Heinrich Eberbach
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Kurt Alfons Willy Eberbach (24 November 1895 – 13 July 1992) was a German
General der Panzertruppen in the German Army
of 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.
. As he spoke the Turkish language
, he served on the staff of the Turkish Eighth Army.
and in 1935 joined the German army (Heer). In 1937 he was promoted to Oberstleutnant
and in 1938 be became commander of Panzer-Regiment 35, part of the newly formed 4.Panzer-Division
under Generalmajor Georg-Hans Reinhardt
in Bamberg
.
in September 1939 by leading his Panzer-Regiment 35 into battles near Łódź and into Warsaw
.
During the 1940, still in command of Panzer-Regiment, Battle of France
, Oberst
Eberbach supported General Manteuffel
's offensive across the Meuse River
in Flanders
then on into Lyon
.
Eberbach was still in command of Panzer-Regiment 35 at the start of the June 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union
, but was promoted 6-weeks later to commander of the 5.Panzer-Brigade in Generaloberst Guderian
's XXIV.Panzer-Korps. By March 1942 he had been promoted to Major General and made commander of the 4.Panzer-Division in Tula, Russia
. Later he became commander of the XLVIII.Panzer-Korps
operating near Kiev.
In late November 1942 Eberbach was wounded near Stalingrad and hospitalized until February. Shortly thereafter he became Inspector of the Armored Troops in the Home Army, awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
and promoted to Lieutenant General.
In November 1943 Eberbach became commander of the Army Group Nikopol and fought in battles around Zhitomir
in the Soviet Union
. In December he incurred a kidney illness and was later made Inspector of Panzer Troops.
In early 1944 Eberbach was promoted to the rank of General der Panzertruppen. During the Normandy invasion, he fought against the British landings along the 'Juno' and 'Sword' beaches. In July he took command of "Panzer Group West" in the Caen area and after a reorganization his unit was redesignated Fifth Panzer Army. In August he formed Panzergruppe Eberbach in 7.Armee
during his failed attempt to recapture Avranches
and later became commander of 7.Armee itself.
"On or about 1 Aug 44, Gen Warlimont, of OKW, arrived at my headquarters to get a closer view of the situation ... I told him I considered it [the Mortain attack] hopeless because enemy air forces would soon stop the attack .... I further said that in my opinion the only possible solution was an immediate retreat to the Seine-Yonne line." [Heinrich Eberbach, Panzer Group Eberbach and the Falaise Encirclement,US Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle Barracks, PA, p. 9,10.] Falaise Gap However, German Gen. Walter Warlimont
rejected his withdrawal. On 31 August while out on a reconnaissance patrol, Eberbach was captured by the British at Amiens
.
. During the early 1950s he was active in advising on the redevelopment of the German army: Bundeswehr (see Searle's Wehrmacht Generals).
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
General der Panzertruppen in the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
of 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...
. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
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...
. 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.
World War I
During late 1914 Eberbach fought in France as a corporal, by February 1915 he was promoted to Lieutenant. During 1915 he was wounded twice in France, lost his nose due to a French bullet (a rubber replacement was made) and was captured by the French. In December 1916 he was exchanged for a French prisoner and by 1918 he was posted to PalestinePalestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. As he spoke the Turkish language
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
, he served on the staff of the Turkish Eighth Army.
Interwar period
During the 1920s Eberbach was an officer in the civilian police in WürttembergWürttemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
and in 1935 joined the German army (Heer). In 1937 he was promoted to Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
and in 1938 be became commander of Panzer-Regiment 35, part of the newly formed 4.Panzer-Division
German 4th Panzer Division
The German 4th Panzer Division was established in 1938. It participated in the 1939 invasion of Poland, the 1940 invasion of France, and the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union. It remained on the Eastern Front, mainly under Army Group Centre, until it was trapped on the coast at Courland in the...
under Generalmajor Georg-Hans Reinhardt
Georg-Hans Reinhardt
Georg-Hans Reinhardt was a German general of World War II. He commanded Third Panzer Army from 1941 to 1944, and Army Group Centre in 1944 and 1945. His highest rank was Generaloberst . He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
in Bamberg
Bamberg
Bamberg is a city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from...
.
World War II
Eberbach participated in the German Invasion of PolandInvasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
in September 1939 by leading his Panzer-Regiment 35 into battles near Łódź and into Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
.
During the 1940, still in command of Panzer-Regiment, Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
Eberbach supported General Manteuffel
Hasso von Manteuffel
Hasso-Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel was a German soldier and liberal politician of the 20th century.He served in both world wars, and during World War II was a distinguished general...
's offensive across the Meuse River
Meuse River
The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...
in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
then on into Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
.
Eberbach was still in command of Panzer-Regiment 35 at the start of the June 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union
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...
