Erwin Engelbrecht
Encyclopedia
Erwin Engelbrecht was a German military officer.
In January 1939 Engelbrecht was promoted to General, in September 1942 to General of the Artillery
. During 1939 - 1942 he was the commander of the 163rd Infantry Division (Engelbrecht Division); later he was assigned to special forces.
In 1940, on board the German cruiser Blücher
, he led the staff of the forces designated to occupy Oslo
. When the ship was sunk, he managed to escape.
In 1941 his division was allowed to cross Sweden
to join Finnish forces in Karelia
, the only such large scale transit at the time. (See the transit of German troops through Scandinavia
for details.)
Engelbrecht was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
(Ritterkreuz).
In January 1939 Engelbrecht was promoted to General, in September 1942 to General of the Artillery
General of the Artillery (Germany)
General of the artillery may mean:#a rank of general in the Imperial Army, Reichswehr or Wehrmacht - the second-highest regular rank below Generaloberst. Cavalry officers of equivalent rank were called general of the cavalry, and infantry officers of equivalent rank general of the infantry...
. During 1939 - 1942 he was the commander of the 163rd Infantry Division (Engelbrecht Division); later he was assigned to special forces.
In 1940, on board the German cruiser Blücher
German cruiser Blücher
Blücher was the second of five heavy cruisers of the German Kriegsmarine, built after the rise of the Nazi Party and the repudiation of the Treaty of Versailles. Named for Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, the victor of the Battle of Waterloo, the ship was laid down in August 1936 and launched in...
, he led the staff of the forces designated to occupy Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. When the ship was sunk, he managed to escape.
In 1941 his division was allowed to cross Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
to join Finnish forces in Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
, the only such large scale transit at the time. (See the transit of German troops through Scandinavia
Transit of German troops through Scandinavia (WWII)
The matter of German troop transfer through Finland and Sweden during World War II was one of the more controversial aspects of modern Scandinavian history beside Finland's co-belligerence with Nazi Germany in the Continuation War, and the export of Swedish iron ore during World War II.The Swedish...
for details.)
Engelbrecht was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(Ritterkreuz).