Harald Freiherr von Elverfeldt
Encyclopedia
Harald Freiherr von Elverfeldt (6 February 1900 – 6 March 1945) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht
during World War II
who commanded the 9 Panzer Division. 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.
On March 25, 1918, Harald secured his patent as a Faehnrich in the 1st Foot Guards Regiment. He was rushed through an officer's training course and sent into combat. He was wounded in May 1918 and was awarded the Iron Cross II. After the war he remained in the 100,000-man Reichswehr
and was promoted to Leutnant on November 24, 1919. Harald married Elizabeth von Berg in 1923 and had two daughters, the first in 1924 and the second in 1929. He was promoted to Oberleutnant in 1926, Hauptmann in 1933 and Major in 1937. He served in the 3rd Light Division (Germany) during the Polish Campaign and was awarded the to Iron Cross I and the clasp to the Iron Cross II. Harald was promoted to Oberstleutnant on November 1.
Harald then participated in the Battle of France
and Operation Barbarossa
. In March 1942 he was promoted to Oberst and was awarded the German Cross in Gold. Throughout the rest 1942 and early 1943 he participated in several anti-partisan operations (Operation Eisvogel and Operation Zigeunerbaron). In September 1943 he was promoted to the rank of Generalmajor and served in the Crimea. In September 1944 after the 9th Panzer Division had fought in Normandy, Harald von Elverfeldt took command of the division and commanded it until December 28, 1944 and then again from February 1945 - until his death in March 1945. Elverfeldt was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
on December 9, 1944 and was posthumously awarded Oak Leaves on March 23, 1945 along with a promotion to Generalleutnant.
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 the 9 Panzer Division. 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.
Biography
Harald Freiherr von Elverfeldt was born in 1900 in Hildesheim to Maj. Ferdinand Johann Georg von Elverfeldt, the Major was attached to the Imperial Embassy in St. Petersburg.On March 25, 1918, Harald secured his patent as a Faehnrich in the 1st Foot Guards Regiment. He was rushed through an officer's training course and sent into combat. He was wounded in May 1918 and was awarded the Iron Cross II. After the war he remained in the 100,000-man Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
and was promoted to Leutnant on November 24, 1919. Harald married Elizabeth von Berg in 1923 and had two daughters, the first in 1924 and the second in 1929. He was promoted to Oberleutnant in 1926, Hauptmann in 1933 and Major in 1937. He served in the 3rd Light Division (Germany) during the Polish Campaign and was awarded the to Iron Cross I and the clasp to the Iron Cross II. Harald was promoted to Oberstleutnant on November 1.
Harald then participated in the 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...
and 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 March 1942 he was promoted to Oberst and was awarded the German Cross in Gold. Throughout the rest 1942 and early 1943 he participated in several anti-partisan operations (Operation Eisvogel and Operation Zigeunerbaron). In September 1943 he was promoted to the rank of Generalmajor and served in the Crimea. In September 1944 after the 9th Panzer Division had fought in Normandy, Harald von Elverfeldt took command of the division and commanded it until December 28, 1944 and then again from February 1945 - until his death in March 1945. Elverfeldt 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...
on December 9, 1944 and was posthumously awarded Oak Leaves on March 23, 1945 along with a promotion to Generalleutnant.
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
- 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....
- 2nd Class (20 September 1939)
- 1st Class (8 October 1939)
- 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
- 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...
(5 August 1942) - German CrossGerman CrossThe 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 (20 March 1942) - 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 9 December 1944 as Generalmajor and commander of the 9th Panzer-Division
- 801st Oak Leaves on 23 March 1945 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 9th Panzer-Division
- Mentioned in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
(26 November 1944)
Dates of Rank
- Faehnrich - March 25, 1918
- Leutnant - November 24, 1919
- 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...
- February 20, 1926 - 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...
- September 1, 1933 - 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. ...
- March 1, 1937 - 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...
- November 1, 1939 - 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, 1942 - Generalmajor - September 1, 1943
- Generalleutnant - March 23, 1945