Harald Freiherr von Elverfeldt

Harald Freiherr von Elverfeldt
Born (1900-02-06)6 February 1900
Hildesheim
Died 6 March 1945(1945-03-06) (aged 45)
Cologne
Buried at Cemetery of Hildesheim
Allegiance  German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer
Years of service 1918–45
Rank Generalleutnant (Posthumously)
Commands held 9th Panzer Division
Battles/wars

World War I

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Harald Freiherr von Elverfeldt[a] (6 February 1900 – 6 March 1945) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 9 Panzer Division. 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.

Biography

Harald Freiherr von Elverfeldt was born in 1900 in Hildesheim, the son of Major Ferdinand Johann Georg von Elverfeldt, who was attached to the Imperial Embassy in St. Petersburg. On March 25, 1918, in the final year of the First World War, Elverfeldt secured his patent as a Fähnrich in the 1st Foot Guards Regiment, was rushed through an officer's training course, and sent into combat. He was wounded in May 1918 and was awarded the Iron Cross II. After the war he remained in the 100,000-man Reichswehr and was promoted to Leutnant on November 24, 1919. He married Elizabeth von Berg in 1923, and they had two daughters, the first in 1924 and the second in 1929. Elverfeldt was promoted to Oberleutnant I n 1926, Hauptmann in 1933, and Major in 1937. He served in the 3rd Light Division during the Polish Campaign and was awarded the Iron Cross I and the clasp to the Iron Cross II. He was promoted to Oberstleutnant on November 1, 1939.

Elverfeldt then participated in the Battle of France and Operation Barbarossa. In March 1942 he was promoted to Oberst and was awarded the German Cross in Gold. Throughout the rest 1942 and early 1943 he participated in several anti-partisan operations (Operation Eisvogel (Operation Common Kingfisher) and Operation Zigeunerbaron (Operation Gypsy Baron). In September 1943 he was promoted to the rank of Generalmajor and served in the Crimea. In September 1944, after the 9th Panzer Division had fought in Normandy, Harald von Elverfeldt was given command of the division and commanded it until December 28, 1944, and then again from February 1945 until he was killed in action in March 1945. Elverfeldt was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on December 9, 1944, and was posthumously awarded Oak Leaves on March 23, 1945, along with a promotion to Generalleutnant.

Medals and Decorations

Dates of Rank

Footnotes

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Thomas 1997, p. 153.
  2. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 102.
  3. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 145.
  4. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 83.

Bibliography

  • Mitcham, Samuel W. Jr. 2008."Panzer Commanders of the Western Front:German Tank Generals in WWII". Mechanicsburg PA, USA.StackPole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3507-0.
  • 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. 

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Generalmajor Gerhard Müller		 Commander of 9th Panzer Division
16 September 1944 – 28 December 1944 		Succeeded by
Generalmajor Friedrich Wilhelm von Mellenthin
Preceded by
Generalmajor Friedrich Wilhelm von Mellenthin		 Commander of 9th Panzer Division
February 1945 – 6 March 1945 		Succeeded by
Oberst Helmut Zollenkopf
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