Eugen Flad
| Eugen Flad | |
|---|---|
 Flad as Gefreiter was one of only 256 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross from the enlisted ranks (Ritterkreuzträger im Mannschaftsstand), awarded for single-handedly repulsing the attack of an enemy Kompanie that was trying to cut off the retreat route of his battalion by striking from an open flank. | |
| Birth date | 12 March 1921 |
| Place of birth | Wendlingen near Stuttgart, Free People's State of Württemberg, German Reich |
| Death date | 24 October 2002 (aged 81) |
| Place of death | Wendlingen am Neckar, Landkreis Esslingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany |
| Allegiance |  National Socialist Germany
|
| Service/branch |  Heer
|
| Years of service | 1943–1945 |
| Rank | Gefreiter (Private E2 / Corporal) |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Iron Cross Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
| Other work | Mechanic |
Eugen Flad (12 March 1921 – 24 October 2002) was a German Gefreiter of the Wehrmacht and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. He was laid to rest in the cemetery of his beloved hometown Wendlingen with an honour escort of the Bundeswehr.
Life
After finishing school, Flad began an apprenticeship as a mechanic. After successfully completing his training, he worked in this professional field before being drafted to do his military service on 31 January 1943. He was assigned to the 56th Reserve Jäger Regiment of the 5th Jäger Division, which was then stationed in Kolmar, where he received his basic military training. After training, he served as a machine gunner. This was followed by his transfer to the 297th Infantry Division, which was reorganized near Bordeaux in France after the defeat in Stalingrad in April 1943 and was deployed at this time in Brittany on the Atlantic coast. From May 1943 she took on security tasks in the Belgrade area, Yugoslavia.
When the ongoing trench warfare around Vitebsk broke out in the combat area of Army Group "Center" in December 1943, the young Flad received his transfer order to the 2nd (Cycling) Company of the Division Fusilier Battalion 252 (A.A.) of the 252nd Infantry Division, where he as MG-Schütze had to be deployed to the front northeast of Vitebsk, near Lake Loswida. There, the young Flad developed into a “rearguard specialist” within his battalion. Accordingly, the Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 252, thanks to men like Eugen Flad, became a “fire brigade” of the division, which meant that it was always deployed at hot spots. The 252nd ID was able to repel the attacks of two numerically far superior Red Army army groups during the five-week battle at the turn of the year 1943/44. Even during the second battle for Vitebsk in February 1944, the Red Army was denied any advances.
Over the course of the spring of 1944, the results of the reconnaissance increased to the extent that the Red Army gathered strong new forces in the battle area and prepared new attacks on a large scale. During these short breaks in fighting, the 252nd ID expanded its defensive positions accordingly and fought partisans in the Hinterland (backlands). On 22 June 1944, the time had come and the expected major attack was to begin. In the ensuing battle, the 252nd ID was split off from Army Group "Center" to Army Group "North".
During the tough defensive battles for survival, which demanded everything from the completely exhausted, worn-out German soldiers, Gefreiter Flad continually outgrew himself. To the right and left of the position, the Red Army soldiers, who were far superior in terms of men and material, had broken through the main battle line and were threatened with encirclement. Flad lay cut off in the middle of his group behind his machine gun and gave barrage fire so that his comrades could retreat to the ordered lines. It was only at night that this small group was able to fight its way back to its own unit with the help of hand grenades.
Over the next few days the intensity of the attacks increased even further. Eugen Flad demonstrated his bravery here again and again. Repeatedly he managed to deceive the enemy with his machine gun by stubbornly clinging to the section of the front that was being defended and to throw the Russians back despite their superior strength. Left alone, Flad also managed to repel an entire company of the enemy who tried to cut off his battalion's route of retreat by attacking from an open flank.
The superiors recognized Eugen Flad's independent actions and then made a proposal to award the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was approved. On 20 July 1944, he was awarded the high award by Adolf Hitler, the Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht. He also received a special congratulation from Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model himself. Wounded in 1945, he experienced the end of the war in a military hospital in the city of Eisleben, where he was taken prisoner by the Americans.
Post-war
During the last war year, the community of Wendlingen in the Nürtingen district (Württemberg)[1] decided to later to present Flad a master's room (Herrenzimmer) in his house because he had been awarded the Knight's Cross. At the beginning of October 1955, the local council determined that the donation resolution was still valid and that Eugen Flad was to receive a master's room worth 1,200 marks at the community's expense.
Flad became an active member of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients. Sepp Dietrich, Eugen Flad and others sometimes carpooled when they went to a meeting or an appointment. When Generaloberst Dietrich died in 1966, Flad belonged to the honour guard as pictures show.[2]
Family
Flad was married, a father and grandfather. His son Wolfgang Eugen Flad was born on 26 April 1953.
Awards and decorations
- Infantry Assault Badge (Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen) in Silver
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class on 4 July 1944
- 1st Class on 8 July 1944
- Wound Badge in Black
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 July 1944 as Gefreiter and machine gunner (MG-Schütze) in the 2. (Radfahr or Cycling) Company/Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 252/252. Infanterie-Division
Gallery
References
- ↑ In 1938, three communities were assigned to the Nürtingen district; since the district reform in 1973, the city of Wendlingen am Neckar has belonged to the Esslingen district.
- ↑ RKT Eugen Flad
