Manfred Schönfelder

Manfred Schönfelder
Born 18 March 1912
Hellerau, Germany
Died 4 March 1983(1983-03-04) (aged 70)
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen-SS
Years of service 1933–45
Rank Obersturmbannführer (lieutenant colonel)
Unit 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
German Cross in Gold
Iron Cross 1st Class
Iron Cross 2nd Class
Wound Badge
Infantry Assault Badge

Manfred Schönfelder (18 March 1912 — 4 March 1983) was an Obersturmbannführer (lieutenant colonel) 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.

Biography

Manfred Schönfelder was born on 18 March 1912 at Hellerau near Dresden.[1] After completing his high school education, he joined the SS and was one of the first members to attend the SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tölz.[1]

After graduation he was promoted to Untersturmführer (second lieutenant) and posted to the SS Standarte Deutschland.[1] He eventually became the Adjutant of the III. Battalion Deutschland Regiment and commander of the 12th Machine Gun Company, during the Polish Campaign and the Battle of France.[1]

In February 1941 he was given command of the Germania Regiment for the invasion of Russia, (Operation Barbarossa).[1] From September 1942 to January 1943 he was on the staff of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking.[2]

For his actions in the Cherkassy pocket, on 23 February 1944 Schönfelder was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.[1][3]

Schönfelder died on 4 March 1983.[1]

References

  • 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. 
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, January 19, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.