SS-Untersturmfuhrer Otto Zoepf
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Awards:
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DRL Sports Badge in Bronze: 8. Jul. 1938
Anschluss Medal: 30. Mai. 1938 Sudetenland Medal: 20. Nov. 1938 War Merit Cross 2nd Class: 23. Nov. 1939 Infantry Assault Badge in Silver: 18. Aug. 1940 Wound Badge in Black: 18. Aug. 1940 Iron Cross 2nd Class: 22. Sept. 1941 Eastern Front Medal: 6. Jun. 1942 |
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Promotions:
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SS-Mann: 10. Dez. 1937
SS-Sturmmann: 9 Apr. 1938 SS-Rottenfuhrer: 1. Jun. 1939 SS-Unterscharfuhrer: 12. Feb. 1940 SS-Oberscharfuhrer: 18. Aug. 1940 SS-Junker: 8. Marz. 1941 SS-Oberjunker: 12. Mai. 1941 SS-Standartenoberjunker: 28. Juli. 1941 SS-Untersturmfuhrer: 14. Dez. 1941 |
Early life Through the invasion of France
Otto Zoepf was born 31. Mai, 1919 in Holzkirchen, outside of Munich in Germany. His father Jens, was a machinist, and a veteran of the First World War, where he served with the 92. Infanterie Regiment. Otto was the youngest of three children, raised with one brother, Johann, and one sister, Kathrin. His brother Johann, is currently serving in the Kriegsmarine.
After finishing his school, Otto enlisted in the SS in 1937, attracted by their smart uniforms and high recruitment standards. He was assigned to SS-Standarte 2. "Germania", based in Hamburg. He served as a Private until just prior to the Austrian Anschluss, when he was promoted to the rank of SS-Sturmmann. He then participated in the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland.
Following the annexation, and during 1938, Otto was awarded the DRL Sports Badge in Bronze. He was also awarded the Anschluss Medal, and Sudetenland Medal, for his participation in those campaigns.
In June of 1939, he was transferred to SS-Totenkopfstandarte 1. 'Oberbayern' at Dachau, and promoted to SS-Rottenfuhrer and given command of a rifle truppe. During this period he was also awarded the War Merit Cross 2nd Class. In the fall of 1939, he was involved in the Invasion of Poland.
After finishing his school, Otto enlisted in the SS in 1937, attracted by their smart uniforms and high recruitment standards. He was assigned to SS-Standarte 2. "Germania", based in Hamburg. He served as a Private until just prior to the Austrian Anschluss, when he was promoted to the rank of SS-Sturmmann. He then participated in the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland.
Following the annexation, and during 1938, Otto was awarded the DRL Sports Badge in Bronze. He was also awarded the Anschluss Medal, and Sudetenland Medal, for his participation in those campaigns.
In June of 1939, he was transferred to SS-Totenkopfstandarte 1. 'Oberbayern' at Dachau, and promoted to SS-Rottenfuhrer and given command of a rifle truppe. During this period he was also awarded the War Merit Cross 2nd Class. In the fall of 1939, he was involved in the Invasion of Poland.
He served with SS-Totenkopfstandarte 1 "Oberbayern" until it was used to form the cadre of SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 1, which was one of the three regiments of the new SS-Division Totenkopf. At the end of 1939, the SS-Division Totenkopf was formed. Zoepf was assigned to 3. Kompanie, SS-TK-I.-R.-1. As an SS-Rottenfuhrer and a senior member, Otto Zoepf spent the year prior to the Invasion of France training many new recruits to the Totenkopfdivision. His experience in the pre-war SS-VT was invaluable.
On February 12, he was promoted to the rank of SS-Unterscharfuhrer, and given the command of a 10 man gruppe. In June of 1940, the SS-Totenkopfdivision invaded France, and serving with the 3. Kompanie, Zoepf found himself in the midst of combat throughout the entire campaign.
Otto was wounded in the fighting in France, and also participated in enough assaults to earn himself the Infantry Assault Badge. When the campaign in France was over, the Division was re-located to Southern France for re-fit. Due to the division's high officer casualty rates, Zoepf was among dozens of Non-Commissioned officers sent to attend officer candidate school at the SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tolz.
On February 12, he was promoted to the rank of SS-Unterscharfuhrer, and given the command of a 10 man gruppe. In June of 1940, the SS-Totenkopfdivision invaded France, and serving with the 3. Kompanie, Zoepf found himself in the midst of combat throughout the entire campaign.
Otto was wounded in the fighting in France, and also participated in enough assaults to earn himself the Infantry Assault Badge. When the campaign in France was over, the Division was re-located to Southern France for re-fit. Due to the division's high officer casualty rates, Zoepf was among dozens of Non-Commissioned officers sent to attend officer candidate school at the SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tolz.
