Ernst Hammer

Ernst Hammer (20 October 1884 – 2 December 1957) was a German-Austrian officer of four armies since 1 October 1903, entering as a one-year volunteer.[1] He was Oberleutnant of the Common Army, Hauptmann of the k.u.k. Armee, Generalmajor of the Bundesheer (transferred to the German Army 15 March 1938), Generalleutnant of the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. As commander of the 75th Infantry division, he ordered his soldiers to shoot female Soviet POW's on the spot.

Dipl.-Ing. Ernst Hammer
Born	20 October 1884 Falkenau an der Eger, Egerland
Died	2 December 1957 (aged 73) Wien
Allegiance	Austria–Hungary (to 1918) Austrian Republic (to 1938)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Army
Years of service	1903–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	75. Infanterie-Division Division Nr. 190 190. Infanterie-Division
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of Voronezh (1942) Operation Market Garden Battle of the Reichswald Operation Varsity
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Awards and decorations

• Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with War Decoration and Swords (Austria-Hungary, World War I)
• Military Merit Medal, in Silver and in Bronze (Austria-Hungary, World War I)
• Karl Troop Cross (World War I)
• Gallipoli Star (World War I)
• Austrian War Commemorative Medal
• Hungarian War Commemorative Medal
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Clasps to the Iron Cross
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Eastern Front Medal
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 December 1941 as Generalleutnant and commander of 75. Infanterie-Division[2]

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.

Citations

1. Generalleutnant Ing. Ernst Hammer
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 176.