Erick-Oskar Hansen

Erick-Oskar Hansen (27 May 1889 – 18 March 1967) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.

Erick-Oskar Hansen
Born	27 May 1889 Hamburg
Died	18 March 1967 (aged 77) Hamburg
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Army
Years of service	1907–45
Rank	General of the Cavalry
Commands held	4th Infantry Division 14th Panzer Division LIV Army Corps
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Jassy–Kishinev Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Biography

Born in Hamburg, Hansen entered the army of Imperial Germany in 1907 as a Fahnenjunker (officer cadet) in the 9th Dragoons. He was given command of the 4th Infantry Division in 1938. Promoted to generalleutnant[Note 1] in August 1939,[2] he led the division through the invasion of Poland and the French Campaign before it was withdrawn from the front in August 1940 for conversion to armour. Now designated the 14th Panzer Division, Hansen oversaw its initial training in armoured warfare.[3]

Hansen was promoted to General der Kavallerie (General of the Cavalry)[Note 2] before taking command of LIV Army Corps in 1941, operating on the Eastern Front.[2] Soon afterwards, on 4 September 1941, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.[4] In 1943, he commanded the German Military Mission to Romania in addition to being Military Commander, Romania. He surrendered to the Red Army troops in the course of the Soviet Jassy–Kishinev Offensive in August 1944. He was held in the Soviet Union until 1955. On his return to Germany, he lived in Hamburg.[2]

Notes

Footnotes

1. In the Wehrmacht, the rank of generalleutnant is equivalent to that of major general in the United States Army.[1]
2. Equivalent to a lieutenant general in the United States Army.[1]

Citations

1. Mitcham 2007, p. 257.
2. Mitcham 2007, p. 121.
3. Mitcham 2007, pp. 119–120.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 177.

References

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of WWII and Their Commanders. Mechanicsburg, PA, United States: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3353-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)