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Bad Tolz, Barbarossa, and Lushno
At Bad Tolz, Zoepf had an average record, finishing in the middle of his class on most accounts. In July of 1941, he graduated the Junkerschule, and still as an Officer cadet was sent to the front to finish his field training. He joined the rest of the SS-Totenkopfdivision as they had began the Invasion of Russia the month before. Zoepf was assigned to 2. Kp./SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment-1 as a Zugfuhrer for Erste Zug.
When Otto returned to the Totenkopfdivision, the unit had just succeeded in breaking through the Stalin Line, during it's push on Leningrad. The unit had undertaken high casualties, but nowhere near what they would experience in months to come.
The officer ranks of the Division had been decimated by Russian snipers, and many NCO's and Officer Candidates found themselves in command.
Otto's understrengthed Zug continued with the rest of it's Division and it's push in the Demjansk Sector. On September 19, near the village of Lushno, near Staraya Russa, in the Demjansk Sector, Otto's unit was hit with a Soviet counter-attack, and encircled and cut off from the rest of the Company, and Division.
The newly promoted SS-Standartenoberjunker and his Zug managed to hold their positions for a day, while under brutal attack by infantry and artillery, on their own, without support. When ammunition began to run low, Otto led a counter-attack, and managed to break through to his former unit, 3. Kompanie, on the right flank. For these actions, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class.
When Otto returned to the Totenkopfdivision, the unit had just succeeded in breaking through the Stalin Line, during it's push on Leningrad. The unit had undertaken high casualties, but nowhere near what they would experience in months to come.
The officer ranks of the Division had been decimated by Russian snipers, and many NCO's and Officer Candidates found themselves in command.
Otto's understrengthed Zug continued with the rest of it's Division and it's push in the Demjansk Sector. On September 19, near the village of Lushno, near Staraya Russa, in the Demjansk Sector, Otto's unit was hit with a Soviet counter-attack, and encircled and cut off from the rest of the Company, and Division.
The newly promoted SS-Standartenoberjunker and his Zug managed to hold their positions for a day, while under brutal attack by infantry and artillery, on their own, without support. When ammunition began to run low, Otto led a counter-attack, and managed to break through to his former unit, 3. Kompanie, on the right flank. For these actions, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class.
Demjansk Kessel
The men of the SS-Totenkopfdivision continued to fight in the Demjansk sector, and although they did make some progress, by the winter of 1941/42, the men of SS-Totenkopf dug in, in defensive positions surrounding the town of Demjansk, which was a critical point on the Staraya Highway, on the road to Leningrad.
Otto was promoted to SS-Untersturmfuhrer, as a full officer in the SS in Mid-December, 1941, somewhere in the in the Lushno area, in a very small and informal ceremony, as compared to what was normally done on such an occasion.
Otto's Kompanie spent the end of December, and January continuing to fortify their defensive positions, awaiting the Spring thaw of the Soviet tundra, which had left most motorized German units stalled.
On February 8, 1942, the Soviets launched a major counter attack all along the front of Army Group North, of which SS-Totenkopf was a part. The men defending Demjansk held off against this massive Soviet attack, however the rest of the German line broke, leaving the men of SS-Totenkopf trapped in what would be called, the "Demjansk Pocket", or "Kessel von Demjansk".
2. Kompanie, was awoken to an onslaught of Soviet artillery on the morning of the 8th, followed by a massive assault by Soviet infantry and armor.
The men of SS-Division "Totenkopf" would spend the next four months, surrounded and cut off, fending for their lives in the forested hills surrounding Demjansk.
On 20. Feb, 1942, Otto was wounded by a piece of grenade shrapnel in his right knee. He was pulled back to the field hospital, and awarded the Wound Badge in Black.
He returned to the front two weeks later, after refusing to be flown out of the pocket, due to the low number of officers still alive in 2. Kompanie. He would spend the rest of the time fighting in Demjansk with a limp. He would find this to be the toughest part of the war, as Kompanie would lose men in great numbers in the Demjansk Pocket. By the end of March, 1942, the men he remembered from his campaign in France, and the early weeks of Barbarossa, had mostly been killed or wounded. Half of which replaced by new, eager young faces, flown in to the pocket by the brave Ju-52 pilots of the Luftwaffe.
Otto was promoted to SS-Untersturmfuhrer, as a full officer in the SS in Mid-December, 1941, somewhere in the in the Lushno area, in a very small and informal ceremony, as compared to what was normally done on such an occasion.
Otto's Kompanie spent the end of December, and January continuing to fortify their defensive positions, awaiting the Spring thaw of the Soviet tundra, which had left most motorized German units stalled.
On February 8, 1942, the Soviets launched a major counter attack all along the front of Army Group North, of which SS-Totenkopf was a part. The men defending Demjansk held off against this massive Soviet attack, however the rest of the German line broke, leaving the men of SS-Totenkopf trapped in what would be called, the "Demjansk Pocket", or "Kessel von Demjansk".
