Eccard Freiherr von Gablenz

Eccard Freiherr von Gablenz
Born	26 January 1891 Königsberg, Province of East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire now Kaliningrad, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russian Federation
Died	Rheinbach, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1910–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	32. Infanterie-Division 7. Infanterie-Division XXVII. Armeekorps 384. Infanterie-Division 404. Infanterie-Division 232. Infanterie-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Battle of Stalingrad Italian Campaign Battle of Monte Castello
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Eccard Freiherr von Gablenz (26 January 1891 (Konigsberg) – 17 December 1978 (Rheinbach)) was a German general who commanded several divisions during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which he earned in 1940. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. As head of the Wehrmacht Heer's 384th Infantry Division, he was flown out of the Stalingrad pocket in December 1942, shortly before the division's destruction. A contemporary Soviet press report described him as having liked his peacetime comforts, such as requiring a nap on a soft bed after every dinner. Generalleutnant Gablenz was captured in 1945, but was released from Allied captivity in 1947.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Eastern Front Medal
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 15 August 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of 7. Infanterie-Division

Footnotes

• ^a Regarding personal names: Freiherr is a former title (translated as Baron). In Germany since 1919, it forms part of family names. The feminine forms are Freifrau and Freiin.

See also

• List of officers and commanders in the Battle of Stalingrad

References

Bibliography

• The Advertiser, Adelaide, Jan 16, 1943, p. 1. "Nazi Leaders Outguessed"

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945
• The Advertiser (Adelaide)

Military offices
Preceded by Generalleutnant Franz Böhme	Commander of 32. Infanterie-Division 1 October 1939 – 1 December 1939	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Franz Böhme
Preceded by ?	Commander of 7. Infanterie-Division 1 December 1939 – 13 December 1941	Succeeded by Generalmajor Hans Jordan
Preceded by General der Infanterie Alfred Wäger	Commander of XXVII. Armeekorps 24 December 1941 – 3 January 1942	Succeeded by General der Infanterie Joachim Witthöft
Preceded by Generalleutnant Kurt Hoffman	Commander of 384. Infanterie-Division 13 February 1942 – 16 January 1943	Succeeded by Generalmajor Hans Dorr