, but was promoted 6-weeks later to commander of the 5.Panzer-Brigade in Generaloberst Guderian
Heinz Guderian
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was a German general during World War II. He was a pioneer in the development of armored warfare, and was the leading proponent of tanks and mechanization in the Wehrmacht . Germany's panzer forces were raised and organized under his direction as Chief of Mobile Forces...
's XXIV.Panzer-Korps. By March 1942 he had been promoted to Major General and made commander of the 4.Panzer-Division in Tula, Russia
Tula, Russia
Tula is an industrial city and the administrative center of Tula Oblast, Russia. It is located south of Moscow, on the Upa River. Population: -History:...
. Later he became commander of the XLVIII.Panzer-Korps
German XLVIII Panzer Corps
The XLVIII Panzer Corps , originally called the XLVIII Motorized Corps, was a corps level formation of the German Heer which saw extensive action on both the eastern and western fronts during World War II.-History:The corps was originally formed on 15 December 1940 in Germany as the XLVIII Motorized...
operating near Kiev.
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...
and promoted to Lieutenant General.
In November 1943 Eberbach became commander of the Army Group Nikopol and fought in battles around Zhitomir
Zhytomyr
Zhytomyr is a city in the North of the western half of Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Zhytomyr Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Zhytomyr Raion...
in 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....
. In December he incurred a kidney illness and was later made Inspector of Panzer Troops.
In early 1944 Eberbach was promoted to the rank of General der Panzertruppen. During the Normandy invasion, he fought against the British landings along the 'Juno' and 'Sword' beaches. In July he took command of "Panzer Group West" in the Caen area and after a reorganization his unit was redesignated Fifth Panzer Army. In August he formed Panzergruppe Eberbach in 7.Armee
German Seventh Army
The 7th Army was a World War I and World War II field army of the German land forces.-Origins:The 7th Army was activated in Stuttgart on August 25, 1939 with General Friedrich Dollmann in command. At the outbreak of the war, the 7th Army defended the German border and manned the Westwall in the...
during his failed attempt to recapture Avranches
Avranches
Avranches is a commune in the Manche department in the Basse-Normandie region in north-western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called Avranchinais.-History:...
and later became commander of 7.Armee itself.
"On or about 1 Aug 44, Gen Warlimont, of OKW, arrived at my headquarters to get a closer view of the situation ... I told him I considered it [the Mortain attack] hopeless because enemy air forces would soon stop the attack .... I further said that in my opinion the only possible solution was an immediate retreat to the Seine-Yonne line." [Heinrich Eberbach, Panzer Group Eberbach and the Falaise Encirclement,US Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle Barracks, PA, p. 9,10.] Falaise Gap However, German Gen. Walter Warlimont
Walter Warlimont
Walter Warlimont was a German officer known for his role in the OKW inner circle .-World War I:...
rejected his withdrawal. On 31 August while out on a reconnaissance patrol, Eberbach was captured by the British at Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
.
Post WWII
Eberbach was held in a prisoner-of-war camp until 1948 and shortly thereafter he became the director of a Protestant charityCharitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. During the early 1950s he was active in advising on the redevelopment of the German army: Bundeswehr (see Searle's Wehrmacht Generals).
Awards
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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....
(1914)- 2nd Class (12 October 1914)
- 1st Class (4 October 1917)
- Friedrich OrderFriedrich OrderThe Friedrich Order, German: "Friedrichs-Orden" or "Friedrichsorden" was an order of merit of the German Kingdom of Württemberg. It was instituted on the first of January 1830 by the second king of Württemberg, Wilhelm I in remembrance of his father, King Friedrich I.The order had one class...
2nd Class with Swords (10 May 1917) - Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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....
(1939)- 2nd Class (23 September 1939)
- 1st Class (2 October 1939)
- Panzer BadgePanzer BadgeThe Panzer Badge was a German medal awarded to armour troops during World War II. It was introduced during World War II in December 1939 .- History :The Tank Combat Badge, or Panzer Badge, first existed in the German Army during World War I, and was later...
in Silver (20 June 1940) - Eastern Front MedalEastern Front MedalThe Eastern Front Medal, , more commonly known as the Ostmedaille was instituted on May 26, 1942 to mark service on the German Eastern Front during the period November 15, 1941 to April 15, 1942...
(14 August 1942) - Honour Roll Clasp of the ArmyHonour Roll Clasp of the ArmyThe Honour Roll Clasp of the Army or Ehrenblatt des Heeres was a Decoration of Nazi Germany during World War II. The total number awarded was 4,556. -History:...
(8 December 1941) - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe 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...
with Oak Leaves- Knight's Cross on 4 July 1940 as OberstleutnantOberstleutnantOberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
and commander of Panzer-Regiment 35 - 42nd Oak Leaves on 31 December 1941 as OberstOberstOberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
and commander of the 5. Panzer-Brigade
- Knight's Cross on 4 July 1940 as Oberstleutnant