Eccard Freiherr von Gablenz

Eccard Freiherr von Gablenz
Born	26 January 1891 Königsberg, Province of East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire now Kaliningrad, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russian Federation
Died	17 December 1978 (aged 87) Rheinbach, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1910–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	32. Infanterie-Division 7. Infanterie-Division XXVII. Armeekorps 384. Infanterie-Division 404. Infanterie-Division 232. Infanterie-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Battle of Stalingrad Italian Campaign Battle of Monte Castello
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Eccard Freiherr von Gablenz ^[a] (26 January 1891 (Konigsberg) – 17 December 1978 (Rheinbach)) was a German general who commanded several divisions during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which he earned in 1940. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. As head of the Wehrmacht Heer's 384th Infantry Division, he was flown out of the Stalingrad pocket in December 1942, shortly before the division's destruction. A contemporary Soviet press report described him as having liked his peacetime comforts, such as requiring a nap on a soft bed after every dinner. Generalleutnant Gablenz was captured in 1945, but was released from Allied captivity in 1947.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Eastern Front Medal
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 15 August 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of 7. Infanterie-Division ^[1]

Footnotes

• ^a Regarding personal names: Freiherr is a former title (translated as Baron), which is now legally a part of the last name. The feminine forms are Freifrau and Freiin.

See also

• List of officers and commanders in the Battle of Stalingrad

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 158.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). 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.
• 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.
• The Advertiser, Adelaide, Jan 16, 1943, p. 1. "Nazi Leaders Outguessed"

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945
• The Advertiser (Adelaide)