Max Schäfer

Max Schäfer
Born	17 January 1907 Karlsruhe, Germany
Died	16 May 1987 (1987-05-17) (aged 80) Baden-Baden, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1933–1945
Rank	Standartenführer (Colonel)
Unit	5th SS Panzergrenadier Division Wiking
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class General Assault Badge Eastern Front

The title of this article contains the character ä. Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as Max Schaefer.

Max Schäfer (17 January 1907 – 16 May 1987) was a Standartenführer (Colonel) in the Waffen-SS, during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.^[1]

Career

Schäfer joined the SS in 1933, and became the head of the SS training system and in 1934 was a teacher in the SS sports school at Fürth and later at Reutlingen.^[1]

He then commanded a platoon in the 2nd Company, SS Pioneer Battalion for the Polish Campaign and the Battle of France. In 1940 he was promoted to command the 2nd Company, 5th SS Pioneer Battalion, which from June 1941 was involved in the invasion of Russia (Operation Barbarosa).^[1]

In October 1941 he was given command of the 5th SS Pioneer Battalion, which at the time was operating in the Don and the Caucasus regions.^[1]

He was awarded his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, for his command during the defence of the Stalinsky sector and the numerous battles they were involved in between January 1943 and early February 1943.

In May 1943 he became the commander of all pioneers in the III SS Panzer Corps serving with distinction at Leningrad and Oranienbaum.^[1] Being awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross in January 1945.^[2]

He was made a prisoner of war by the advancing British forces on 14 May 1945 and released from captivity on 8 November 1948.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "ritterkreuztraeger". http://www.ritterkreuztraeger.info/rkel/s/EL714Sch%E4fer.pdf. 
2. ^ "personregister". http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/S/SchaeferM.htm. 

General

• Berger, Florian. Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold. Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2004. ISBN 3-9501307-3-X.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.

Persondata
Name	Schaefer, Max
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	17 January 1907
Place of birth	Karlsruhe, Germany
Date of death	16 May 1987
Place of death	Baden-Baden, Germany