Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major im Generalstab (Major to the General Staff)

Unit:

Ib 131. Infanterie-Division

Awarded on:

October 3rd, 1943

Brecht’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“In the days prior to the 12.08.1943 the enemy achieved a deep penetration in the sector of the right neighbour that managed to get into the rear of the Division. However, following hard combat and the dispatching of all available forces, the Division finally succeeded in setting up a screen against this enemy force by midday on the same day.

At this time strong forces from 2 tank supported enemy divisions were active in the Nikolskij forest area.

The line that was created was being held by insufficient non-infantry troop elements that were not dug-in, and as such it would not be able to hold against the aggressively attacking enemy for long. As such, at 16:30 on the 12.08.1943, the order was given to carry out the LVI. Panzer-Korps’ order to pull back to the so-called Barbarossa position on the following night.

Following several failed attacks against Ssingowo, Kowylnja and Sslobodka, the enemy finally succeeded in penetrating through the lines of the A.A. 14 near Skrydlowo at 16:15. Astaschowo, the cornerstone of the Division’s retreat road, could no longer be held by the handful of Pionieren that were defending there. Starting at 16:45 the enemy also struck here in battalion strength, and they managed to break in.

At this time the acting Ia of the Division, Major i.G. Brecht, was driving to the new divisional command post at Woronowka. Here the Division was to take over command of the Ssingowo sector at 19:00. On his way there I [Generalleutnant Meyer-Buerdorf] ordered him to resolve the situation at Astaschowo and restore contact with our forces at Skrydlowo. At the time the only forces available were 2 Sturmgeschütze and the last reserve of the Division, a single Alarm-Zug comprised of the Rahmen-Stab of the Feld.-Ers.-Btl. 131 and supply troops from the Vet.-Komp. 131. At 17:15 Brecht entered into Astaschowo with these forces as well as wagon drivers and stragglers that he had collected en-route. He threw the enemy back in a boldly executed counterthrust. By 18:20 Astaschowo was cleared of its previous hostile occupants.

From there Brecht recognized a new enemy attack. At 18:15 the enemy attacked Petrowo in at least regimental strength following a strong artillery/mortar barrage. The defending elements there from the light Bb. 8 were thrown back to Kowylnja-Nord. The enemy occupied Petrowo and carried on towards the northeast. The enemy crossed over the Kowylinka foundation north of Petrowo. From here the Division’s retreat road was majorly threatened.

The mission to restore contact with Skrydlowo was thus overtaken by events. The new enemy penetration at Petrowo was the greater danger. As no additional reserves were available, Brecht decided to immediately thrust into the flank of the enemy forces in Petrowo with his forces and the still intact elements of the Pioniere and the light Bb. 8. He was determined to once again take firm control of this key position, as the entire Division would have to march past it during the night.

As the Sturmgeschütze could not approach Petrowo itself due to the terrain northwest of Petrowo, Brecht tasked them with providing covering fire from just south of Astaschowo. He personally seized the northwestern entrance of Petrowo with his forces. From there, leading ahead of his forces with a loud ‘Hurra’, he penetrated into the village at 19:35. The fighting devolved into close combat. However thanks to Brecht’s active and firm leadership the enemy was eventually ejected from Petrowo. There the enemy lost 250-300 dead as well as a number of heavy weapons (mortars and anti-tank guns) which they had brought into position at Petrowo.

Brecht was wounded in the right hip by a rifle round.

Meanwhile (around 19:15) the enemy had once again entered into Astaschowo from the direction of Skrydlowo. Seeing this, Brecht left the bulk of his forces in Petrowo in order to defend the village. He then took on the enemy in Astaschowo with the remainder of his troops, paying no heed to his wound as he did so. Close combat erupted here as well, and Brecht’s group was encircled by the enemy several times. The Sturmgeschütze ran out of ammunition. Nonetheless, by 21:00 Astaschowo was once again cleared of the enemy, and the control of the village’s eastern edge opened up the nearby road. By now the enemy had taken such a beating that they no longer dared to reattempt a strike against the Division’s retreat road via Astaschowo or Petrowo during the hours of the night. At 21:15 Major Brecht reported that the retreat road of the Division was clear.

The Division was thus able to disengage as planned starting at 21:30. By the morning hours of the following day all the elements of the Division (including the artillery) had escaped the impending encirclement via Astaschowo and Dubrowka while receiving only minimal harassment by the enemy forces in front of Astaschowo.

The Division was able to escape the enemy’s intended encirclement, and the left neighbouring division was also able to carry out its own withdrawal movement without being interrupted by the enemy. This result was made possible due to the bold, prudent and selfless actions by Major i.G. Brecht while he carried out his own independently conceived decisions.

His deeds enabled the 131. Infanterie-Division to launch an attack against Malistowo-Boltutino early on the 13.08.1942, and they enabled both Divisions to carry out their operations in the new rearward position. On a larger scale, his actions prevented a breakthrough of the LVI. Panzer-Korps’ position.

Major i.G. Brecht has previously distinguished himself as the leader of II./Grenadier-Regiment 11 in the time period 23.01-06.03.1942. It should furthermore be noted that, in the more recent days, he remained with the leadership of the Division despite his painful injury, and he continued to fulfill the duties of the Ia throughout difficult situations in an exemplary fashion until the original Ia returned to duty on the 19.08.1943.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)