Dates: * 26. Januar 1891, Königsberg - † 17. Dezember 1978, Rheinbach
Eccard Freiherr von Gablenz became efective on 14 March 1910 as a cadet in the Imperial Army. He came here to Kaiser Alexander Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1 In this he was promoted to lieutenant on 18 August 1911. His rank seniority was thereby set on the 20 August 1909. At the outbreak of the first world war he came as a platoon leader in its Kaiser Alexander Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1 to the front. After a few weeks he was wounded at the front and then came to a hospital. In November 1914, he came back to his regiment to the front. In August 1915, he was appointed regimental adjutant from the Kaiser Alexander Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1 appointed. Almost simultaneously, he was promoted on 18 August 1915 and to lieutenant. He was then treated as an ordnance officer in the staff of the 2nd Guards Infantry Division late 1916. Shortly thereafter began his training as a staff officer. By the end of the war he was now employed in various bars. After the visit of the General Staff course at Sedan he was given permission to wear the uniform of the General Staff in late summer 1918. Already on August 18, 1918 he had been promoted to captain.
During World War I he next two Iron Crosses other awards were presented. After the war he was then taken into the imperial army. When 200,000 man-transition army of the Reichswehr in the spring of 1920 he was part of the Reichswehr Infantry Regiment 30 In the formation of the 100,000 man Army of the army he came to 9 (Preuss.) Infantry Regiment. In this he was then employed in the autumn of 1921 the regimental headquarters in Potsdam. He was later appointed chief of the 12th company of 9 (Preuss.) Infantry Regiment in Spandau. He held this position from then until the autumn of 1925. Then he was appointed regimental adjutant in Potsdam of 9 (Preuss.) Infantry Regiment. From the summer of 1927, he was then placed in various battalion staffs in his regiment. He was all the time but ordered to report to headquarters Berlin. On March 31, 1928, he retired from active service. This happened only a disguise, for he now went for over a year after Russia. On 1 May 1929 he came on again to active duty. He first came to the bar of II. Battalion of 9 (Preuss.) Infantry Regiment in Berlin light field. On October 1, 1929, he was then added to the staff of the 2nd Division of the Reichswehr to Stettin. There he was promoted to Major on February 1, 1930. The rank seniority was thereby set on the 1 January 1929. Beginning of 1932, he was appointed commander of the III. Battalion of 9 (Preuss.) Infantry Regiment in Berlin-Spandau appointed. As such, he was promoted on April 1, 1933 to lieutenant colonel. With the expansion of the army, he was appointed commander of Infantry Regiment Crossen on October 1, 1934. As such, he was promoted to colonel on April 1, 1935. With the unmasking of associations, he was appointed commander of Infantry Regiment 29 in Crossen on October 15, 1935. On 1 December 1935, he resigned his command. For this he was appointed that day as commander of Infantry Regiment 18 in Paderborn. In March 1937 his son was born. As a regimental commander of Infantry Regiment 18, he was promoted on August 1, 1938 to Major General. Then his daughter was born in this month. In late November 1938, he resigned his command and was named for the commander of the army department 5 in Dresden.
On 1 May 1939 he gave this command again. On that day, he was then appointed commander of Army service 4. He was then for a short while at the same time commander of Prague. On 1 June 1939 he resigned his command and was appointed for the infantry commander 4. In the mobilization for the second world war in the summer of 1939 he resigned his command. But he was on 26 August 1939 Commander of the battle group networks in the field of III. Army Corps appointed. As of this unit, the 301st Infantry Division was formed, he was also appointed to the commander. After a few days he was appointed commandant of the city of Bydgoszcz. With the conclusion of the fighting in Poland, he is entrusted with the leadership of the 32nd Infantry Division on 1 October 1939. He was now already both clasps his iron crosses.
After only two months, he then takes over on 1 December 1939 as commander of the 7th Infantry Division, which he first led the field in the western campaign against France in the spring of 1940. Thereafter, he was promoted to lieutenant general Aug. 1, 1940. On August 15, 1940 him the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded. The start of summer 1941, he then led his 7th Infantry Division in the Eastern campaign in attacking central Russia. In December 1941 he resigned his command and was ordered to AOK 9. The end of December 1941, he was then with the leadership of XXVII. Army Corps in Central Russia was commissioned. In early January 1942, he gave this guide again and was transferred to the Reserve leaders. In mid-February 1942, he was appointed commander of the 384th Infantry Division. After completing the installation, he came with his division in the southern sector of the Eastern Front used. He led the division until then in the Stalingrad pocket, from which he was flown. In mid-January 1943, he was transferred again to the leader Reserve. In mid-March 1943, he was appointed commander of the Division no. 404. On 1 July 1944 he resigned his command and was again set to the reserve leader. He was named for the commander of the 232nd Infantry Division. This he then led up to the end of the war in Italy. With the surrender he then fell into Allied hands. From this he was released in late 1947 again.
Awards and decorations
Ÿ Iron Cross (1914)
Ÿ 2nd Class
Ÿ 1st Class
Ÿ Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
Ÿ Iron Cross (1939)
Ÿ 2nd Class
Ÿ 1st Class
Ÿ Eastern Front Medal
Ÿ Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 15 August 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of 7. Infanterie-Division