Corporal Matthäus Hetzenauer

Corporal Matthäus Hetzenauer (1924-2004) was an Austrian sniper in the German 3rd Mountain Division on the Eastern Front during WW II. Although some NAZI snipers are thought to be fictional, he was credited with 345 sniper kills. His longest confirmed kill was reported at 1,200 yards. After completing basic training in 1943, Hetzenauer trained as a sniper during March to July 1944 at the Truppenübungsplatz Seetaler-Alpe in Steiermark, before being assigned as a Corporal to the 3rd Mountain Division. He utilised both a Karabiner 98k sniper variant with 6x telescopic sight and a Gewehr 43 with ZF4 4x telescopic sight. He saw action against Soviet forces in the Carpathians, Hungary, and Slovakia.




On November 6, 1944, he suffered a head wound from Soviet artillery fire and was awarded the black Wound Badge. Hetzenauer received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on April 17, 1945, awarded to recognize his numerous sniper kills.

Hetzenauer was captured by Soviet troops the following month (May 1945) and served 5 years in appalling conditions in a Soviet prison camp. He died in October 2004 after several years of deteriorating health.

His other awards included: The 1939 Iron Cross, 1st and 2nd Class, the Infantry Assault Badge, the Sniper's Badge in gold (one of only three recipients), and the Close Combat Clasp (class unknown).


Knights Cross of the Iron Cross and the Iron Cross First Class

Iron Cross Second Class and Black Wound Badge

Sniper's Badge 3rd Grade in Gold and Infantry Assault Badge

Close Combat Badge Gold Class*
* - The actual class awarded to Corporal Hetzenauer is undetermined.

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