Otto Skorzeny

[Michael Marshall]

Can any one tell me what awards Otto Skorzeny had and what is rank was???
8)
Thanks
Michael

[K.Kocjancic]

Go to:
http://www.thirdreichforum.com/viewtopi ... t=skorzeny

His rank was SS-Staf. (d.R.) according to http://www.das-ritterkreuz.de/index_sea ... wert1=6123

[USAF1986]

Hi! Thanks Kocjo for the link to Skorzeny’s decorations…I don’t recall seeing that before! Here are his decorations based on that photo and other sources. Skorzeny’s award dates for the Knight’s Cross, Oakleaves and German Cross in Gold are rather chaotic at best. I used Walther-Peer Fellgiebel’s Die Träger Des Ritterkreuzes Des Eisernen Kreuzes, 1939-1945 for the Knight’s Cross and Oakleaves and noted what some other sources gave for alternate award dates.

Regards,
Shawn

SS-Standartenführer der Reserve Dipl.-Ing. Otto Skorzeny

Decorations & Awards:
• Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: 13 September 1943, SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve, Commander of the Sonderverbandes z.b.V. Friedenthal.
• Oakleaves (No. 826): 9 April 1945, SS-Obersturmbannführer der Reserve, Commander of the SS-Jagdverbände and Battle Commandant of Schwedt/Oder (Jost Schneider, in Verleihung Genemigt!, gives 8 March 1945).
• German Cross in Gold: 16 October 1944 per Franz Thomas, Die Eichenlaubträger; Jost Schneider, in Verleihung Genemigt!, gives 16 January 1945; not listed at all by Horst Scheibert. In his memoirs, Skorzeny recalled that he met Hitler on 21 October 1944 and was informed he had been promoted to SS-Obersturmbannführer and awarded the German Cross in Gold.
• Waffen-SS Honor Roll Clasp: 5 February 1945, SS-Obersturmbannführer der Reserve, Commander of the SS-Jagdverbände.
• Iron Cross, 1st Class (1939)
• Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1939)
• Medal for the Winter Campaign in Russia 1941/1942 (“East Medal”)
• Commemorative Medal of 13 March 1938
• Commemorative Medal of 1 October 1938 with Castle Prague Bar
• Wound Badge in Black
• Wound Badge in Silver
• General Assault Badge
• Luftwaffe Combined Pilot/Observer Badge in Gold with Diamonds: Personally presented by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring on 16 September 1943.
• Order of the Holy Crown of Hungary, Commander Grade with War Decoration and Swords

NOTE: In Commando Extraordinary, author Charles Foley states Mussolini bestowed on Skorzeny the “Order of the Hundred Musketeers” shortly after his rescue from the Gran Sasso on 12 September 1943. Perhaps this is the decoration at the center left of the funeral display. Whatever it is, the medal appears to be an RSI decoration of some sort. Unfortunately, I have no references to RSI and/or Italian Fascist decorations, badges and insignia. Of interest, Mussolini’s personal bodyguard/escort unit was known as the "Moschettieri del Duce." See more on them at this link:

http://freespace.virgin.net/m.roma/

[USAF1986]

Here's an interesting thought: does anyone know how Skorzeny might have qualified for the Commemorative Medal of 1 October 1938 with Castle Prague Bar? I thought he wasn't called up for military service until 3 September 1939 when he reported for recruit training with a Luftwaffe signals unit at Trost Barracks in Vienna. Skorzeny makes no mention in his memoirs (see source below) of any military service prior to the invasion of Poland.

On the other hand, it seems possible he could have received the Commemorative Medal of 13 March 1938 for his role in guarding the Presidential Palace in Vienna as a member of a defense unit of the German Gymnastic Association.

Regards,
Shawn

SOURCE: Skorzeny, Otto. Skorzeny’s Special Missions: The Memoirs of “the Most Dangerous Man in Europe.” Greenhill Books, London, United Kingdom, 1997 (reprint of the original 1957 edition).

[Michael Marshall]

Thanks guys for all of the info. Just one more question did he smoke????
8)
Thanks
Michael

[USAF1986]

Yes, Skorzeny was quite fond of his cigarettes. He mentions his taste for cigarettes in several passages in his memoirs. In particular, Skorzeny notes during his first-ever meeting with Himmler, he and Luftwaffe General Kurt Student were treated to a rather long-winded, late-night briefing on the situation in Italy. Skorzeny ducked out of Himmler's office to place a call to his commando team and, while at the phone, lit up a cigarette. Himmler suddenly walked up to him and "stormed":

These eternal weeds! Can't you do anything without a cigarette in your mouth? I can see that you’re not at all the sort of man we need for this job [locating and rescuing Mussolini]!

