Eccard Freiherr von Gablenz

Who was Eccard Freiherr von Gablenz?

Eccard Freiherr von Gablenz was a German general who commanded several divisions during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which he earned in 1940. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. As head of the Wehrmacht Heer's 384th Infantry Division, he was flown out of the Stalingrad pocket in December 1942, shortly before the division's destruction. A contemporary Soviet press report described him as having liked his peacetime comforts, and having required a nap on a soft bed after every dinner. Generalleutnant Gablenz was captured in 1945 and was released from Allied captivity in 1947.