Erich Eberhardt
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Erich Eberhardt
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| File:ERICH Eberhardt.jpg | |
| Born | 1 October 1913 Wiesbaden, Germany |
| Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Lohrheim. Germany |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service/ |
 Waffen SS |
| Years of service | 1934–45 |
| Rank | Obersturmbannführer |
| Unit | 5th SS Division Wiking 7th SS Mountain Division Prinz Eugen 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class Eastern Front Medal 1941/42 |
Erich Eberhardt (1 October 1913 – 1 July 1965) was an Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant Colonel), in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.
Contents
Early life
Erich Eberhardt was born in Wiesbaden on the 1 October 1913. In 1931 he joined the Hamburg police force. He then was one of the early members of the SS, which he joined in 1934 and was given the SS service number 272 747, Nazi Party Number 4 178 022. His first unit was the 8th Company, SS Standarte Germania. In 1936 he was selected to become an officer and sent to the SS-Junkerschule at Braunschweig, being promoted to Untersturmführer (Second Lieutenant) upon graduation.[1]
World War II
At the start of World War II Eberhardt was a Hauptsturmführer (Captain) and company commander of the 12th Company, 9th SS Grenadier Regiment, SS Division Wiking.
During the invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa), he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class in July 1941 and the 1st class award in September 1941.[1]
Eberhardt was posted to the 7th SS Mountain Division Prinz Eugen between March 1942 to June 1943, as an officer of the General Staff. He was then posted as Ia (Chief of Operations[2]) to the General Staff of the 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf in October 1943 and was promoted to Obersturmbannführer (Major) in April 1944.[1]
Erich Eberhardt was awarded the Knight's Cross for his actions in July–August 1944 in the area of Grodno.[1]
The Totenkopf was in action until the last days of the war, when Eberhardt ordered the division to retreat to the west with the aim of surrendering to the American forces.[1]
Post war
After the war Eberhardt was active in HIAG, a lobby group and a revisionist veteran's organisation founded by former high-ranking Waffen-SS personnel in West Germany in 1951. After the death of the organisation's spokesman Kurt Meyer in 1961, Eberhardt assumed that role.[3]
Eberhardt died at Lohrheim on the 1 July 1965, from heart failure.[1]
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939)
- Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze (26 January 1942)[4]
- Eastern Front Medal (15 September 1942)[4]
- Order of Military Merit in Silver (15 March 1943)[4]
- Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir 2nd Class (20 April 1943)[4]
- War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords (30 January 1944)[4]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 August 1944 as SS-Obersturmbannführer and Ia (operations officer) of the 3. SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf"[5][6]
References
Citations
Bibliography
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Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of the 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf
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| Stab |
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| SS-Panzer-Regiment 3 "Totenkopf" |
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| SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 5 "Totenkopf" |
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| SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1 "Totenkopf" | ||
| SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 1 |
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| SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 6 "Theodor Eicke" |
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| SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 3 |
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| SS-(Panzer-)Artillerie-Regiment 3 |
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| SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 3 |
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| SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung(-Batterie) 3 | ||
| SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung "Totenkopf" | ||
| SS-Kradschützen-Bataillon "Totenkopf" later SS-Krad-Schützen-Regiment "Thule" |
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| SS-(Panzer-)Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3 | ||
| SS-Pionier-Bataillon 3 |
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| SS-Flak-Abteilung 3 | ||
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1Knight's Cross with SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 6 "Theodor Eicke", Oak Leaves with the Stab. 2Knight's Cross with SS-Artillerie-Regiment 3, Oak Leaves and Swords with the Stab. 3 Knight's Cross with the SS-Sturmgeschütz-Batterie, Oak Leaves with the SS-Panzer-Regiment 3 "Totenkopf". 4Knight's Cross with SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 3, Oak Leaves with SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 5 "Totenkopf" and Swords with the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich. 5Oak Leaves with the 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS. 6Knight's Cross with SS-Pionier-Bataillon 3, Oak Leaves with SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 6 "Theodor Eicke". 7Knight's Cross with the SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung "Totenkopf", Oak Leaves with the SS-Krad-Schützen-Regiment "Thule" and Swords with the 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel.
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