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Egger, Paul

Date of birth:
November 26th, 1916 (Mautern/Styria, Austria)
Date of death:
July 12th, 2007 (Überlingen/Baden-Württemberg, Germany)
Nationality:
Austrian (1938-1945, Reichsgau)

Biography

Paul Egger was a POW to the United States from 1945 until November 1947.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Oberscharführer (Staff Sergeant)
Unit:
1. / schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 502
Awarded on:
December 30th, 1944
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Zugführer 1. / schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 502
Awarded on:
April 28th, 1945
Egger’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“On the 14.07.1944 the English captured the heavily contested Hill 112 following hours of artillery drumfire and the liberal use of artificial smokescreens. In response SS-Oberscharführer Egger (a Zugführer in the 1./s.SS-Panzer-Abteiling 102) immediately initiated a counterthrust through the thick smoke on his own initiative with 4 Panzer VI’s. Despite the dense smoke Egger skillfully led his Zug into the flank of the enemy, and in the combat which followed a total of 14 enemy tanks and 7 heavy anti-tank guns were destroyed. A pursuit thrust after this gave friendly infantry the opportunity to once again attain the old frontline. SS-Oberscharführer Egger thus had a decisive share in the immediate recapture of the tactically vital Hill 112 through his independently conducted actions.

During this action SS-Oberscharführer Egger and his crew personally destroyed 7 enemy tanks, and in doing so raised Egger’s total of tanks destroyed to 68.”
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Sources

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