Fritz Ehrath
Encyclopedia
Fritz Ehrath was a Obersturmbannführer
(Lieutenant Colonel) in the Waffen SS during World War II
who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. Which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
during World War II.
. After he finished school he joined the NSDAP in June 1930, (party number 258.326) he was also one of the early members of the SS, volunteering to join in November 1930 (SS number 6.605).
In November 1931, he was promoted to Scharführer
(Sergeant) and then to (Staff Sergeant)Oberscharführer
in January 1934. He was then selected to become an officer and promoted to Sturmführer
(Second Lieutenant) in June 1934.
(Captain) by the start of World War II and had been given command of the 11th Company, SS Standarte Deutschland
SS-VT during the Polish Campaign with Panzer Division Kempf where he was awarded the Iron Cross
2nd class in September 1939 and the Iron Cross 1st class in October 1939.
After a short period in Berlin
attached to the command Waffen SS, he was posted in February 1941 to command the I.Battalion, SS Infantry Regiment Der Führer in the Das Reich Division.
He was promoted to Sturmbannführer
(Major) the day before the invasion of the Soviet Union
(Operation Barbarossa
) in June 1941 in which he took part.
He was awarded the German Cross
in Gold on 10 January 1943, while still in command of the I.Btn, SS Regiment Der Führer. His promotion to Obersturmbannführer
(Lieutenant Colonel) was announced in May 1943. He was awarded the Knights Cross while in command of the 9th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Germania
in February 1944.
Ehrath was next posted to the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking as the commander of the 10th Panzer Grenadier Regiment Westland
in May 1944.
Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer was a paramilitary Nazi Party rank used by both the SA and the SS. It was created in May 1933 to fill the need for an additional field grade officer rank above Sturmbannführer as the SA expanded. It became an SS rank at the same time...
(Lieutenant Colonel) in the Waffen SS during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
who 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...
. Which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II.
Early life
Fritz Ehrath was born on the 9 August 1909, in KarlsruheKarlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
. After he finished school he joined the NSDAP in June 1930, (party number 258.326) he was also one of the early members of the SS, volunteering to join in November 1930 (SS number 6.605).
In November 1931, he was promoted to Scharführer
Scharführer
Scharführer was a Nazi Party title that was used by several paramilitary organizations from 1925 to 1945. Translated as “Squad Leader”, the title of Scharführer can trace its origins to the First World War, where a Scharführer was often a Sergeant or Corporal who commanded special action or shock...
(Sergeant) and then to (Staff Sergeant)Oberscharführer
Oberscharführer
Oberscharführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that existed between the years of 1932 and 1945. Translated as “Senior Squad Leader”, Oberscharführer was first used as a rank of the Sturmabteilung and was created due to an expansion of the enlisted positions required by growing SA membership...
in January 1934. He was then selected to become an officer and promoted to Sturmführer
Sturmführer
Sturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party which began as a title used by the Sturmabteilung in 1925 and became an actual SA rank in 1928...
(Second Lieutenant) in June 1934.
World War II
Fritz Ehrath had risen to the rank of HauptsturmführerHauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...
(Captain) by the start of World War II and had been given command of the 11th Company, SS Standarte Deutschland
Deutschland
Deutschland is the German language word for Germany.Deutschland may also refer to:, a blockade-breaking German cargo submarine used during World War I, first of the 1930s Panzerschiffe , later renamed Lützow; involved in the 1937 Deutschland incident, a steamship wrecked in 1875 and commemorated in...
SS-VT during the Polish Campaign with Panzer Division Kempf where he was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
2nd class in September 1939 and the Iron Cross 1st class in October 1939.
After a short period in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
attached to the command Waffen SS, he was posted in February 1941 to command the I.Battalion, SS Infantry Regiment Der Führer in the Das Reich Division.
He was promoted to Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
(Major) the day before the invasion of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
) in June 1941 in which he took part.
He was awarded the German Cross
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold on 10 January 1943, while still in command of the I.Btn, SS Regiment Der Führer. His promotion to Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer was a paramilitary Nazi Party rank used by both the SA and the SS. It was created in May 1933 to fill the need for an additional field grade officer rank above Sturmbannführer as the SA expanded. It became an SS rank at the same time...
(Lieutenant Colonel) was announced in May 1943. He was awarded the Knights Cross while in command of the 9th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Germania
Germania
Germania was the Greek and Roman geographical term for the geographical regions inhabited by mainly by peoples considered to be Germani. It was most often used to refer especially to the east of the Rhine and north of the Danube...
in February 1944.
Ehrath was next posted to the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking as the commander of the 10th Panzer Grenadier Regiment Westland
Westland (Nazi propaganda)
This article is about the Nazi propaganda term used for the Netherlands. For other uses, see Westland .Westland is the name which the government of Nazi Germany intended to replace that of the Netherlands with during its 1940-1945 occupation of that country...
in May 1944.
Commands
- 11th Company, SS Standarte Deutschland 1936 - 1940
- I.Battalion 4th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Der Führer 1941 - 1942
- III.Battalion, 3rd SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Deutschland 1942 - 1942
- I.Battalion, 3rd SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Deutschland 1942 - 1943
- 9th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Germania 1943 - 1944
- 10th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Westland 1944