Curt Ehle

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Curt Ehle
Curt Ehle.jpg
Birth date 21 October 1899
Place of birth Salzwedel, Regierungsbezirk Magdeburg, Province of Saxony, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Death date 16 August 1986 (aged 86)
Place of death Uelzen, Lower Saxony, West Germany
Allegiance  German Empire
 Weimar Republic
 National Socialist Germany
Service/branch Iron Cross of the Luftstreitkräfte.png Imperial German Army
Freikorps Flag.jpg Freikorps
War Ensign of Germany (1921–1933).png Preliminary Reichswehr
Balkenkreuz.jpg Heer
Years of service 1917–20
1936–45
Rank Lieutenant Colonel of the Reserves
Commands held Panzer-Brigade 102
Battles/wars World War I

World War II

Awards Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Relations ⚭ Luise Hedwig Reinicke

Curt Alfred Ernst Ehle (sometimes Kurt; 21 October 1899 – 16 August 1986) was a German officer of the Imperial German Army, the Freikorps, the Reichswehr and the Wehrmacht, finally Lieutenant Colonel of the Reserves and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves in World War II.

Life

Ehle is awarded the Knight's Cross by Colonel Walter Neumann-Silkow
Erzgebirgischer Volksfreund, 7 December 1944

After achieving his war-time Abitur, Ehle, son of a teacher and Studienrat,[1] joined the Anhaltisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 93 on 15 June 1917 and was well-decorated with both classes of the Iron Cross. After the war, he served with the Freikorps of the Eastern Border Guard (Grenzschutz Ost) and was discharged in 1920 by the preliminary Reichswehr.

Wehrmacht

He rejoined the military in 1936 as a reserve officer of the Wehrmacht. In 1939, he served as leader of the signals platoon of the Infanterie-Regiment (mot.) 93/13. Infanterie-Division (motorisiert). During the Polish and Western Campaign, he led the 9th Company/Infanterie-Regiment (mot.) 93.

WWII

The 15th Motorcycle Battalion (Kradschützen-Battalion 15), with Captain of the Reserve Ehle as leader of the 1st Company, was formed on 11 November 1940 in Military District XII by reorganizing the III. Battalion of the 93rd Infantry Regiment. The battalion's peacetime base was Salzwedel in Military District XI. The battalion was subordinate to the 15th Panzer Division. The battalion moved with the division to North Africa in the spring of 1941 and took part in the battles of the German Afrika Korps (DAK). On 1 August 1941, Ehle was promoted to Major of the Reserves and appointed commander of the battalion.

On the night of 21 December 1941, Major Ehle's motorcycle riflemen, reinforced by a battery of tank artillery and a company of tank destroyers, were already southeast of Agedabia. Once again they were playing rear guard. They were firefighters. The Afrika Korps was holed up in the desert. These were the decisive days in which it would become clear whether Rommel could reach the advantageous Brega position and stop the victorious advance of the British. From 27 to 29 December 1941, the DAK dealt heavy blows to the English in the defensive battle of Agedabia. The British tank forces were practically wiped out. New Year's Eve 1941 was cold and pitch black over the desert. On 17 April 1942, the Kradschützen-Battalion 15 under Major Ehle became the III. Battalion/Schützen-Regiment 104 (renamed Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 104 on 5 July 1942, as of 1 September 1942 subordinated to the 21. Panzer-Division).

It is 1 June 1942. Anyone who experienced it in Africa will never forget it. Everything is at stake. During the lull in the fighting, the call rings out: "Commander and adjutant to the divisional command post!" General Georg von Bismarck, the commander of the 21st Panzer Division, is sitting in his bus and is pointing to a burnt-out tank on the horizon. "Do you see the tank, Ehle?" "Yes, General!" "The English base Got el Ualeb is there. You have been ordered to take the base with your battalion. It is difficult, Ehle. All attacks have failed so far. Reconnoiter and tell me how you plan to do it. It is urgent, Ehle," adds Bismarck, and concludes: "The attack is supported by an artillery battalion under Major Beil." On the way to reconnoiter, Ehle meets Major Beil, who is standing with General Nehring and Colonel Bayerlein at an 8.8 Flak gun. Nehring and Bayerlein explain the situation. Bayerlein shows the adjutant, First Lieutenant Kordel, the map. Suddenly someone calls out: "Watch out! Low-flying aircraft!" Then there is an explosion. And Major Ehle is hit. Wounded. He will not take Got el Ualeb anymore. Captain Werner Reißmann takes over the battalion and the attack.

