Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Unterscharführer (Sergeant)

Unit:

4. (MG) Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 2, SS-Division 'Totenkopf'

Awarded on:

July 1941

Awarded for:

Operation Barbarossa

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Unterscharführer (Sergeant)

Unit:

4. (MG) Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 2, SS-Division 'Totenkopf'

Awarded on:

1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Unterscharführer (Sergeant)

Unit:

4. (MG) Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 2, SS-Division 'Totenkopf'

Awarded on:

1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

February 1942

Awarded for:

Operation Barbarossa

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Unterscharführer (Sergeant)

Unit:

4. (MG) Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 2, SS-Division 'Totenkopf'

Awarded on:

March 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Unterscharführer (Sergeant)

Unit:

4. (MG) Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 2, SS-Division 'Totenkopf'

Awarded on:

March 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Oberscharführer (Staff Sergeant)

Unit:

4. (MG) Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 2, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Totenkopf'

Awarded on:

February 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Oberscharführer (Staff Sergeant)

Unit:

Zugführer, 4. (MG) Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 2, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Totenkopf'

Awarded on:

March 15th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)

Awarded on:

1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

Chef, 2. Kompanie, Grenadier-Regiment 1126, 559. Grenadier-Division

Awarded on:

January 5th, 1945

WIA 1941: leg 1942: leg 02.1942: hand and shoulder 03.1943: right hand 05.01.1945: left leg amputated

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

Chef, 2. Kompanie, Grenadier-Regiment 1126, 559. Volks-Grenadier-Division, 1. Armee

Awarded on:

March 1945

recommended for the award the 02.01.1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

Führer, 2. Kompanie, Grenadier-Regiment 1126

Awarded on:

March 28th, 1945

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

“On the 28.11.1944 SS-Untersturmführer Obschil, along with the remnants of his Kompanie (about 40 men), received the order to establish combat outposts at the village of Ittersdorf (located in front of the Saarhöhenstellung, west of Saarlautern) and hold its positions against enemy probes.

In the morning hours of this day the enemy attacked the village from the west with one company supported (initially) by 3 tanks (Sketch 1). Obschil, who was holding the western village edge with his men, ejected the enemy that had penetrated into friendly positions with immediate counterattacks, throwing them out of the village. For the time being the enemy pulled back behind the nearest bit of cover.

At 10:00 the enemy once again commenced their attack against the village, this time with about 3 companies and 8 tanks after a short but furious bombardment by artillery and mortars (Sketch 2). Under cover of a smokescreen they succeeded in penetrating into the village by bypassing the western village edge to the south. At the head of a handful of troops from the Kompanie HQ, Untersturmführer Obschil threw himself against the enemy that had entered from the south, holding them off long enough for the elements of the Kompanie located on the western edge of the village to pull back to a new resistance line in the middle of the village (Sketch 3).

The enemy pursued with vigour. There existed the danger that the enemy infantry would reach the planned resistance line at the same time as friendly forces. Clearly recognizing this situation, Untersturmführer Obschil took 2 messengers and occupied a house in the direction of the enemy advance and from here opened fire (Sketch 4). The surprised enemy turned their attention to these 3 men with the bulk of their troops. Untersturmführer Obschil continued to hold the house alone with his machine-pistol after one messenger had died and another had been wounded, tying down the enemy until the Kompanie reached the planned defensive line. He then fought his way back to the new line while taking along his wounded comrade. Due to their high losses the enemy had to regroup and reorganize before taking on this line. During this interlude heavy artillery and mortar fire plastered the part of the village held by Obschil and his Kompanie.

At 14:00 the enemy renewed their attack. With new forces that had by now been brought up, the enemy held a vast superiority over the beleaguered Kompanie (Sketch 5). The other combat outposts of the Regiment had by now pulled back to the Saarhöhenstellung as per orders. Untersturmführer Obschil, however, knew that this position’s defensive readiness was quite minimal.

Regardless, he made the decision to hold onto Ittersdorf until (above all) the frontline gap between the Regiments 1126 and 1127 could be closed by reinforcements. This meant that the Kompanie would have to endure the full weight of the hostile attack.

When elements of the infantry wished to withdraw without orders during a thrust by 6 American tanks, Obschil took swift and vigorous action.

In this extremely heavy combat for every block and every street, Untersturmführer Obschil always stood at the head of his men, inspiring them to give bitter resistance under heavy infantry/tank fire. They did as he commanded, and forced the overwhelming enemy to pay dearly for every metre of ground.

The number of defenders meanwhile shrunk more and more - there were barely 20 men against 3 enemy companies and numerous tanks of the attacking enemy. One block after another had to be yielded to the enemy. At 16:00 Obschil and his Kompanie were down to 18 men and 11 wounded in the southeastern part of the village (Sketch 6). The enemy rained down heavy artillery and mortar fire, mixed with smoke, onto the houses occupied by the Kompanie. Untersturmführer Obschil realized that the enemy was preparing for their final push.

His decision was made immediately. After the enemy had moved their fire further to the rear after about 15 minutes, Obschil penetrated into the northeastern part of the village with 14 men while leaving behind a weak security force facing west, ejecting the totally surprised enemy. In the process the small Kampfgruppe eliminated a tank with a Panzerfaust. Untersturmführer Obschil personally eliminated an enemy MG nest with hand grenades. 4 Americans were taken in as prisoner.

The enemy was so surprised that they only conducted individual, weak probes against the position of the Kompanie in the following hours. In the village alone 37 dead Americans were counted. In the late evening hours the remnants of the Kompanie withdrew to the by now firmly established main line of defense while taking along all its wounded and the 4 prisoners.

Through his independent decisions, and tough, bitter and brave resistance, Untersturmführer Obschil tied down strong forces of the enemy. By drawing the hostile offensive power to him, he gave friendly forces the opportunity occupy the preprepared Saarhöhenstellung. The enemy was expected to be unable to break through this position successfully in the next 3 days, even if they employed a great force and material superiority.

Thus the threat of a potential enemy breakthrough to Saarlautern was removed thanks to the will to resist and decisiveness of Untersturmführer Obschil.

On the 05.01.1945 Untersturmführer Obschil was heavily wounded in his knee by a shell splinter, and a few days later his left thigh had to be amputated.

The submission of this recommendation has been delayed until now, as important documents concerning his wounding only arrived at the Division a few days ago.”