Allegiance Nazi Germany Battles/wars World War II Battles and wars World War II Rank Standartenfuhrer | Years of service 1931–45 Name Otto Paetsch Service/branch Waffen-SS | |
Awards Knight's Cross with Oakleaves
Iron Cross 1st Class
Iron Cross 2nd Class
German Cross in Gold
Wound badge in Silver Died March 16, 1945, Dabie, Szczecin, Poland Unit 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking, 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg | ||
Otto Paetsch (3 August 1909 – 16 March 1945) was a Standartenfuhrer (Colonel) in the Waffen SS who was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves during World War II.
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Career
Paetsch was born on the 3 August 1909, at Rheinhausen. In his early life he studied Theology at Tubingen Evangelical college.
In 1931 he volunteered for the SS and was posted to the Germania Regiment, promoted on 20 April 1936 to Untersturmfuhrer (Second Lieutenant) and made a Zugfuhrer (platoon leader) in the 15th Company, Germania Regiment, and promoted again in April 1940 to Hauptsturmfuhrer (Captain) and given command of the 15th Company.
After the Battle of France the Germania Regiment was used as the basis of a new SS division 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking, which from June 1941 fought in Operation Barbarossa the invasion of the Soviet Union, when he was given command of the Reconnaissance Battalion in December 1941.
On 20 April 1942, he was promoted to Sturmbannfuhrer (Major) and awarded the German Cross in Gold for bravery. He was made the commander of the 10th SS Panzer Regiment and promoted to Obersturmbannfuhrer (Lieutenant Colonel), 3 November 1943. From June 1944 he led his regiment in Normandy, and distinguished himself in the fighting in the Avranches area and the breakout from Falaise (Falaise Pocket) for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross.
In the autumn of 1944 he fought at Arnhem (Operation Market Garden) against the British 1st Airborne Division, then in early 1945 in Lower Alsace and in early 1945 was involved in the fighting in Pomerania, where on 16 March 1945 at Altdamm, he was fatally wounded.
For the successful fighting at the Hagenau bridgehead and at Stettin he was awarded a posthumous award of the Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross in May 1945 and promoted to Standartenfuhrer (Colonel).