Allegiance Nazi Germany Battles/wars World War II Battles and wars World War II Rank Obersturmbannfuhrer | Years of service 1934–45 Name Erich Eberhardt Service/branch Waffen-SS | |
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Iron Cross 1st Class
Iron Cross 2nd Class
Eastern Front Medal 1941/42 Died July 1, 1965, Lohrheim, Germany Unit 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking, 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen, 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf | ||
27 Wolfenstein II The New Colossus Mesquite Ubercommander Erich Eberhardt
Erich Eberhardt (1 October 1913 – 1 July 1965) was an Obersturmbannfuhrer (Lieutenant Colonel), in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.
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Early life
Erich Eberhardt was born in Wiesbaden on the 1 October 1913. In 1931 he joined the Hamburg police force. He then was one of the early members of the SS, which he joined in 1934 and was given the SS service number 272 747, Nazi Party Number 4 178 022. His first unit was the 8th Company, SS Standarte Germania. In 1936 he was selected to become an officer and sent to the SS-Junkerschule at Braunschweig, being promoted to Untersturmfuhrer (Second Lieutenant) upon graduation.
World War II
At the start of World War II Eberhardt was a Hauptsturmfuhrer (Captain) and company commander of the 12th Company, 9th SS Grenadier Regiment, SS Division Wiking.
During the invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa), he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class in July 1941 and the 1st class award in September 1941.
Eberhardt was posted to the 7th SS Mountain Division Prinz Eugen between March 1942 to June 1943, as an officer of the General Staff. He was then posted as Ia (Chief of Operations) to the General Staff of the 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf in October 1943 and was promoted to Obersturmbannfuhrer (Major) in April 1944.
Erich Eberhardt was awarded the Knight's Cross for his actions in July–August 1944 in the area of Grodno.
The Totenkopf was in action until the last days of the war, when Eberhardt ordered the division to retreat to the west with the aim of surrendering to the American forces.
Post war
After the war Eberhardt was active in HIAG, a lobby group and a revisionist veteran's organisation founded by former high-ranking Waffen-SS personnel in West Germany in 1951. After the death of the organisation's spokesman Kurt Meyer in 1961, Eberhardt assumed that role.
Eberhardt died at Lohrheim on the 1 July 1965, from heart failure.