Otto Schulz (admiral)

Otto Schulz (12 March 1900 – 28 March 1974) was a Konteradmiral with the Kriegsmarine (the German navy) during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Otto Schulz received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 May 1944 for the evacuation of the 17. Armee (17th Army) from the Crimean peninsula. The actions of the Kriegsmarine in the evacuation of the Crimea were thoroughly investigated after the operation, and the commanders-in-chief of the Heeresgruppen (Army Groups) and Armies gave the Kriegsmarine a negative performance evaluation. The commander-in-chief of the 17th Army, General der Infanterie (General of the Infantry) Karl Allmendinger, described the presentation of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross to Schulz and to Vizeadmiral (Vice-Admiral) Helmuth Brinkmann as a bitter outrage to every German soldier who had fought on the Peninsula. In a letter to the Heeresgruppe Südukraine (Army Group South Ukraine), they accused the naval leadership of providing deliberate misinformation, of panicking and disorganization.

Awards

 * Iron Cross (1914)
 * 2nd Class
 * 1st Class
 * Honour Cross for Combatants
 * Anschluss Medal
 * Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle Bar
 * Spanish Cross in Bronze
 * Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (15 April 1940)
 * 1st Class
 * War Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords (30 January 1942)
 * Naval Artillery War Badge (1944)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 May 1944 as Konteradmiral and Seekommandant Krim (sea commander Crimea)