Lucky are those who escape death in the main dressing station and come to Derna. To the military hospital on the Mediterranean. Major Ehle also comes to Derna. Two beds are already occupied in the small room: a major general and a lieutenant colonel, judging by the uniforms hanging over the chairs. They are already asleep under the insect nets. Major Ehle also rolls onto his side. When he wakes up, he sees Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring standing in the room through his insect net. And now he recognizes his two roommates: Major General Gause, Rommel's chief of staff, and Lieutenant Colonel Westphal, the Chief of Operations (Ia). They too had to pay at Got el Ualeb. Gause was thrown against a tank by an artillery strike and suffered a concussion. Westphal received a grenade launcher splinter in his thigh. Kesselring is not in a particularly good mood. "Dear Gause, I don't want to upset you, but this is not the way to go. It is impossible for Colonel-General Rommel to always be in the front line. He is no longer a division or corps commander. As an army leader he must be accessible. You must teach him that.' Kesselring rants for quite a while.[2]

On 14 October 1942, Ehle was appointed commander of the Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 104 and was wounded again on 4 November 1942. Ehle seems to have been transported to Germany afterwards, which is why he escaped the destruction of the division and being taken prisoner of war. In May 1943, he was appointed commander of the Panzer-Grenadier-Ausbildungs- und Ersatz-Bataillon 104. From 7 February to 4 March 1944, he was commanded to the regimental commander training course at the Panzertruppenschule I in Bergen. Later he was commanded to the 13. Panzer-Division to become practically familiar with the role of regimental commander with the Panzergrenadier-Regiment 93 (until 15 June 1944) in South Ukraine, the Dnjestr and Bessarabia.

From 2 September to 20 October 1944, Major Ehle led the Panzer-Brigade 102 fighting in East, then West Prussia. On 9 November 1944, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the Reserves with effect and rank seniority (RDA) from 1 November 1944. On 15 January 1945, he was appointed commander of the Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 7 as successor of Colonel Hugo Kempchen who took command of the Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 6, both regiments subordinated to the 7. Panzer-Division. By mid-February 1945, the fighting had shifted to northern Pomerania and the area west of Danzig and to Hela. In March 1945, the division fought for Gotenhafen and, after its abandonment, for Hela. In mid-April 1945, the remnants of the division were evacuated by sea and assembled at Swinemünde (Usedom).

Knight's Cross

  • Knight’s Cross: Awarded for preventing a British breakthrough attempt that was ultimately intended to result in the recapture of Cyrenaika from 19 January to 9 February 1942 and later reconquering Fort Capuzzo.
  • Oakleaves: Awarded for the achievements of his Panzer-Brigade. It distinguished itself first at Ostrolenka and later in the defensive battles for East Prussia.

Combat Group "Ehle"

The combat group (Kampfgruppe) of the 7th Panzer Division, formed on 25 April 1945, was the combat group Kampfgruppe "Ehle", named after Lieutenant Colonel Ehle, commander of the 7th Panzer Grenadier Regiment. Ehle's combat group consisted of:

  • Panzer Grenadier Regiment 7 with 2 battalions
  • 1 company of the heavy army tank destroyer Heerespanzerjäger-Abteilung 559 (with 20 Jagdpanther)
  • II. Battalion/Artillery Regiment 78 (with 10 light field howitzers and 4 heavy field howitzers)
  • 1 Pionier company
  • 1 mixed supply company

On 26 April 1945, the combat group received the order to relocate to the Löwenberg area; the operational parts of the 7th Panzer Division received the order to relocate from the Neustrelitz area to the Löwenberg area on the same day. Berlin was encircled, there was no reason to advance further south with the weak forces. From here they headed towards Waren and Goldberg. On 3 May 1945, the Kampfgruppe along with the remnants of the division surrendered to American troops in the Schwerin area.

Awards and decorations

Gallery

  • Curt Ehle, Ritterkreuz, Hohenstein-Ernstthaler Tageblatt und Anzeiger, 3.9.1941.png
  • Ehle at a Knight's Cross reception with his wife, brother and sister-in-law.jpg
  • Ehle, Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 7.JPG
  • Curt Ehle II.jpg
  • Kampfgruppe Ehle.jpg
  • Curt Ehle, 1979.jpg

References

  1. ↑ Studienrat (male) or Studienrätin (female; abbreviation StR), literally meaning "Educational Councilor", is an official German title for an official or civil servant mostly in the regular state-owned grammar schools in Germany. It is a denomination for an official in the so-called "higher service" (Höherer Dienst) as opposed to the "elevated", "middle" and "lower" service ranks. In 1918, Kaiser Wilhelm II passed a decree to replace the title "Oberlehrer" (upper or senior teacher) by the honorary title "Studienrat". In Prussia, since 1892, two thirds of the grammar school teachers held the title of Oberlehrer, a third was addressed by the honorary title of grammar school professor: "Gymnasialprofessor". Oberlehrer were entitled to teach in higher education. As early as 1892 they were seen as equal to judges or magistrates, acknowledged as "higher service officials of the fifth class". This higher ranking and the coveted title of a councilor ("Rat") boosted the previously rather low social prestige of the grammar school teachers, a success mainly owed to the unremitting efforts of the "Vereinsverband akademisch gebildeter Lehrer" ("Association of unions of academically educated teachers"), founded in 1903, which from 1921 onwards called itself "Philologenverband" ("Association of philologians"). The teachers' union represented the professional interests of the 95% of grammar schoolteachers who were union members. As explained by the legal expert Rudolf Summer, the basic official title of "Rat" ("councilor") has to be specified by the obligatory supplement of "Studien" (education, studies) to convey the relation to schooling and education. This is meant to avoid the general title of "councilor". With respect to the title of director the supplement is expected to avoid confusion because "Director" like the English "director" is used for a variety of leading positions in different fields.
  2. ↑ Paul Carell: Die Wüstenfüchse – Mit Rommel in Afrika, Nannen Verlag, Hamburg 1958
  3. ↑ Ehle, Curt
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