Erwin Jollasse
Encyclopedia
Erwin Jollasse was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht
during World War II
who commanded several divisions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
During the Anschluss
, the annexation of Czechoslovakia and the Polish Campaign he was assigned to the West Wall. When the Wehrmacht invaded Holland he was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. During this campaign he was awarded the 1940 clasps to his Iron Cross I and II. In 1941 he was promoted to Oberst
(Colonel) and assigned to the 18th Panzer Division. On November 2, 1941 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
, for his actions in closing the Soviet pocket during the Battle of Kiev. He took command of the 9th Panzer Division on July, 22 1943 and held it til he was wounded in October, he later resumed command in November and held it to August 10, 1944 when he was wounded again. In late 1944 he was declared fit for limited service and was given a desk job at the Inspectorate of Panzer Troops. In March 1945 he was named to replace Maj. Gen Rudolf Goltzsch as commander of the 344th Volksgrenadier Division in Czechoslovakia, a command he held until April 30, 1945 when he and twenty-five other men broke out of the Soviet encirclement and eluded the Red and US Armies until June 8. He was released from prison on June 30, 1947 and died on March 14, 1987 in Kitzingen.
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
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 commanded several divisions. He was also a recipient of 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...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Biography
Erwin Jollasse was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1892. He entered the Imperial German Army in 1911 as a Fahnenjunker and was patented as a Leutnant on June 6, 1913. When World War I began he was in command of one of the companies of the 25th Reichsjager Regiment. He later became a gas warfare officer and a pilot observer in the air force. For his service in World War I he was awarded the Iron Cross I and II, as well as the Wound Badge. He left the armed forces at the end of the war and took a job as a civilian pilot. In 1933 he was commissioned as a Flieger Hauptmann (flight captain) in the new Luftwaffe. By 1934 he left the Luftwaffe and reentered the Army as a Hauptmann.During the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
, the annexation of Czechoslovakia and the Polish Campaign he was assigned to the West Wall. When the Wehrmacht invaded Holland he was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. During this campaign he was awarded the 1940 clasps to his Iron Cross I and II. In 1941 he was promoted to 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...
(Colonel) and assigned to the 18th Panzer Division. On November 2, 1941 he 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...
, for his actions in closing the Soviet pocket during the Battle of Kiev. He took command of the 9th Panzer Division on July, 22 1943 and held it til he was wounded in October, he later resumed command in November and held it to August 10, 1944 when he was wounded again. In late 1944 he was declared fit for limited service and was given a desk job at the Inspectorate of Panzer Troops. In March 1945 he was named to replace Maj. Gen Rudolf Goltzsch as commander of the 344th Volksgrenadier Division in Czechoslovakia, a command he held until April 30, 1945 when he and twenty-five other men broke out of the Soviet encirclement and eluded the Red and US Armies until June 8. He was released from prison on June 30, 1947 and died on March 14, 1987 in Kitzingen.
Medals and Decorations
- 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
- 1st Class
- Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
(1914)- in Black
- Cross of HonorCross of HonorThe Cross of Honor, also known as the Honor Cross or, popularly, the Hindenburg Cross, was a commemorative medal inaugurated on July 13, 1934 by Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg for those soldiers of Imperial Germany who fought in World War I...
- 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 (1 June 1940)
- 1st Class (21 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...
(November 26, 1942) - 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 Bronze - Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
(1939)- in Silver
- in Gold
- German Cross in Gold (January 7, 1944)
- 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...
on November 2, 1941 as Oberst of Schützen-Regiment 52
Dates of Rank
- Fahnenjunker - October 3, 1911
- Leutnant - June 6, 1913
- OberleutnantOberleutnantOberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
- August 18, 1916 - HauptmannHauptmannHauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
- February 1, 1929 - MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
- N/A - 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...
- March 1, 1938 - 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...
- March 1, 1941 - Generalmajor - October 1, 1943
- Generalleutnant - April 20, 1945