Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff

Heinrich Otto Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff
Born 25 April 1893
Kamenz
Died 30 January 1946(1946-01-30) (aged 52)
Minsk, Belarus
Allegiance  German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer
Years of service 1913–33
1934–45
Rank Generalmajor
Commands held Infanterie-Regiment 171
Division Nr. 465
Battles/wars

World War I

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Spouse(s) Margaretha née Freiin von Hausen (1894–1963)
(m. 1922–1946; his death)[1]
Relations Werner von Erdmannsdorff (brother)

Heinrich Otto Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff[2] (25 April 1893 – 30 January 1946) was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II. 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. Von Erdmannsdorff, who was at that time commander of the so-called "Fortress Mogilev" was captured by Soviet troops in late June 1944 during the Mogilev Offensive. He was tried by a Soviet tribunal (the "Minsk Process") for crimes committed in Belarus along with 18 other officers, 14 of whom -among them von Erdmannsdorff - were sentenced to death on 29 January 1946.[3] The officers were hanged in public (with over 100,000 civilian spectators) in the horse racing venue of Minsk, on 30 January 1946.[4] He was the younger brother of General der Infanterie Werner von Erdmannsdorff.[1]

Awards and decorations

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Adelige Häuser A Band XXVII, Band 132 der Gesamtreihe, C. A. Starke Verlag, Limburg (Lahn) 2003, p. 318–319
  2. ↑ Thomas, Franz & Wegmann, Günter: Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht, 1939-1945 Band 3., Biblio Verlag, 1985, p. 30. (German)
  3. ↑ Generalmajor Eckart von Tschammer und Osten. Article at Lexicon der Wehrmacht (German) (information concerning the trial of the 13 generals)
  4. ↑ Der Minsker Prozess. Article at Hannesheer.de (German)
  5. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 147.

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

Military offices
Preceded by
none		 Commander of Division Nr. 465
29 September 1942 – 1 March 1944 		Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Kurt Hoffmann
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