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Walther, Erich

    Date of birth:
    August 5th, 1903 (Gorden-Liebenwerda/Saxony, Germany)
    Date of death:
    December 26th, 1948 (Lager Weimar-Buchenwald/Thuringia, Germany)
    Nationality:
    German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

    Biography

    Died on 26th December 1948 in Soviet imprisonment in POW camp Weimar near Buchenwald.

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    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    April 18th, 1940
    Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    April 26th, 1940
    Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Major
    Unit:
    Kommandeur, I. Bataillon, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1, 7. Flieger-Division, Luftwaffe
    Awarded on:
    May 24th, 1940
    Awarded for the following actions...
    1) His bold maneuvers with the reinforced 2./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 towards Hamar and Elverum that disrupted the Norwegian mobilization efforts and thus greatly aided the German effort.
    2) Capturing the bridges at Dordrecht and holding them against repeated counterattacks until the arrival of friendly German forces.

    39th Award.
    Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

    Award 2/32.
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Oberst
    Unit:
    Kommandeur Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4 / 1.Fallschirmjäger-Division / XIV.Armee-Korps / 10.Armee / Heeresgruppe C
    Awarded on:
    March 2nd, 1944
    Awarded for the following actions...
    1) Capturing a critical section of the railway line transporting Swedish iron ore to Norway with 2 companies of his battalion and 4 companies of Marines.
    2) Holding the Simeto bridges in Sicily for three days against strong allied pressure with his Kampfgruppe.

    411th Award.
    Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Oberst
    Unit:
    Führer Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Division 2 "Hermann Göring" / Fallschirm-Panzer-Korps „Hermann Göring“ / 4.Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
    Awarded on:
    February 1st, 1945
    Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern
    Awarded for the successful leadership of his Division in the battles in East Prussia. This was both in the first battle of East Prussia (from the Gumbinnen—Ebenrode road to Großwaltersdorf), as well as the second battle of East Prussia beginning on 13.01.1945. In this second battle the Division resisted days of repeated Soviet breakthrough attempts.

    131st Award.

    Sources

    Photo