Under Construction
Born:
24 February 1923 in Calmbach, Baden-Württemberg
Units:
15.04.42- Ln. Ergänzung Rgt 307, 6 Kompanie (Ln. Funk Erg.)
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05.05.44-14.09.44 Luftverkehrstaffel Tempelhof
15.09.44-16.09.44 Personalleitstelle XIV. Flieger Korp Schönwalde 1, Post Velten (Wlack)
17.09.44-06.07.44 SS Feldausbildungs Bataillon 5, 4 Kompanie
07.10.44-07.05.45 SS Pionier Panzer Bataillon 5, Stabs Kompanie
Rank:
15.04.42 Funker
01.05.43 Gefreiter
01.05.44 Obergefreiter
14.09.44 SS-Rottenführer
20.04.45 SS-Unterscharführer
Awards:
00.00.42 Geprüfter Funker (Qualified Radio Operator patch)
02.05.44 Fliegerschützen für Bordfunker-Abzeichen (Airgunner/Wireless Operators Badge)
Under Construction
History:
1942
15 April 42
Eberhard is inducted into the Luftwaffe and posted to Luftnachrichten Ergänzung Regiment 307, 6 Kompanie (Ln. Funk Erg.)
1943
1944
2 May 44
Obergefreiter Eberhard is awarded the Fliegerschützen für Bordfunker-Abzeichen (Airgunner/Wireless Operators Badge)
Mid September 44
As the war progressed into mid/ late 1944 the lack of fuel for flying operations began to impact the need to maintain so many personnel. In mid September a number of Luftwaffe flying units were disbanded and their men sent to various ground units including the SS Panzer-Division "Wiking".
17 September 44
Obergefreiter Eberhard and his other comrades depart Bohemia/Moravia for Budapest via Vienna to the military training area Ridge forest at Piesnek in the protectorate. On the same day they proceded to Christiana where the training battalion of the 5th SS Panzer-Division "Wiking" were located.
25 September 44
The former Luftwaffe personnel are divided into their new branches within the training unit i.e. telephone, infantry, pioneers, and specialists, such as drivers. Now a Rottenführer, Eberhard is positioned as a radio operator due to his former training in the Luftwaffe.
26 September 44
Eberhard is issued his SS uniform and days later the assembled men parade in their uniforms.
Modern copy of the 5th SS Panzer Division "Wiking" cuff title.
7 October 44
Eberhard is posted to his first operational unit within the Division, SS Pioner Panzer Bataillon 5, Stabs Kompanie.
Mid October 44
The 5th SS Division which had been in the Modlin area since late August remained for the rest of the year, grouped with the 3 SS Totenkopf and the IV SS Panzer Corps. Heavy defensive battles around Modlin followed for the rest of the year and in late-December 1944, the German forces, including IX SS Mountain Corps, defending Budapest were encircled and the IV SS Panzer Corps was ordered south to join Hermann Balck's 6th Army (Army Group Balck), which was mustering for a relief effort, codenamed Operation Konrad.
1945
1 January 45
As a part of Operation Konrad I, the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking was committed to action fighting alongside the 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf. Near Tata, the advance columns of the Wiking attacked the 4th Guards Army. A heavy battle ensued, with the Wiking and the Totenkopf seeing many of the Red Army tanks destroyed. In three days, they had driven 45 kilometres over rugged terrain, over half the distance from their start point to Budapest. The Soviets manoeuvred forces to block the advance, and they barely managed to halt the advance at Bicske, only 28 kilometres from Budapest. Gille pulled the Wiking out of the line and moved it to the south of Esztergom, near the Danube bend.
7 January 45
The second relief attempt, to be known as Operation Konrad II, and in atrocious conditions, the Wiking advanced southwards towards Budapest.
12 January 45
The SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Westland had reached Pilisszentkereszt, barely 20 kilometres from Buda. That morning the panzergrenadiers spotted the church spires and turrets of the distinctive Budapest skyline poking through the morning fog. Despite its success, they had been overextended and were vulnerable to attack, unable to exploit its breakthrough and eventually ordered to pull back and regroup. Hitler was furious at the lack of progress, and called the operation "utterly pointless".
20 January 45
A third attempt, Operation Konrad III, was launched in cooperation with the veteran III Panzer Corps, and took place some 100 kilometres to the south. This attack resulted in a 15-mile wide gap in the Soviet lines and the destruction of the 135th Rifle Corps. Despite initial success, the quick redeployment of more troops by the Soviets prevented a German breakthrough, turning back the operation by 28 January.
Late January 45
The 5th SS Wiking and the 3rd SS Totenkopf had suffered almost 8,000 casualties, including over 200 officers.
13 February 45
The besieged forces capitulated, and the badly mauled Wiking was ordered west to Lake Balaton, where Obergruppenführer Sepp Dietrich's 6th SS Panzer Army was preparing for another offensive.
Early-mid March 45
After the failure of Konrad III, the 5th SS Division Wiking began defensive operations, falling back into Czechoslovakia. West of Budapest in more defensive operations, moving into the area of Czechoslovakia. Gille's corps was too depleted to take part in Operation Frühlingserwachen near Lake Balaton, and instead remained as a support to the 6th SS Panzer Army during the beginning of the operation.
5 SS Division Wiking performed a holding operation on the left flank of the offensive, in the area between Velenczesee-Stuhlweissenberg. As Frühlingserwachen progressed, the division was heavily engaged in preventing Soviet efforts to outflank the advancing German forces. However, as the offensive stalled, the Soviets launched a major offensive, the Vienna Operation, on 15 March. Attacking the lines between the 3rd SS Totenkopf, stationed to the north of 5 SS Wiking, and the Hungarian 2nd Armoured Division, contact was soon lost between these formations.
Acting quickly, Balck recommended moving the I SS Panzer Corps north to plug the gap and prevent the encirclement of the IV SS Panzer Corps. Despite this quick thinking, a Führer Order authorising this move was slow in coming, and when the divisions finally began moving, it was too late.
22 March 45
The Soviet encirclement of the Totenkopf and Wiking was almost complete. Desperate, Balck threw the veteran 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen into the area to hold open the small corridor. In the battle to hold open the Berhida Corridor, the Hohenstaufen bled itself white, but Gille's corps managed to escape.
24 March 45
Another Soviet attack threw the exhausted IV SS Panzer Corps back towards Vienna; all contact was lost with the neighbouring I SS Panzer Corps, and any resemblance of an organised line of defence was gone.
20 April 1945
Eberhard is promoted to the rank of Unterscharführer.
1-9 May 45
The Wiking executed a fighting withdrawal into Czechoslovakia. By early May, they were within reach of the American forces, to whom the division officially surrendered near Fürstenfeld, Austria on 9 May.
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