Erich Walther

Friedrich Erich Walther (5 August 1903 – 26 December 1948) was a German paratroop general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords of Nazi Germany. Walther commanded the Hermann Göring 2nd Parachute Panzer-Grenadier Division in East Prussia. He was promoted to Generalmajor on 30 January 1945. Walther surrendered to the Red Army on 8 May 1945. He died at Soviet Special Camp 2 on 26 December 1948.

Erich Walther
Born	(1903-08-05)5 August 1903 German Empire
Died	26 December 1948(1948-12-26) (aged 45) Soviet Special Camp 2, Weimar, Allied-occupied Germany
Allegiance	Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Luftwaffe
Rank	Generalmajor
Commands	2nd Parachute Panzer Division Hermann Göring
Battles / wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

World War II

During World War II Walther fought over much of Europe as a paratroop officer.

In April 1940 he participated in the Norwegian Campaign as a captain. In May 1940 Walther participated in the airborne attack in the Netherlands and was promoted to the rank of major. In May 1941 he participated in an airborne attack on the island of Crete. Since September 1941 Walther fought on the eastern front, fighting near Leningrad. In January 1942 he was promoted to a lieutenant colonel. In July 1943 Walther fought on the island of Sicily, later in mainland Italy. In September 1944 Walther became battle group (Kampfgruppe) commander, fighting in the south of the Netherlands during operation Market Garden and its aftermath. In the end of September 1944 he became Commander in the Eastern Front, fighting in East Prussia. From January 1945 until he became a Soviet Prisoner of war on May 8 the same year, Walther was ranked Generalmajor.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (18 April 1940) & 1st Class (26 April 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 31 March 1942 as Major in the I./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 24 May 1940 as Major and commander of the I./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1
  • 411th Oak Leaves on 2 March 1944 as Oberst and commander of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4
  • 131st Swords on 1 February 1945 as Oberst and leader of Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Division 2 "Hermann Göring"

References

Bibliography

• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1986). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil II: Fallschirmjäger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part II: Paratroopers] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1461-8.