Johann Sailer

Johann Sailer
Born 23 December 1921
Wildon, Austria
Died 12 November 2005(2005-11-12) (aged 83)
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen-SS
Years of service 1934–45
Rank Obersturmfuhrer (First Lieutenant)
Unit 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Iron Cross I Class
Iron Cross II Class
German Cross in Gold
Close Combat Clasp in Bronze
Panzer Badge in Silver

Johann Sailer (December 23, 1921 - November 12, 2005) was an Obersturmfuhrer (First Lieutenant) in the Waffen-SS during World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Johann Sailer was awarded the Knight's Cross near the end of World War II on 4 May 1945, while in command of the 4th Battery, 9th SS Panzerjager (Tank Hunter) Battalion, 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen.[Note 1] There is some dispute over the award as it was authorised by Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich in his position as commander of the German Sixth SS Panzer Army, who claimed to have been given the authority by Adolf Hitler in person.

Notes

  1. ↑ No evidence of the award to Johann Sailer can be found in the German Federal Archives. According to Fellgiebel presumably awarded by SS-Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich, which would make it an unlawful presentation. The sources for this assumption are Hermann Buch, the former IIa (personnel administration) of the 2. SS-Division "Das Reich", and Wilhelm Kment, the adjutant of Heinrich Himmler and liaison officer to the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office). According to Buch—note from 25 June 2005—he has nothing to do with this presentation. And Kment can't be the source, since Buch stated that Kment died in the early 1970s. If indeed Kment would have been the source then von Seemen would have listed Sailer in either the first or second edition of his book, which isn't the case. Sailer himself states in his book "Kriegslebenslauf" (war diary) that he received the award on 4 May 1945. Fellgiebel dated the award on 6 May 1945. He may have done this to justify this as an Dietrich award. Ernst-Günther Krätschmer lists Sailer for the first time in the 3rd edition of his book without referencing a source. Sailer also claims to have received the German Cross in Gold on 19 March 1945, which also cannot be verified. Author Manfred Dörr was given insight into Sailer's pay book and noticed that the Knight's Cross entry was formally incorrect. The entry thus doesn't appear to be authentic. Sailer was a member of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR).[1]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Scherzer 2007, pp. 168–169.

Bibliography

  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Henschler, Henri; Fey, Willi (2003). Armor Battles of the Waffen-SS, 1943–45. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-2905-5. 
  • Mitcham, Samuel W (2007). Retreat to the Reich : the German defeat in France, 1944. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3384-7. 
  • Mitcham, Samuel W (2007). The German Defeat in the East, 1944–45. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3371-7. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 


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