Kurt Schäfer

Kurt Schäfer
Born	(1913-08-19)19 August 1913 Magdeburg
Died	Ludwigshafen
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1934–45
Rank	Major
Unit	2. Marine-Infanterie-Division
Commands held	I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 33
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Kursk Lublin–Brest Offensive Battle of Radzymin (1944)
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work	Police officer

Kurt Schäfer (19 August 1913 – 15 May 1992) was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was also awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp in Gold—one of only 631 awards.

Awards and decorations

• War Merit Cross with Swords
  • 2nd Class (29 July 1940)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (11 November 1941)
  • 1st Class (31 January 1942)
• Wound Badge
  • in Black (26 October 1941)
  • in Silver (7 August 1943)
  • in Gold (29 October 1943)
• Panzer Badge in Bronze
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (18 February 1944)
• Eastern Front Medal (1 August 1942)
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze (9 November 1943)
  • in Silver (30 January 1944)
  • in Gold (23 September 1944)
• German Cross in Gold on 21 February 1944 as Oberleutnant in the I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 33
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 August 1944 as Hauptmann and leader of the I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 33
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (3 August 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
3 August 1944 (addendum)	Im Mittelabschnitt der Ostfront hat sich das 1. Bataillon des Panzergrenadier-Regiments 33 unter Hauptmann Schäfer in Angriff und Abwehr hervorragend gehalten.	In the middle section of the Eastern Front, the 1st Battalion of the Panzer Grenadier Regiment 33 under Captain Schäfer has held itself excellently in attack and defense.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com