Erich Lorenz

Erich Lorenz
Born	31 August 1905 Wattenscheid
Died	10 December 1984 (aged 79) Bochum
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1926–38 1940–45
Rank	Oberst of the Reserves
Commands held	Grenadier-Regiment 287 85. Infanterie-Division
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Erich Lorenz (31 August 1905 – 10 December 1984) was a highly decorated Oberst of the Reserves in the Wehrmacht who commanded the 85. Infanterie-Division during 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 designation, were awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery, or successful military leadership. He was also awarded the rare Close Combat Clasp in Gold, one of only 631 such decorations awarded during World War II.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (25 August 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (26 September 1941)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
  • in Gold
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze (?)
  • in Silver (1 May 1944)
  • in Gold (12 March 1945)
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Eastern Front Medal
• 2 Tank Destruction Badges for Individual Combatants
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 14 November 1943 as Major of the Reserves and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 287^[2]
  • 467th Oak Leaves on 4 May 1944 as Oberstleutnant of the Reserves and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 287^[3]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 37.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 242.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 70.

Bibliography

• Berger, Florian (2004). Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold [Knight's Cross Bearers with the Close Combat Clasp in Gold] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-3-7.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.