Date of birth:

March 21st, 1896 (Schön-Münzach, Germany)

Date of death:

April 15th, 1945 (missing near Görlitz/Saxony, Germany)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

During the First World War, Ens was Leutnant in the Baden Grenadier Regiment. During this war he received both Iron Crosses, the Knight cross with Swords to the House order of Hohenzollern, the Knight Cross of the Baden Karl Friedrich Verdienst Order, the Knight Cross 2nd class with Swords of the Baden Zähringen Lion and the Verwundeten Abzeichen in Silver.
Karl Ens finally reached the rank of Oberst during the Second World War. He was missing in action on 15th April 1945 and was formally declared dead by the AG Baiersbronn on 11th December 1957.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Kommandeur II. / Infanterie-Regiment 125

Awarded on:

May 14th, 1941

The following wartime excerpt describes why Ens would be awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“During the Regiment’s assault against the Rupel Position in the Struma valley (06.-10.04.1941), Major Ens led the eastern assault group, which was designated as the primary attacking formation. Despite the great defensive capabilities of these important positions Major Ens and his Bataillon succeeded in breaking through. Over the course of a night-long battle and a further advance, the Bataillon would go on to reach the extremely distant, ambitious attack objective in the rear of the enemy. Here Major Ens held out against several attacks by strong Greek forces despite a lack of ammunition and supplies, and from this point he established the decisive bridgehead for the breakthrough of the Struma valley.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

November 17th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Deruelle Christophe collection
• - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio Verlag, Bissendorf, 2003.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9