Erich Brandenberger

Erich Brandenberger
Erich Brandenberger (left) with Erich von Manstein in 1941
Born	15 July 1892 Augsburg, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire
Died	21 June 1955 (aged 62) Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Army
Rank	General der Panzertruppe
Commands held	8. Panzer-Division XXIX. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Adolf Robert Erich Brandenberger (15 July 1892 – 21 June 1955) was a German General der Panzertruppe. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

In World War I he served as an officer in the 6th Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment.

When World War II began Brandenberger was Chief of the General Staff of the XXIII Army Corps (16 September 1939 - 15 February 1941) on the West Wall.

He commanded 8th Panzer Division (20 February 1941 - 16 January 1943), LIX Army Corps (January — March 1943) and XXIX Army Corps (November 1943 - Jun 1944) on the Eastern Front.

In late 1944 and early 1945, he led the 7th Army on the Western Front during the German Ardennes Offensive. Captured by the Americans on 6 May 1945 while at duty in the 19th Army as a Commanding General. He was released from US captivity in 1948.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (21 October 1914)^[1]
  • 1st Class (7 September 1916)^[1]
• Military Merit Order, 4th class with Swords and Crown (Bavaria)
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Anschluss Medal
• West Wall Medal (22 November 1940)
• Clasp to the Iron Cross
  • 2nd Class (24 December 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (15 May 1940)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 15 July 1941 as Generalmajor and commander of the 8. Panzer-Division^[2]
  • 324th Oak Leaves on 12 November 1943 as General der Panzertruppe and commander of the XXIX. Armeekorps^[2]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (18 February 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
18 February 1944	In den schweren Kämpfen im Raum von Nikopol haben ostmärkische, bayerische, rheinisch-westfälische, sächsische, mecklenburgische, pommersche und ostpreußische Division unter dem Befehl des Generals der Gebirgstruppen Schörner und der Generale Brandenberger, Mieth und Kreysing in der Zeit vom 5. November 1943 bis 15 Februar 1944 in Angriff und Abwehr starke Durchbruchsversuche der Bolschewisten mit blanker Waffe verhindert und ihnen hohe Verluste zugefügt. Dabei wurden 1754 Panzer, 533 Geschütze, zahlreiche andere Waffen und sonstiges Kriegsgerät erbeutet oder vernichtet und 56 feindliche Flugzeuge durch Infanteriewaffen abgeschossen.[3]	In the heavy fighting in the area of Nikopol have the Ostmark, Bavaria, Rhineland-Westphalia, Saxony, Mecklenburg, Pomerania and East Prussia Division under the command of the General of Mountain Troops Schörner and the generals Brandenberger, Mieth and Kreysing in the time frame of 5 November 1943 to 15 February 1944 in offensive and defensive actions, prevented Bolsheviks attempts to break through with cold steel and inflicted heavy losses. Thereby have been captured or destroyed. 1754 tanks, 533 guns, many other weapons and other military equipment, 56 enemy aircraft have been shot down by infantry weapons.

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 71.
2. Scherzer 2007, p. 238.
3. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 37.

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.
• Schaulen, Fritjof (2003). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe I Abraham – Huppertz [Oak Leaves Bearers 1940 – 1945 Contemporary History in Color I Abraham – Huppertz] (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 978-3-932381-20-1.
• 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.
• Stockert, Peter (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 4 [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 4] (in German). Bad Friedrichshall, Germany: Friedrichshaller Rundblick. ISBN 978-3-932915-03-1.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.