Regards,
Shawn

[USAF1986]

While not an “award,” it appears Skorzeny continued to display the “Das Reich” cuff-title from his time with the division earlier in the war. In the attached photo, Skorzeny is pictured at the Imperial Palace in Budapest after Operation “Panzerfaust” on 16 October 1944. Although the photo is somewhat hazy, this looks to be the “Das Reich” cuff-title. Does anyone have a clearer photo of Skorzeny's cuff-title to confirm? Thanks!

Regards,
Shawn

[Arthur Von Pohle]

Yes, Skorzeny was quite fond of his cigarettes. He mentions his taste for cigarettes in several passages in his memoirs. In particular, Skorzeny notes during his first-ever meeting with Himmler, he and Luftwaffe General Kurt Student were treated to a rather long-winded, late-night briefing on the situation in Italy. Skorzeny ducked out of Himmler's office to place a call to his commando team and, while at the phone, lit up a cigarette. Himmler suddenly walked up to him and "stormed":

These eternal weeds! Can't you do anything without a cigarette in your mouth? I can see that you’re not at all the sort of man we need for this job [locating and rescuing Mussolini]!

Regards,
Shawn

I have the first english language edition of his book and I remember the passage well.

Skorzeny mused that he wasn't making much of a good impression on the Reichfuhrer.

Eventually it was the cigarettes that killed him... lung cancer I heard.

[Michael Marshall]

Thanks guys that will help me allot.
8)
Thanks
Michael

[USAF1986]

Finally! The unidentified Italian decoration on Skorzeny’s funeral display is the Arditi Cross and not a purely RSI medal as I originally surmised (see Kocjo’s link to previous forum post for photo of the display). Awarded by the F.N.A.I. (Federazione Nazionale Arditi d'Italia), photos and a description of this striking medal can be found at these links:

http://users.skynet.be/hendrik/eng/39italy.html

http://www.saintjohn.nbcc.nb.ca/host/it ... /index.htm

Per the description at these websites, the type in Skorzeny’s funeral display appears to be either the first or third version of the Arditi Cross. Strangely, the first version was for WWI veterans while the third version apparently dates from the 1980s (I guess his death date rules that one out!) and was for wounded Arditi veterans. Although a photo of the second version, which featured the Fascist emblem, is not depicted, it’s obvious this is not the type displayed at Skorzeny’s funeral.

Regards,
Shawn

[sylvieK4]

http://www.grenadier.org/waffen-ss-photo-1.htm

[Dieter Zinke]

Hallo forum,

Skorzeny was until the end of the war the leader of Referat VI S / RSHA (“Schulen; Ausbildung und Einsatz“, i.e. schools, instruction, sortie), built 19.04.1943 for rattening, diversion and special commissions behind the fronts. Location: Friedenthal near Oranienburg in a former hunting-seat of the Hohenzollern. The “Sonderverband z.b.V. Friedenthal“ under the command of SS-Hauptsturmführer d. R. Otto Skorzeny was built 16.06.1943, enlarged 17.04.1944 to SS-Jäger-Bataillon 502. With effect of the 01.10.1944 after taking over units (“Sonderkampfeinheiten”) from the Division “Brandenburg“ the SS-Jagdverband Mitte was created. The “SS-Jagdverbände“ were placed under orders of the RSHA (in sorties), the troops under SS-FHA (Jüttner in Berlin-Wilmersdorf), the requisitions came from OKW, WFSt or Hitler himself.
At the end of July 1944 Otto Skorzeny became also the leader of the Gruppe Mil. D (Sabotage und Zersetzung) im Amt Mil.
31.01.1945 - 28.02.1945 he was commander in the bridge-head of Schwedt / Oder (“Divisionskampfgruppe”).
30.03.1945 he received the order to transfer to the organisation of the “Alpenfestung”, he was therefore in Vienna since 10.04.1945.
At last Finally he commanded dispersed units under the bombastic name “Alpenschutzkorps“ in the mountains of the Salzburg area.
Cheers
Oberstab

[Matt Gibbs]

SEARCH

Just a reminder to people looking for info, try the search engine first!!! I typed in the one word Skorzeny and found 189 matches

Regards

Matt Gibbs

[Peter]

Skorzeny awards


EK II 26 Aug 41
Ostmedaille 2 Sep 42
EK I 12 Sep 43
Verw.Abz. in Schwarz 18 Aug 43 (Black)
FlgzgFhrAbz in Gold mit Brillanten 1 Dec 44 (Gold)


Yes the "Das Reich" cuff title is interesting, he served with the SS-Panzer-Rgt. 3 of "Totenkopf" after "Das Reich" but obviously retained his DR cufftitle.

cheers
Pete

[FANGIO]

Hi everybody!
I think this picture was posted in this forum: