Erich Walther

Infobox Military Person
name=Erich Walther
born=birth date|1903|8|5|df=y
died=death date and age|1947|12|26|1903|8|5|df=y
placeofbirth=Gorden by Falkenberg, Province of Saxony
placeofdeath=Camp Buchenwald near Weimar, Thuringia


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|Germany Weimar Republic (to 1933)
flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=Luftwaffe
serviceyears=1924-1945
rank=Generalmajor
commands=I./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1
Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4
Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Division 2 "Hermann Göring"
unit=
battles=World War II
*Battle of the Netherlands
*Norwegian Campaign
*Battle of Crete
*Eastern front
*Battle of Sicily
*Battle of Monte Cassino
awards=Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
laterwork=

Erich Walther (5 August 1903 – 26 December 1947) was a German general of the Fallschirmjäger who served during World War II.

Military career

Erich Walther joined the Berlin Police on 1 April 1924 as a police cadet. In 1933 he transferred to the Wecke State Police group as a Leutnant and on 1 October 1935 became commander of the 3rd Company, General Göring Regiment. In May of that year he completed the parachute course and was subsequently promoted to Hauptmann.

In the Battle of the Netherlands Walther and his I Battalion , 1st Parachute Regiment parachuted into the Netherlands near Dordrecht. From 27 May 1940 Walther participated in the Norwegian Campaign in support of the 3rd Mountain Infantry Division. General Eduard Dietl personally thanked Walther for his decisive contribution to victory in Norway. On 19 June 1940 he was promoted to Major.

In the Battle of Crete Walther fought alongside III Battalion, 1st Parachute Regiment led by Karl-Lothar Schulz in the area of Heraklion and on 29 May marched into the city leading his paratroopers.

Walther fought on the Eastern front in Russia in the defensive battle near Leningrad and was awarded the German Cross in Gold for his actions there. On 20 April 1942 Walther was promoted to Oberst and in September appointed commanding officer of the 4th Parachute Regiment.

On the island of Sicily Walther and his paratroopers fought in a defensive role at and north of Simeto Bridge. In the Battle of Monte Cassino his regiment defended the fought over hills.

Walther saw action in the west as commander of the Divisional Battle Group Walther. At Nijmegen and Arnhem during the Allied Operation Market Garden he successfully defended against the airborne landings. Walther subsequently assumed command of the Hermann Göring 2nd Parachute Panzer-Grenadier Division in East Prussia. Promoted to Generalmajor on 30 January 1945 he was taken prisoner of war by the Red Army on 8 May 1945. He died at Buchenwald concentration camp on 26 December 1947.

Awards

* Wound Badge in Black
* "Crete" Cuffband
* Narvik Shield
* Iron Cross (1939)
** 2nd Class (18 April 1940)
** 1st Class (26 April 1940)
* German Cross in Gold (31 March 1942)
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
** Knight's Cross (24 May 1940)
** 411. Oak Leaves (2 March 1944)
** 131. Swords (1 February 1945)

References

* Berger, Florian, "Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges". Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2006. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.