Ernst Stäudle – SS-Artillerie-Regiment “Totenkopf” (Wartime Signed)

Original Wartime Signature on a Wartime Photo of Ernst Stäudle. SS-Obersturmführer Ernst Stäudle (6 June 1913, Heidenheim an der Brenz † 11 July 1946, POW camp Jaworzno, Silesia) was a Waffen-SS officer who served with the SS-Division “Totenkopf” and rose to the rank of SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve. He was a decorated front-line artillery observer and one of the division’s Knight’s Cross recipients. His actions during the bitter fighting near Schumilkino in February 1942 earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, awarded on 10 April 1942.

Awards and Decorations

• Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS

• SS-Ehrenring

• Julleuchter der SS

• Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) – 10 April 1942, as SS-Oberscharführer der Reserve and Forward Observer, 8./SS-Artillerie-Regiment “Totenkopf”

• Golden Hitler Youth Honour Badge with Oakleaves

Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes)

“SS-Oberscharführer Stäudle was in position on the night of 26th and 27th of February 1942, fighting near Schumilkino. He was a forward observer, directing the fire of his artillery battery against an enemy attack advancing from the west, supported by artillery and mortars. During the course of the attack, Soviet forces succeeded in approaching the village with around 50 men. From our own forces, only a handful of weakened defenders held the sector.

These men resisted the Soviets with the determination of a battalion and succeeded in putting them to flight.

In this critical situation, and despite suffering from a severe wound, Stäudle ordered the remaining men to continue the defense, employing their 3.7 cm Flak gun at close range. By halting this attack, Soviet operational plans were disrupted, and their troops arrived in Salutschje piecemeal.

I request the award of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross in recognition of his successful and decisive actions.”

Career Highlights

• Joined the SS in the 1930s, following early service in the Hitlerjugend.

• Served as Forward Observer (Vorgeschobener Beobachter) in 8./SS-Artillerie-Regiment “Totenkopf” during the Demjansk Pocket battles.

• Ritterkreuz award action: On 26/27 February 1942, during heavy Soviet attacks near Schumilkino, Stäudle, though severely wounded, rallied a handful of defenders and with only a 3.7 cm Pak 36, held off Soviet forces at close range, preventing a breakthrough behind German positions at Salutschje.

• Later became an instructor at the SS-Artillerie-Schule II in Beneschau, before returning to action in April 1945 during the fighting around Prague, commanding a company.

• Captured by the Soviets in May 1945 and sent to the notorious Jaworzno POW and forced-labor camp, where he died on 11 July 1946 from mistreatment and starvation.

Item Details

• Authentic historical background of SS-Obersturmführer Ernst Stäudle.

• Served in one of the most heavily engaged Waffen-SS divisions of the Eastern Front.

• Condition of historical record: Detailed wartime service, well-documented Knight’s Cross recommendation.

• Condition as seen – written on reverse of a smaller size photo of him in the Reichwehr.

Collector’s Note

Ernst Stäudle’s name is closely tied to the SS-Totenkopf-Division’s fighting in Demjansk. His Ritterkreuz award, earned under extreme circumstances with minimal resources, highlights the brutal reality of the Eastern Front. His tragic death in Soviet captivity at Jaworzno, one of the harshest postwar camps, adds historical poignancy. Stäudle’s story embodies both the celebrated and catastrophic aspects of Waffen-SS service, making related autographs, photos, or documents significant for collectors focusing on Demjansk Shield recipients, Totenkopf Division history, or Knight’s Cross holders.