, and of course the far numerically superior enemy forces that were also well dug-in. The commander consistently appeared at the front where the fighting was most intense, whereupon he gave his men new attacking spirit and a personal example of fearlessness, courage and bravery to all.

Through the capture of this important road junction as well as the equally important Tschertolino train station (which was only occupied after vicious combat against determined enemy resistance) the ring around the strong enemy forces was closed. They would be destroyed on the 09.02.1942 in a multi-hour night attack, wherein the Brigade commander once again personally commanded the main friendly group.

In this fighting the enemy lost over 1800 dead and significant amounts of war materiel in exchange for only minimal friendly losses. The shortening of the frontline that this brought about also freed up strong friendly forces. In the fighting which followed a bold attack by the SS-Kav.-Brigade would significantly shrink the ring of enemy forces that were encircled southwest of Rzhev. The successful capture of the village of Jersowo on the 14.02.1942, accomplished after much difficult and eventful fighting, laid the groundwork for the final destruction of the encircled enemy group.

Thus by his great decisiveness, purposeful and spirited leadership, and not least his personal bravery and readiness for action, SS-Standartenführer Fegelein established the prerequisites for the destruction of this strong enemy group. As a result the overall frontline situation south of Rzhev was definitively resolved in our favour.”

Unofficial award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Standartenführer der Reserve (Colonel)

Awarded on:

September 1st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Standartenführer der Reserve (Colonel)

Awarded on:

September 1st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Oberführer (Brigade General)

Unit:

Führe, Kampfgruppe 'Fegelein'

Awarded on:

December 21st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Oberführer (Brigade General)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Kampfgruppe 'Fegelein', Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

December 22nd, 1942

During the fighting in the great Don bend in late 1942 SS-Oberführer Fegelein commanded a Kampfgruppe. When strong enemy forces launched a thrust into a weakly defended gap between two of his units, Fegelein launched a counterthrust against the broken-in Soviets with hastily assembled forces from his staff. With these he defeated the Soviets in close combat, threw them back and sealed off the breach. Fegelein would receive the Oakleaves for this successful action.

157rd Award. Unofficial award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Brigadeführer / Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (Brigadier)

Unit:

Kdr, 8. SS-Kavallerie-Division "Florian Geyer", 9. Armee, 2. Panzer-Armee, Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

September 30th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Brigadeführer / Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (Brigadier)

Unit:

Führer, SS-Kavallerie-Division

Awarded on:

November 1st, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Brigadeführer / Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (Brigadier)

Unit:

Kdr, 8. SS-Kavallerie-Division "Florian Geyer", 9. Armee, 2. Panzer-Armee, Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

September 11th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Brigadeführer / Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (Brigadier)

Unit:

Kdr, 8. SS-Kavallerie-Division "Florian Geyer", 9. Armee, 2. Panzer-Armee, Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

December 5th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Gruppenführer / Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS (Lieutenant General)

Awarded on:

July 26th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Gruppenführer / Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS (Lieutenant General)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 8. SS-Freiwilligen Kavallerie Division "Florian Geyer"

Awarded on:

July 30th, 1944

Awarded for the successes of his Division near Orel, during the partisan warfare in the Pripet marshes (summer 1943) and then in the combat south of Kharkov (late summer of 1943). During the time period 26.08.-15.09.1943 his Division fended off 5 assaults in divisional strength and about 85 attacks in at least battalion strength.

83rd Award. Unofficial award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

For merit in sport.

• Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
• - MOONEY, PETER, Waffen-SS Knights and their Battles, Schiffer Pub Ltd, 2008.
  - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1997.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - 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
  - Ritterkreuztraeger 1939 - 1945
  - Axis History Biographical Research via Axis History Forum
  - Microfilm Publication A3343. US National Archives.

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Führer Headquarters "Wolfsschanze"

Gierloz - Warmian-Masurian

Führerbunker Berlin

Berlin - Berlin

Battle of Berlin