Date of birth:

April 9th, 1886 (Munich/Bavaria, Germany)

Date of death:

November 27th, 1971 (Karlsruhe/Baden-Württemberg, Germany)

Nationality:

German

Promotions:
July 22nd, 1904: Fahnenjunker;
March 6th, 1906: Leutnant;
June 25th, 1913: Oberleutnant;
November 28th, 1914: Rittmeister;
November 1st, 1924: Major (RDA: March 1st,aart 1924);
October 1st, 1929: Oberstleutnant;
April 1st, 1932: Oberst;
January 1st, 1935: Generalmajor;
April 1st, 1937: Generalleutnant;
December 1st, 1940: General der Kavallerie.

Career:
July 22nd, 1904: 2. Königlich Bayerisches Ulanen-Regiment „König";
?: Kriegsschule München;
1910: 6. Königlich Bayerisches Chevaulegers-Regiment „Prinz Albrecht von Preußen";
October 1st, 1913: Bayerischen Kriegsakademie;
?: Ordonanzoffizier, III. Armeekorps;
?: Verbindungsoffizier, Reichswehrministerium, Berlin;
October 1st, 1923: Chef, 6. Eskadron, 17. (Bayer.) Reiter-Regiment;
1927: Stab, 7. Division;
1929: Stab, Artillerieführer VII;
September 1st, 1929: Kommandeur, 17. (Bayer.) Reiter-Regiment;
October 1st, 1932: Stab, 7. (Preuß.) Reiter-Regiment;
November 1st, 1932: Chef des Stabes, 1. Kavallerie-Division;
April 1st, 1934: Kommandeur, Kavallerie-Kommando Breslau;
May 1935: Artillerieführer III;
October 15th, 1935: Kommandeur, 8. Infanterie-Division;
October 1940: Kommandeur, Höheres Kommando LX;
March 1st, 1941: Führerreserve OKH;
April 1st, 1941: Kommandierender General, Höheres Kommando XXV, Generalgouvernement;
May 1941: Führereserve OKH;
July 1941: Kommandeur, Verbindungsstab Breslau;
May 1st, 1942: Kommandierenden General, Stellvertretenden Generalkommando VIII. Armeekorps / Befehlshaber Wehrkreis VIII;
February 1945: Kommandierenden General, LVI. Panzerkorps;
April 1945: Führerreserve OKH / Stab Oberbefehlshaber West;
May 6th, 1945: m.d.F.b. 1. Armee;
May 1945 - 1948: POW.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Generalleutnant (Major-general)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 8. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

June 24th, 1940

The following wartime excerpt (dated 30.08.1940) describes why Koch-Erpach received the Knight’s Cross…

“Generalleutnant Koch-Erpach’s bold aggressiveness in the field enabled an Infanterie-Regiment of his Division to succeed in creating a bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Oise River on the 12.06.1940. A decisive penetration into the strongly fortified Oise position was successfully carried out from this bridgehead on the very same evening. During this operation, after the first crossing attempt had failed, Generalleutnant Koch personally brought a Pak into position at a homestead and used it to knock out an occupied bunker on the opposite bank of the river. This attack across the Oise delivered a fatal blow to the cornerstone of the Paris defensive position and thus contributed to the swift fall of the French capital city.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

General der Kavallerie (Lieutenant-General of Cavalry)

Unit:

Befehlshaber, Wehrkreis VIII, Heer

Awarded on:

November 24th, 1944

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Russ Nummer
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
  - General der Kavallerie Rudolf Koch-Erpach - Lexikon der Wehrmacht
  - Die Tapfersten