Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Unteroffizier (Junior Officer)

Unit:

Gruppenführer II. / Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 719

Awarded on:

February 8th, 1945

The following press article (dated 10.03.1945) describes why Paegelow was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“Surrender within 5 minutes - An exemplary bunker battle / Unteroffizer promoted to Leutnant:

During the fighting in the sector between Saar and Rhein the enemy overwhelmed a bunker during the evening hours, and after this they pummelled the neighbouring bunker (commanded by Unteroffizier Pägelow from Teterow) with heavy artillery fire and smoke shells. The enemy then used a loudspeaker to implore the garrison to surrender, or else be totally blown up. The garrison gave its answer by moving into the open firing positions surrounding the bunker and repulsing all the enemy attempts to approach. After making enraged threats for the coming day the enemy eventually broke off their attack, but during the night they continually bombarded the bunker with mortars and heavy artillery until the following morning. The entire area in front of the bunker went up in flames. Two reconnaissance patrols and a demolitions troop were repulsed during this night. Only at 06:00 did the fully exhausted garrison go back into the bunker.

Two hours later the enemy plastered the bunker once again with strong artillery and MG fire. The loudspeaker then once again offered surrender terms with the words: ‘To the commander of Bunker E: Protect the lives of your men, the fight is hopeless. If you do not give up in five minutes then you be either blown sky high or forced to suffer a similarly gruesome fate. You are a hastily rounded up band of supply troops and have no more fighting power. This will be your last chance!’

At the same time a demolition group was already working its way forwards through the thick smoke.

Then Unteroffizier Pägelow opened up the bunker door, fended off the enemy with hand grenades and his machine pistol and got rid of the demolition charges with lightning speed. Artillery fire once again plastered the bunker.

The enemy once again succeeded in bringing up a demolition charge to the firing aperture under the cover of their artillery fire, and this time the charge exploded. The detonation also set off three Panzerfausts, 16 hand grenades and 2 smoke pots in the immediate vicinity. Two men were badly wounded, however they both continued to fight on with determination. An Obergefreiter who could no longer be asked to carry a weapon into combat (he had lost his eyesight) took up a station at the telephone. However Pägelow had avoided the detonation by going to ground through the open bunker door, and now he threw back the enemy in an immediate counterattack and prevented the bringing up of further demolition charges. At around 09:30 the ‘last’ offer of surrender came, the very last: ‘If you do not immediately come forward, you will be crushed,’ meant the enemy.

However the garrison was able to escape being suffocated by the smoke via laying on the ground with towels over their mouths.

At around 10:00 the enemy attacked once again. By now only Unteroffizier Pägelow and one other man were still able to fight, however they also managed to repel this attack while also capturing the demolition charge yet again.

Shortly after this the enemy launched a new attack from a rearward lying house, however they were unable to get any closer than 20 metres. The next attack began after the enemy had received reinforcements and new explosive charges during the midday hours, and they set out at around 13:30 under the cover of smoke that had been created by an artillery barrage. This time they managed to get to the bunker itself. Unteroffizier Pägelow and his garrison were lying outside the bunker, and they slew one of the enemy just before he managed to place a demolition charge (he was only one meter away from the bunker). Once again, several explosive charges were captured. Five similar enemy attacks took place throughout this afternoon, however they were finally forced to call off their attacks during the evening in the face of the tireless defensive readiness of the garrison.

This heroic battle by the Füsiliers against 9 enemy attacks on this day alone did not only prevent the destruction of the bunker. It also prevented the enemy from making any further headway against the left wing of this Füsilier-Bataillon from a brandenburgischen Division.

This was the first time that the forty-year-old Unteroffizier Pägelow and his six men (some of which were also old) had engaged in close combat. The Führer therefore promoted this outstandingly brave Unteroffizier to the rank of Leutnant at the same time as he was awarded the Knight’s Cross.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)