Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

11. / Infanterie-Regiment 520

Awarded on:

December 9th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Kommandeur III. / Grenadier-Regiment 521

Awarded on:

December 7th, 1943

Eckardt’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“On the 20.09.1943 the Regiment secured the village of Petschnaja Ssloboda towards the north with weak elements of the Stabskompanie, 14./Grenadier-Regiment 521, 1./Panzerjäger-Abteilung 296 as well as the Abteilung staff and 8. Batterie of the III./Artillerie-Regiment 296. At 08:30 on this day the enemy attacked this place with overwhelming forces from the north and northeast, which initially comprised about 500 men. Despite bitter friendly resistance they entered into the north and northeastern parts of the village.

At this time Major Eckardt was with the III. Bataillon, and was moved from his other mission from Norino to Petschnaja Ssloboda. He immediately recognized the dangerous situation and immediately deployed his Bataillon from the march for an attack against Petschnaja Ssloboda. Major Eckardt led at the head of his Bataillon, and his outstanding example motivated his men to follow him into the east and northeastern part of the village. The enemy were ejected from the village after bitter urban combat in which Major Eckardt personally participated with his machine-pistol and grenades.

After the regimental commander had fallen out Major Eckardt took over leadership of the Regiment and held the village against all further attacks of an enemy regiment. By the time the enemy’s offensive power was finally broken at around 15:00 the Soviets had lost the following destroyed or captured:

1 artillery piece
1 anti-tank gun
1 light and 2 heavy mortars
12 heavy machine-guns
18 light machine-guns
25 machine pistols
~150 rifles.

The enemy also left 480 dead on the battlefield.

Major Eckardt prevented the enemy’s thrust against the retreat route of the Korps (which ran from Norino towards the west) through his decisiveness and outstanding devotion to duty. In doing so he achieved a decisive success for the planned course of the Korps’ withdrawal movement.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)