Berthold, Gerhard (31. Infanterie-Division)
- Date of birth:
- March 12th, 1891 (Schneeberg/Saxony, Germany)
- Date of death:
- April 14th, 1942 (Saizeva-Gora/Mahilyowskaya Oblast, Belarus)
- Buried on:
- German War Cemetery Dukhovshchina
Grave: UNK. - Nationality:
- German
Biography
Gerhold Berthold was Oberst with the Staff of Infanterie-Regiment 17 from November 10th 1938 till August 31st 1939. Between September 1st and November 30th 1939 he was the Kommandeur of Infanterie-Regiment 82. On December 1st he went back to the Infanterie-Regiment 17 as its Kommandeur. This function he held until August 14th 1941, after which date het was appointed to Kommandeur of the 31.Infanterie-Division on the 15th. This function he held until his death on April 14th 1942 in Saizeva-Gora (Airstrip Roslavl-Moskow). He was buried on the Honor field of the Infanterie-Regiment 17 in Korolevka (Airstrip Roslavl-Moskow). He was posthumous promoted to Generalleutnant.
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Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Awarded on:
- September 15th, 1939
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Awarded on:
- October 1st, 1939
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Generalmajor (Brigadier)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur, 31. Infanterie-Division, Heer
- Awarded on:
- December 4th, 1941
“At around 10:00 on the 06.10.1941, during the offensive battle around Briansk, Generalmajor Berthold received a message from Infanterie-Regiment 17 about a Russian tank attack in its sector. Moving with lightning speed, the divisional commander immediately drove forward to the battlefield through heavy artillery and MG fire in order to personally take over the conduct of combat in the area. A portion of Russian tanks were forced to pull back almost right from the start of their attack due to the calm and accurately directed friendly fire. Another portion of their forces were knocked out before the position, and the few that did pass through the lines were destroyed. The successful defense against this armoured attack can be attributed to the superior bravery of the divisional commander. He had personally directed the Panzerjäger-Abteilung and an 8.8 cm Flak gun to the battlefield near Shirjatino - while standing upright in his moving car! This independent resolve brought immediate and significant relief to the men of the Infanterie-Regiment 17, who were themselves quite hard-pressed at the start of the enemy’s attack. This attack was conducted by 52, 25 and 32 ton tanks of the Soviet 108th Tank Division.”
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
Sources
- Photo 1:
- - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
- THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio-Verlag, Osnabrück, 1987.
- Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
- "Grenadiere - Jäger" Quellen und Darstellungen zu einer Geschichte des Infanterie Regiments 17, Hrsg.: Regimentskameradschaft Infanterie-Regiment 17
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