Rudolf Koch-Erpach (April 9, 1886 in Munich - 28 November 1971 in Karlsruhe) is a German General der Kavallerie who served in the Heer in the Wehrmacht during World War II.
He was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. This decoration is awarded to recognize an act of extreme bravery on the battlefield or military command successfully.
Rudolf Koch-erpach Biography
Erpach Koch was born in Munich on 9 April 1886, and became a cavalry general (General der Kavallerie). In 1939, he commanded the 8th Infantry Division during the Invasion of Poland. September 23, 1939, Rudolf Koch-Erpach has the distinction of being captured by Polish forces during the Battle of Krasnobrod.
June 24, 1940, after the Battle of France and commander of the Infantry Division, he received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.
From 1 and until 1 November 1940, March 1941, Koch-Erpach controls Höheres Kommando zbV. LX. After a short pause, he led briefly Höheres Kommando zbV. XXXV 1 April 1 May 1941.
Koch-Erpach command the Military District VIII (VIII Wehrkreis) 1 May 1942 to 26 January 1945. The headquarters of the military district is Breslau, which includes Silesia, the Sudetenland, parts of Moravia, and parts of southwestern Poland. Military District VIII ceased operations in February 1945.
From January 26 to April 10, 1945, Koch-Erpach took command of LVI. Panzer
In March 1945, Koch-Erpach and its headquarters were surrounded by the Red Army near Opole. To overcome this situation, Ferdinand Schörner gives orders to the officer estonia n, Colonel Alfons Rebane, the 20th SS Grenadier Division (Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (estnische No. 1)), famous for out of encirclements. Rebane, four Estonian volunteers, and his group recovered Koch-Erpach HQ with no casualties. For this act of war, Koch-Erpach Rebane recommended that he be awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.
Later, in 1945, Koch-Erpach was acting commander of the Army two days before the end of the war, May 6 to 8. He died November 28, 1971 in Karlsruhe.