Fritz Eckstein

Fritz Eckstein was an Unterscharführer in the Waffen SS during World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Early life
Fritz Eckstein was born on the 27 January 1923 in Schwaikheim, Württemberg to Adolf and Maria Eckstein, he was the first of three children. He attended the local peoples school until the age of 14 when he started work for his father in his merchant business in Stuttgart. He then worked for the next two and a half years in the sales department of an iron wholesale company. During this time at the age of ten he had joined the Hitler Youth in May 1933, and remained an active member until he volunteered to join the Waffen SS in 1940.

World War II
Having volunteered for the Waffen SS aged 17 in 1940, he was called up to begin basic training in June and was assigned to the Training and Reserve Battalion Der Führer. After completing his basic training he was posted to the SS Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler'' which had just been increased to Brigade size. He first saw action during Operation Marita the invasion of the Balkans and was then involved in the invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa). He was awarded the Iron Cross II class, the Wound Badge and the Eastern Front Medal at the same time being promoted to Rottenführer. Having been evacuated due to his wounds in the Battle of Kharkov he did not return to the front until 1944, when he was posted to the 1st Battery, 1st SS Panzerjäger Battalion LSSAH on the Eastern Front until April when the whole Battalion was transferred to the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. Because they had been transferred to the new Division they were not deemed fit for combat and did not accompany the rest of the Division to counter the Normandy Landings until mid July 1944.

When they did reach the front they were quickly sent into action and proved their worth during Operation Totalise (8–10 August) being largely responsible for defeating the Allied attack.

During this time Eckstein served as the gunner in a Jagdpanzer IV commanded by Oberscharführer Rudolf Roy and knocked out 8 tanks on the 8 August, for which he was awarded the Iron Cross I class. The next day he knocked out a further 13 tanks and within 5 days had knocked out a total of 26 tanks.

Fritz Eckstein was promoted to Unterscharführer in November 1944, and recommended for the Knight's Cross. The citation reads; SS-Rottenführer Eckstein was awarded the E.K. I on 8.8.44 for his outstanding bravery during the attack of an enemy tank formation near St. Aigan, where he alone destroyed eight enemy tanks. On the morning of 9.8.44 enemy tanks penetrated into the rear of Kampfgruppe Waldmüller through the gaps in the HKL near Soignolles and from Hill 111 dominated all supply lines. A Panzerjäger 39 with SS-Rottenführer Eckstein as the gunner engaged the numerically superior enemy tanks in combat. Despite extremely difficult circumstances SS-Rttf. Eckstein knocked out nine English tanks within a short period of time. For that reason it was possible for the supply columns to pass through to the Kampfgruppe again. At twilight, a formation of enemy tanks launched a surprise attack on the Kampfgruppe while it was disengaging. Eckstein destroyed four of the attacking tanks. The Kampfgruppe was able to carry out the withdrawal without losses. Consequently, on this day alone SS-Rottenführer Eckstein knocked out 13 enemy tanks and within 5 days increased his total number to 26 English tanks.

Eckstein became only the second gunner in the Waffen SS to be awarded the Knight's Cross after Rottenführer, Balthasar Woll. He remained with the 12th SS Panzerjäger Battalion until the end of the war, eventually given command of his own vehicle.

Post war
Eckstein survived the war and died on the 4 April 1979 at the age of 56, in his hometown of Schwaikheim.