Cramm, Freiherr von, Wilhelm-Ernst

Date of birth:: September 30th, 1917 (Brüggen/Hannover, Germany)
Date of death:: May 29th, 1996 (Oelber am weißen Wege/Lowersaxony, Germany)
Nationality:: German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

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Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Rittmeister
Unit:: Füsilier-Bataillon 58
Awarded on:: December 6th, 1943

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Major
Unit:: Kommandeur Divisions Füsilier-Bataillon 58 / 58.Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: April 11th, 1944

Awarded for his actions near Putki (on the Narva front) in March 1944. On the 02.03.1944 Cramm’s Aufklärungs-Abteilung was dispatched to the village to help clear up a dangerous situation. Although it temporarily managed to establish a defensive front in the area the Soviets continued to push westwards, and eventually the Abteilung (by then reinforced by an Estonian battalion) became encircled. Major von Cramm thus decided to fight his way eastwards through the encirclement, and he and his men eventually fought their way to Putki itself. Here Major von Cramm took over the village’s defense and held it until the 07.03.1944, by which time the Grenadier-Regiments 2 and 11 (from the 11. Infanterie-Division) arrived to relieve him and his forces.

Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Sources

- THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1998.
- Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
- Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
- Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
- Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945