Otto Schünemann

Otto Schünemann
Born	6 October 1891 Bad Doberan, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, German Empire
Died	29 June 1944 (aged 52) Mogilev, Belarussian SSR, Soviet Union now Mogilev Region, Belarus
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1920)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1908–20 1936–44
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	337. Infanterie-Division XXXIX. Panzer-Korps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battles of Rzhev Operation Büffel Battle of Smolensk (1943) Operation Bagration Minsk Offensive †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Other work	Police officer

Otto Schünemann (6 October 1891 – 29 June 1944) was a Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht 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. Otto Schünemann was killed on 29 June 1944 in near Mogilev in Belarus during Operation Bagration. Otto Schünemann commanded the XXXIX. Panzer-Korps for only one day before being killed, he was replacing the previous commander General der Artillerie Robert Martinek who was killed 28 June 1944.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (28 May 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (18 June 1940)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 11 February 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of the 337. Infanterie-Division^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 20 December 1941 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 184^[3]
  • 339th Oak Leaves on 28 November 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 337. Infanterie-Division^[4]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (3 July 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
3 July 1944	In den schweren Abwehrkämpfen fanden die Kommandierenden Generale, General der Artillerie Martinek und General der Artillerie Pfeiffer sowie Generalleutnant Schünemann, an der Spitze ihrer Korps kämpfend, getreu ihrem Fahneneid, den Heldentod.[5]	During the heavy defensive fighting, the corps commanders, General of Artillery Martinek and General of Artillery Pfeiffer as well as Lieutenant General Schünemann, found true to their oath of allegiance, a heroic death at the head of their fighting corps.

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 294.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 432.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 317.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 65.
5. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 148.

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.
• Schaulen, Fritjof (2005). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe III Radusch – Zwernemann [Oak Leaves Bearers 1940 – 1945 Contemporary History in Color III Radusch – Zwernemann] (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 978-3-932381-22-5.
• 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.
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.