Eberhard Stephan

Eberhard Stephan
Born	7 July 1910 Eichholz
Died	22 October 2008 (aged 98) Herrsching am Ammersee
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1929–45 1956–64
Rank	Major (Wehrmacht) Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Commands held	Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 116
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Invasion of Yugoslavia Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) First Battle of Kharkov Battle of Stalingrad Battle of Kursk Battle of Normandy Falaise pocket Battle of Aachen Battle of the Bulge Ruhr Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Eberhard Stephan (7 July 1910 – 22 October 2008) was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II and an Oberstleutnant in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Eberhard Stephan was captured by American troops in 1945. He later joined the Bundeswehr in 1956, retiring in 1964.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
  • in Gold
• Eastern Front Medal
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (25 December 1944)
• German Cross in Gold on 23 March 1944 as Hauptmann in Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 January 1945 as Major and commander of Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 116^[2]

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 459.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 333.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945