Karl Körner

Karl Körner
Born	19 April 1920 Hoym, German Empire
Died	Neu-Eichenberg, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1940–45
Rank	Hauptscharführer
Unit	503 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross I Class Iron Cross II Class Panzer Assault Badge "75" Wound Badge

Karl Körner (19 April 1920 – 8 August 1997) was a Hauptscharführer in the Waffen SS during World War II. He was a recipient of 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.

Career

Karl Körner was born on 19 April 1920, in Hoym Germany and during World War II he volunteered to join the Waffen SS. He started the war in the SS-VT on 27 March 1940 in the 4th Company, SS Reserve Battalion of SS Regiment "Germania" in Hamburg-Langenhorn and was transferred to Klagenfurt on 28 April 1940 where the Regiment "Nordland" for SS Division "Wiking" was formed. In the 4th Company of "Nordland" Körner was active as a s.MG-Schütze on the Eastern-front till the beginning of 1943.

After his 2nd wound he came in the SS Reserve Battalion of the new SS Division "Nordland" in Kroatia. By the end of 1943 he was transferred to 103 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion which was in training and finally the Battalion was sent to the Eastern-front on 27 January 1945.

In April 1945, Karl Körner was a platoon commander in the 2nd Company, 503 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion acting in an infantry support role to the east of Berlin. He was awarded the Knight's Cross in the Führerbunker on the 29 April 1945. After the award ceremony he returned to his Battalion fighting in the Charlottenburg area.

Karl Körner survived the war and died on 8 August 1997 in Neu-Eichenberg.

Awards

• Iron Cross
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Panzer Badge in Silver "75" (1945)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (1941)
  • in Silver (1945)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 April 1945 as SS-Hauptscharführer and Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 503