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Tiburzy, Ernst

Date of birth:
December 26th, 1911 (Drosdowen/Eastprussia, Germany)
Date of death:
November 14th, 2004 (Papenburg/Lowersaxony, Germany)
Nationality:
German

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
February 3rd, 1945
Mentioning:
"In the tough defensive battles around the outer defensive ring of Königsberg the battery commander in the Volkssturm Ernst Tilbursy destroyed five Soviet tanks with the Panzerfaust (bazooka)."
Wehrmachtbericht
The following newspaper excerpt (dated 03.03.1945) describes why Tiburzy was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“First Volkssturm Knight’s Cross Holder:

The Bolsheviks had succeeded in achieving a penetration in the Königsberg area. In response a German Volkssturm Bataillon commander, SA-Hauptsturmführer Tiburzy (who had previously been badly wounded during the Eastern campaign), initiated a counterthrust at the head of a small shock troop. The Volkssturm managed to roll up the trench that had been occupied by the enemy with Panzerfausts and hand grenades. In the process Tiburzy destroyed 2 Soviet T-34s with Panzerfausts. Later, as the Soviets launched a new attack against the Volkssturm blocking position two days later with tanks and infantry, Tiburzy launched a counterattack with his Bataillon on his own initiative. In the fighting which followed he personally destroyed another 3 T-34s in close combat, and the situation was restored. For this reason the Hauptsturmführer was awarded the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross by the Führer.”
Goldenes SA-Sportabzeichen

Sources

Photo