Date of birth:

September 28th, 1921 (Schaßlowitz Castolowitz(Tschastolowitz), Česká Lípa, Czechoslovakia)

Date of death:

November 6th, 2001 (Bayerbach/Ergoldsbach, Germany)

Service number:

SS-Nr.: 400.130 // NSDAP-Nr.:

Nationality:

Austrian-Hungarian (1867-1918, Empire)

00.00.1937: joined the NSDAP, Sudeten German Freikorps
00.00.1938: joined the SS-VT
00.09.1939: SS-Unterführer, 15. (Kradschützen) Kompanie, SS-Standarte 'Germania', SS-VT - campaign in Poland
00.05.1940: SS-Junker, SS-Junkerschule
10.04.1941: promoted to SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve
00.06.1941: SS-Ustuf, Zugführer, SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5, SS-Division 'Wiking'
00.10.1941: SS-Ustuf, WIA 2 times and evacuated to a Lazarett
00.02.1942: transferred to the Panzerwaffe
00.02.1942: SS-Ustuf, Zugführer, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 2, 2. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Das Reich' - Ržev and Kharkov
09.11.1943: promoted to SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve
00.11.1943-00.00.1944: SS-Ostuf, Chef, 7. Schwadron, SS-Panzer-Regiment 5, 5. SS-Panzer-Division 'Wiking' - battle of Cherkasy, Kovel : destroyed 28 enemy cannons, one tank and 8 anti-aircraft guns thus enabling a successful breakthrough of the battle group Gille
04.05.1944: awarded the RK
00.00.1944: fightings in Poland and Hungary
00.00.1944: promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve
00.05.1945: SS-Hstuf, escaped captivity with comrades and after a shootout with the US military reported MIA near Steiermark, Austria - settled under his stepfather's name Schneider-Kunze in Germany
00.00.1946: graduated from the University of Agriculture and Forestry
00.00.1960: government adviser for hunting

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Zugführer, SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5, SS-Division 'Wiking'

Awarded on:

1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Zugführer, SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5, SS-Division 'Wiking'

Awarded on:

1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Zugführer, SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5, SS-Division 'Wiking'

Awarded on:

October 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)

Unit:

Führer, 7. Schwadron, SS-Panzer-Regiment 5, 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"

Awarded on:

May 4th, 1944

Schneider’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“In order to rescue the LVI. Panzer-Korps, who had been trapped for three weeks solid at Kovel, elements of the 5. SS-Pz.Div. Wiking were assigned for a relief operation.

In the early morning hours of 05.04.1944, 7./SS-Pz.Rgt. 5 moved east from Moszczona with the aim of breaking through to Kovel. The Kompanie commander, SS-Obersturmführer Schneider, decided not to wait for the support of our own artillery and Panzergrenadiers. He made the independent decision to take advantage of the favourable battle situation and decided to attack anyways. In doing so he surprised the enemy. He successfully destroyed a strong anti-tank position that the enemy had built up close to Dubova and thereby opened access to Kovel for the following troops. With his Kompanie he advanced into the northern sector and met strong enemy infantry. These were crushed, and at 14:00 hours the first clear path through the encirclement at Kovel had been cleared.

Schneider was exceedingly hard and tough, and led at the head of his Kompanie during the fighting. He showed a dogged determination in finding a way through and was a role model of bravery and operational readiness for his subordinates.

During the course of the fighting his tank was knocked out. Nevertheless he immediately got up again, took command of a different tank, and continued to lead his Kompanie.

In the course of the battle Schneider's Kompanie destroyed or captured the following...

- 1 Anti-aircraft battery (8.5 cm) with 4 guns
- 27 Heavy anti-tank guns 7.62 cm
- 1 Assault Gun
- 4 Heavy mortars
- 5 Light anti-tank guns
- 4 Light anti-aircraft vehicles
- Numerous infantry weapons.”

Rank:

government adviser for hunting

Awarded on:

1960

• Photo 1:
• Photo 2:
• Photo 3:
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - MOONEY, PETER, Waffen-SS Knights and their Battles, Schiffer Military History, 2016.
  - schneider otto 2.JPG.
  - schneider otto.JPG.
  - schneider otto4.JPG.
  - Ritterkreuz Archiv II/2010, Veit Scherzer, Ranis, Juni 2010, ISSN 1866-4709
  - Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945