Skorzeny, Otto (Waffen SS)

Operation Greif

Date of birth:: June 12th, 1908 (Vienna/Lower Austria, Austria)
Date of death:: July 5th, 1975 (Madrid/Castilla la Nueva, Spain)
Service number:: SS-Nr.: 295.979 // NSDAP-Nr.: 1.081.671
Nationality:: Austrian

Biography

Promotions:
May 1st, 1940: SS-Unterscharführer;
September 1st, 1940: SS-Oberscharführer;
January 30th, 1941: SS-Untersturmführer;
April 28th, 1943: SS-Hauptsturmrführer;
September 12th, 1943: SS-Sturmbannführer;
October 16th, 1944: SS-Obersturmbannführer;
April 20th, 1945: SS-Standartenführer.

Career:
?:Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH);
?: Kommandeur, Sonderverband z.b.V. 'Friedenthal';
April 17th,1944: Kommandeur, SS-Jäger-Bataillon 502;
November 10th, 1944: Kommandeur, SS-Jagdverband Mitte;
December 14th, 1944: Kommandeur, Panzer-Brigade 150;

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Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: August 26th, 1941

Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: September 2nd, 1942

Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: August 18th, 1943

Wehrmachtbericht

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: September 12th, 1943

Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: September 12th, 1943

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve (Captain of Reserves)
Unit:: Kommandeur, Sonderverband z.b.V. Friedenthal, Waffen-SS
Awarded on:: September 13th, 1943

Decoration was awarded for his part in the San Grasso raid in which Mussolini was liberated.

2153rd Award

Gemeinsames Flugzeugfuhrer-Beobachter Abzeichen mit Brillianten

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: September 16th, 1943

Personally presented by Hermann Göring

Gemeinsames Flugzeugfuhrer-Beobachter Abzeichen mit Brillianten

Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: SS-Obersturmbannführer der Reserve (Lieutenant-colonel of Reserves)
Unit:: Kommandeur, SS-Jagdverbände, Waffen-SS
Awarded on:: October 16th, 1944

Date per handwritten notation on the cover sheet of the DKiG Vorschlag in his SS file (and confirmed by Tagebuch Nr. 186/45 Reichführer-SS as well as Persönlicher Stab-Verbindungs-Offizier PA/P5 of 30-1-1945, per Franz Thomas "Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Band 2: L-Z). The award is not indicated at all by Scheibert, nor does it appear in Patzwall / Scherzer's "Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945". However, in "Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945" scherzer states that Skorzeny received the DKiG on 16-1-1945 (citing "Personalakte BArch", however the aforementioned DKiG Vorschlag in fact gives 16-10-1944). Schneider also gives the award date as 16-1-1945.
Inmediate award. A Vorschlag followed months later, on 30-1-1945, being signed by Walter Schellenberg and approved by Chef Reichssicherheitshauptamt Dr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner.

Ehrenblattspange des Heeres und Waffen-SS

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: SS-Obersturmbannführer der Reserve (Lieutenant-colonel of Reserves)
Unit:: Kommandeur, SS-Jagdverbände, Waffen-SS
Awarded on:: February 5th, 1945

Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: SS-Obersturmbannführer der Reserve (Lieutenant-colonel of Reserves)
Unit:: Kampfkommandant, Schwedt an der Oder, Kommandeur, SS-Jagdverbände, Waffen-SS
Awarded on:: April 9th, 1945

Awarded for his achievements as leader of the SS-Jagdverbände and the Division Schwedt in the time period 31.01.1945-28.02.1945. This unit, consisting of a hodgepodge of units including SS-Fallschirmjäger, Flak battalions, SS-Jagdverbände, Volkssturm and others managed to achieve some local successes in the bridgehead east of Schwedt. They included the recapture of the village of Grabow, the destruction of a Soviet flamethrower battalion and capturing a large amount of enemy equipment during a sortie against Hanseberg.

826th Award.