Lorenz, Karl

Date of birth:: January 24th, 1904 (Hanau am Main/Hesse-Nassau, Germany)
Date of death:: October 3rd, 1964 (Bad Godesberg-Mehlem/North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Promotions:
April 1st, 1924: Offiziersanwärter;
1926: Fähnrich;
1927: Oberfähnrich;
April 1st, 1928: Leutnant;
January 1st, 1932: Oberleutnant;
October 1st, 1935: Hauptmann;
January 1st, 1941: Major;
February 1st, 1943: Oberstleutnant;
August 1st, 1943: Oberst;
November 1st, 1944: Generalmajor .

Career:
April 1st, 1924: Offiziersanwärter, 3. (Preuß.) Pionier-Bataillon;
April 1st, 1928: Kompanieoffizier, 3. (Preuß.) Pionier-Bataillon;
1930: Nachrichten-Offizier, 3. (Preuß.) Pionier-Bataillon;
April 1st, 1931: Adjutant, 3. (Preuß.) Pionier-Bataillon;
October 1st, 1934: Kompaniechef, 3. (Preuß.) Pionier-Bataillon;
October 1st, 1935: Adjutant, Höheren Pionieroffizier 2;
November 10th, 1938: Chef, 1. Kompanie, Pionier-Bataillon 18;
February 1st, 1940: Kommandeur, Pionier-Bataillon 290;
March 1st, 1942: Wounded in Lazerett;
August 1st, 1942: Kommandeur, Pionier-Bataillon "Großdeutschland";
December 1st, 1942: Kommandeur, Grenadier-Regiment "Großdeutschland";
August 1st, 1944: Führerreserve;
August 7th, 1944 - September 2nd, 1944: 13. Divisionsführer-Lehrgang, Hirschberg;
September 1st, 1944: mit der Führung Beauftragt, Panzergrenadier-Division „Großdeutschland";
November 1st, 1944: Kommandeur Panzergrenadier-Division „Großdeutschland";
May 10th, 1945 - March 19th, 1948: Brits Krijgsgevangenschap;
1957: Führungsstab des Technischen Hilfswerk (THW);
? - October 3rd, 1964: Referent Schwimmbrückenbau, Führungsstab des Technischen Hilfswerk (THW).

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Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:: Chef, 1. Kompanie, Pionier-Bataillon 18, 18. Infanterie-Division, Heer
Awarded on:: September 23rd, 1939

Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:: Kommandeur, Pionier-Bataillon 290, 290. Infanterie-Division, Heer
Awarded on:: June 24th, 1940

Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Major
Unit:: Kommandeur, Pionier-Bataillon 290, 290. Infanterie-Division, Heer
Awarded on:: January 2nd, 1942

Award 44/36.

Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Major
Unit:: Kommandeur, Pionier-Bataillon "Großdeutschland", Infanterie-Division „Großdeutschland“, Heer
Awarded on:: August 25th, 1942

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Major
Unit:: Kommandeur, Pionier-Bataillon "Großdeutschland", Infanterie-Division „Großdeutschland“, Heer
Awarded on:: December 17th, 1942

The following divisional order of the day describes how Lorenz would be decorated with the Knight’s Cross…

“The Führer and Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht has awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross to Major Lorenz, commander of the Pionier-Bataillon ‘Großdeutschland’.

On the 02.12.1942, after days of the heaviest defensive fighting with completely exhausted troops (most of whom were drawn from supply units), Major Lorenz held the main line of resistance against overwhelming numbers of fresh enemy units despite being wounded himself. Then, on his own initiative, he carried out a successful counterattack with 3 recently arrived assault guns. This attack significantly improved our main line of resistance and averted a very serious threat to our supply road.

This decoration does honour to the exemplary personal action and the outstanding bravery of this outstanding officer.

I know that others will follow the five soldiers who have won this high decoration since the commitment of the Infanterie-Division ‘Grossdeutschland’ by doing their best.”

Mentioned unit was that he served at the time of the action, at the time of the presentation, Kalr Lorenz already served as Kommandeur, Grenadier-Regiment "Großdeutschland".

Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberst (Colonel)
Unit:: Kommandeur, Grenadier-Regiment "Großdeutschland", Panzergrenadier-Division „Großdeutschland“, Heer
Awarded on:: February 12th, 1944

The following report describes how Lorenz would be decorated with the Oakleaves…

“Oberst Lorenz receives the Oakleaves: Führerhauptquartier, 26.02.1944

The Führer awarded the Oakleaves to the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross to Oberst Karl Lorenz, commander of the Grenadier-Regiment ‘Großdeutschland’, on the 12.02.1944 as the 395th soldier of the German Wehrmacht to be so honoured.

Oberst Lorenz received the Knight’s Cross at the start of 1943 while serving as Major and commander of the Pionier-Bataillon ‘Großdeutschland’ for his bravery in the fighting south of Toropez. Subsequently, during the year 1943, he repeatedly demonstrated his military leadership qualities in an outstanding fashion. During the defensive battles in February around Kharkov, the counterattack in the area near Achtyrka, the retreat battles to the Dnieper and the defense west of the Dnieper, he mastered quite a few critical situations through his bravery, exemplary calm and superior leadership.

When the enemy penetrated into the positions of the Grenadier-Regiment ‘Großdeutschland’ on the 17.11.1943 northeast of Krivoi Rog with about 60 tanks, Lorenz conducted a counterattack with a group of Tiger tanks. These destroyed the bulk of the attacking Soviet tanks. Then he launched a counterthrust with a Pak and 15 men of his Stabskompanie, destroying 2 enemy tanks and throwing back the far numerically superior enemy infantry. Over the course of the whole rest of the day every strong attack of the Bolsheviks was repulsed from the recaptured positions. This was first and foremost thanks to the tireless intervention of Oberst Lorenz, who rushed from one strongpoint to another under the heaviest fire and inspired the hard pressed Grenadiers to greater achievements.”

395th Award.