Maximilian Otte

Dr. jur. Maximilian Otte
Born	3 September 1910 Rawitsch
Died	20 May 1944(1944-05-20) (aged 33) Iaşi, Romania
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kriegsmarine (1934-1935) Luftwaffe (1935-1944)
Years of service	1934–1944
Rank	Major
Unit	StG 2 SG 2
Commands held	II./SG 2
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Britain Balkans Campaign Battle of Crete Operation Barbarossa Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Kursk Belgorod-Khar'kov Offensive Operation First Jassy-Kishinev Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Dr. jur. Maximilian Otte (3 September 1910 – 20 May 1944) was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. 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. Maximilian Otte was killed on 20 May 1944 by Soviet flak during the First Jassy-Kishinev Offensive. During his career he flew 1179 missions.^{[Notes 1]}

Awards and decorations

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "1100"
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold (4 February 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 5 April 1942 as Oberleutnant and Flugzeugführer in the 8. / Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 “Immelmann” ^[1]
  • 433rd Oak Leaves on 24 March 1944 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" ^[2]

References

Citations

1. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 270.
2. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 69.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939-1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-021-4.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

Notes

1. ^ For a list of Luftwaffe ground attack aces see List of German World War II Ground Attack aces

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com
• Luftwaffe 1939-1945 History

Persondata
Name	Otte, Maximilian
Alternative names
Short description	German officer and Knight's Cross recipient
Date of birth	3 September 1910
Place of birth	Rawitsch, Silesia
Date of death	25 May 1944
Place of death	Iaşi, Romania