Erich Buschenhagen

Erich Buschenhagen
Born	8 December 1895 Strassburg
Died	13 September 1994 (aged 98) Kronberg
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	15. Infanterie Division LII. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Annexation of Austria Annexation of the Sudetenland Invasion of Poland Operation Weserübung Lower Dnieper Offensive Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive Jassy–Kishinev Offensive (August 1944)
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Erich Buschenhagen (8 December 1895 – 13 September 1994) was a German general who commanded the LII Corps during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. 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. Erich Buschenhagen was captured by Soviet troops in August 1944 after the Jassy–Kishinev Offensive (August 1944) and was held until October 1955.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (22 November 1914)^[1]
  • 1st Class (7 October 1917)^[1]
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Anschluss Medal
• Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle Bar
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (17 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (26 September 1939)^[1]
• Order of the Cross of Liberty, 1st class with Swords (26 October 1941)
• German Cross in Gold on 19 July 1942 as Generalmajor in AOK Norwegen^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 5 December 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 15. Infanterie Division^[3]
  • 521st Oak Leaves on 4 July 1944 as General der Infanterie and commander of LII. Armeekorps^[4]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (12 May 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
12 May 1944	Bei der gestern gemeldeten Zerschlagung des feindlichen Brückenkopfes am unteren Dnjestr haben die unter Führung des General der Infanterie Buschenhagen stehenden Truppen sieben feindlichen Schützendivisionen sowie Teile einer Artillerie- und Flakdivision zerschlagen.[5]	In yesterday reported destruction of the enemy bridgehead at the lower Dniester, troops under the leadership of General of the Infantry Buschenhagen have smashed seven enemy infantry divisions and parts of artillery and anti aircraft divisions.

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 95.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 70.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 128.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 72.
5. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 101.

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.
• 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.

External links

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