Eberhard Schäfer

Eberhard Schäfer
Born	25 August 1924 Magdeburg
Died	9 April 1944 (aged 19) Zamość, Poland
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1941–44
Rank	Oberleutnant (Posthumously)
Unit	KG 4
Battles/wars	World War II Dodecanese Campaign Cherkassy Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Eberhard Schäfer (25 August 1924 – 9 April 1944) was a highly decorated Oberleutnant in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Eberhard Schäfer was wounded on 6 April 1944 during an attack of Soviet troop concentrations 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Brody. His aircraft was hit by small arms fire, one bullet hitting his sidearm on his belt. The pistol and magazine were torn apart and bullets and fragments pierced his abdomen. Schäfer kept his consciousness during the 35-minute return flight. Despite immediate medical attention he died at the field hospital 608 in Zamość, Poland at 02:30 on 9 April 1944. Generalleutnant Hans Seidemann had presented Schäfer the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross at the field hospital on 8 April 1944. He was posthumously promoted to Oberleutnant and awarded the German Cross in Gold.^[1]

Awards and decorations

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen (26 November 1942)
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
  • in Bronze (20 August 1943)
  • in Silver (6 September 1943)
  • in Gold (21 October 1943)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (31 August 1943)^[2]
  • 1st Class (26 September 1943)^[2]
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (20 March 1944)^[2]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• German Cross in Gold on 22 April 1944
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 April 1944 as Leutnant and Kommandoführer der Kgl. ungar. Kampfstaffel i. d. III./KG 4 "General Wever"^{[3][Note 1]}

Notes

1. According to Kaiser and Scherzer on 7 April 1944 and pilot in the III./KG 3.^[2][4]

References

Citations

1. Kaiser 2011, p. 93.
2. Kaiser 2011, p. 92.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 373.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 654.

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.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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.
• Kaiser, Jochen (2011). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger—Band 2 (in German and English). Bad Zwischenahn, Germany: Luftfahrtverlag-Start. ISBN 978-3-941437-09-8.

External links

• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945