Date of birth:

June 22nd, 1901 (Dieburg/Hesse, Germany)

Date of death:

March 3rd, 1959 (Schorndorf/Baden-Württemberg, Germany)

Nationality:

German

Promotions:
01.12.1924 : Oberschützen
23.09.1927 : Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier
01.12.1927 : Gefreiter
01.04.1928 : Unteroffizier
01.04.1930 : Unterfeldwebel
01.12.1930 : Oberfeldwebel
09.09.1934 : Leutnant
20.01.1935 : Oberleutnant
01.08.1935 : Hauptmann
20.11.1940 : Major
04.08.1942 : Oberstleutnant
01.02.1943 : Oberst (RDA: -83-).

Career:
September 1st, 1939: Chef, 14. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 41;
January 26th, 1940: Kommandeur, III. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 41;
September 9th, 1940: Kommandeur, III. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 85;
October 5th, 1940: Kommandeur, III. Bataillon, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 85;
April 16th, 1942: Kommandeur, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 206.

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Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Unit:

Chef, 14. Kompanie, III. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 41, 10. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

September 4th, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Unit:

Kommandeur, III. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 41, 10. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

June 15th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Unit:

Kommandeur, III. Bataillon, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 85, 5. Gebirgs-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

May 1st, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Kommandeur, III. Bataillon, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 85, 5. Gebirgs-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

June 13th, 1941

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

“Major Esch has fought at the head of his Bataillon while showing great devotion to duty. With this unit he captured the northern slope of the Istibei on the 06.04.1941, held it against heavy enemy counterattacks for 17 hours and then captured every single remaining enemy bunker on the whole mountain in bitter combat on the following day.”

According to a evaluation report, the awarding took place on June 22nd, 1941.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 10th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 15th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

March 22nd, 1944

with oak leaves

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 206, 7. Gebirgs-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

January 13th, 1945

• Photo 1: (Public Domain)
• - PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
  - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945.
  - Vortragsnotiz, Ag P1 Chefgruppe, 2 Februar 1945.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002