2. Kompanie, was awoken to an onslaught of Soviet artillery on the morning of the 8th, followed by a massive assault by Soviet infantry and armor.
The men of SS-Division "Totenkopf" would spend the next four months, surrounded and cut off, fending for their lives in the forested hills surrounding Demjansk.
On 20. Feb, 1942, Otto was wounded by a piece of grenade shrapnel in his right knee. He was pulled back to the field hospital, and awarded the Wound Badge in Black.
He returned to the front two weeks later, after refusing to be flown out of the pocket, due to the low number of officers still alive in 2. Kompanie. He would spend the rest of the time fighting in Demjansk with a limp. He would find this to be the toughest part of the war, as Kompanie would lose men in great numbers in the Demjansk Pocket. By the end of March, 1942, the men he remembered from his campaign in France, and the early weeks of Barbarossa, had mostly been killed or wounded. Half of which replaced by new, eager young faces, flown in to the pocket by the brave Ju-52 pilots of the Luftwaffe.
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POST DEMJANSK
The SS-Totenkopfdivision would be sent to re-fit in France, during the Fall of 1942, to lick it's wounds and rebuild it's strength, however Otto Zoepf would not be with them.
SS-Standartenoberjunker Otto Zoepf was wounded in action once again, on April 12, 1942, near Demjansk. While speaking with his commander over a radio, a Soviet artillery shell struck the bunker he was in. Zoepf's radioman was killed instantly, along with two other men. Otto managed to survive the blast, and came out of the bunker with shrapnel wounds, in his left knee, back, and shoulder.
Otto Zoepf was flown out of the pocket, and due to the severity of his wounds was returned to Germany to recover. While in the hospital he was awarded the Eastern Front Medal, for his service in Russia over the 41/42 Winter.
While recovering from his wounds, he was transferred to Dachau, to serve as an adjutant to the SS-Totenkopfdivision. Although he had worked in the camp system for several months before the war broke up, the camps had changed substantially by the Summer of 1942. They were beginning their transition to Death Camps.
In June, 1942, Otto sent a request to be returned to his front-line duties with the SS-Totenkopfdivision, still fighting around Demjansk.
As an assignment to the Eastern Front was one of the least popular assignments of the war, it goes as a testimate to the horrors of the camp system, for a seasoned combat veteran to prefer to return to Russia, and almost certain death.
His request was denied. His intelligence, and skills were valued at the camp, which had been purged of all of it's good officers, all of them having been sent to the SS-Totenkopfdivision as replacement officers for those lost in action. Otto had several kamerads stuck with him in the camp system, all of their requests to return to combat were also denied. Otto finally sent a letter to Hellmuth Becker, then the commander of the Division, and explained his frustration with his current appointment.
Although it took a few months, Otto Zoepf would finally be returned to the SS-Totenkopfdivision, which at that time, had been pulled off the line in Demjansk, and was refitting in France, once again. It was Fall, 1942.
SS-Standartenoberjunker Otto Zoepf was wounded in action once again, on April 12, 1942, near Demjansk. While speaking with his commander over a radio, a Soviet artillery shell struck the bunker he was in. Zoepf's radioman was killed instantly, along with two other men. Otto managed to survive the blast, and came out of the bunker with shrapnel wounds, in his left knee, back, and shoulder.
Otto Zoepf was flown out of the pocket, and due to the severity of his wounds was returned to Germany to recover. While in the hospital he was awarded the Eastern Front Medal, for his service in Russia over the 41/42 Winter.
While recovering from his wounds, he was transferred to Dachau, to serve as an adjutant to the SS-Totenkopfdivision. Although he had worked in the camp system for several months before the war broke up, the camps had changed substantially by the Summer of 1942. They were beginning their transition to Death Camps.
In June, 1942, Otto sent a request to be returned to his front-line duties with the SS-Totenkopfdivision, still fighting around Demjansk.
As an assignment to the Eastern Front was one of the least popular assignments of the war, it goes as a testimate to the horrors of the camp system, for a seasoned combat veteran to prefer to return to Russia, and almost certain death.
His request was denied. His intelligence, and skills were valued at the camp, which had been purged of all of it's good officers, all of them having been sent to the SS-Totenkopfdivision as replacement officers for those lost in action. Otto had several kamerads stuck with him in the camp system, all of their requests to return to combat were also denied. Otto finally sent a letter to Hellmuth Becker, then the commander of the Division, and explained his frustration with his current appointment.
Although it took a few months, Otto Zoepf would finally be returned to the SS-Totenkopfdivision, which at that time, had been pulled off the line in Demjansk, and was refitting in France, once again. It was Fall, 1942.
DISCLAIMER: 2. Kompanie is a non-political organization We do not support naziism, or fascism. We are not associated with nor do we condone the actions of the Third Reich or the actual 3.SS Division.
