Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)

Unit:

Kdr, Grenadier-Regiment 348, 216.Infanterie-Division

Awarded on:

October 21st, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Grenadier-Regiment 980, 272.Infanterie-Division

Awarded on:

October 4th, 1944

The following press article describes why Burian was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“The Commander is the Soul of the Resistance - Oberst Burian and his Grenadiers hold off the Anglo-American onslaught:

During the hard fighting south of Caen Oberst Ewald Burian, the commander of a Grenadier-Regiment, has repeatedly proven himself as an especially flexible and crisis-proof commander. Strong English tank forces penetrated through the frontline on multiple occasions, threatening to encircle major German formations. With tireless calm the brave regimental commander gathered up all the scattered friendly troops and sent them into battle anew.

As a truly tireless leader of his Grenadiers, he distinguished himself even as the enemy thrust into the retreating German units from the south following a wide flanking maneuver. Immediately recognizing the extremely critical situation for the entire front, Oberst Burian rallied all available forces together and used them to create a bridgehead. From here he frustrated all the English intentions at a breakthrough. Using a swiftly brought-up Füsilier-Bataillon he also smashed an enemy flanking thrust further to the north.

During these battles Oberst Burian constantly fought in the foremost line as the soul of resistance for his brave Grenadiers. With unfailing spirit he conducted the defense and withdrawal movements of his Regiment, and with ruthless energy he secured the orderly withdrawal of all heavy weapons behind a new frontline for the entire Korps. This brave officer also showed himself to be a prudent and flexible commander in all crisis situations in the subsequent combat, and in recognition of his efforts the Führer awarded him the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross.”

The battle referred to in the article was from the combat during Operation Tractable. On the 14.08.1944 the Allies broke through along both sides of the Caen-Falaise road, breaching the gap between the I. SS-Panzer-Korps and the 272. Infanterie-Division at Maizieres and Ernes. By doing so they got into the deep southern flank of the Division. In the combat which followed Oberst Burian and his men held the regimental command post at Conde sur Ifs against much larger Allied forces, and on the evening of that day he recaptured the temporarily lost village of Ifs sur Laison.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

August 1st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

April 1st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1934

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 3rd, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 21st, 1942