Nickname: No information
Date of Birth: 23 July 1891 - Steeg am Hallstaetter See, Upper Austria, Austria-Hungary
Date of Death: 21 January 1943 - Novy Georgiyevsky near Stalingrad, Soviet Union
Battles and Operations: World War I (Eastern and Western Fronts), Battle of France (1940), Operation Barbarossa (1941), Battles in Ukraine including Zwiahel, Defensive actions in the Don Bend and Rossosch area (1942), Operation Little Saturn (1943)
NSDAP-Number: No information
SS-Number: No information
Religion: Catholic
Parents: No information
Siblings: No information
Spouse: No information
Children: No information
Promotions:
Leutnant (01 Aug 1914)
Oberleutnant (01 May 1915)
Hauptmann (01 Jan 1921)
Major (25 Sep 1928)
Oberstleutnant (20 Apr 1939)
Oberst (01 Feb 1941)
Generalmajor (01 Feb 1942)
Generalleutnant (19 Dec 1942)
General der Infanterie (nachträglich) (01 Mar 1943)
Career:
Entered Austrian Army Service (01 Aug 1914)
Platoon-Commander in the 21st Landwehr-Regiment (01 Aug 1914-26 Dec 1914)
2nd Adjutant with the Replacement-Battalion of the 21st Territorial-Regiment in St. P�lten (26 Dec 1914-21 Jul 1915)
Company-Commander with XII. March-Battalion (21 Jul 1915-04 Aug 1915)
Commander of the 4th Company of the 21st Landwehr-Regiment (04 Aug 1915-19 Aug 1915)
Commander of the 7th Company of the 21st Landwehr-Regiment (19 Aug 1915-25 Oct 1915)
Alpine-Advisor with the II. Battalion of the 21st Landwehr-Regiment (25 Oct 1915-18 Dec 1915)
Commander of the 7th Company of the 21st Rifle-Regiment (18 Dec 1915-16 Oct 1916)
1st Regiments-Adjutant of the 21st Rifle-Regiment (16 Oct 1916-04 Nov 1918)
Company-Commander with the Technical Volkswehr-Battalion Krems (04 Nov 1918-14 Jun 1920)
Platoon-Commander in the 6th Infantry-Regiment (14 Jun 1920-01 Jan 1921)
Baggage-Squadron-Commander in the 6th Infantry-Regiment (01 Jan 1921-01 Mar 1921)
Adjutant of the I. Battalion of the 6th Infantry-Regiment (01 Mar 1921-01 Dec 1924)
Commander of the Regiments-Communications-Platoon of the 6th Infantry-Regiment (01 Dec 1924-01 Aug 1925)
Commander of the 3rd Company of the 6th Infantry-Regiment (01 Aug 1925-01 Sep 1927)
Commander of the 1st Company of the 6th Infantry-Regiment and Location-Commandant (01 Sep 1927-01 Aug 1928)
Commander of the 2nd Company of the 6th Infantry-Regiment and Location-Commandant (01 Aug 1928-01 Nov 1931)
Commander of the 3rd Company of the 6th Infantry-Regiment (01 Nov 1931-30 Sep 1937)
At the same time, Detached as Commander of the 2nd Rifle-School-Company in Bruck-Neudorf (12 Apr 1937-27 Jun 1937)
Commander of the One-Year-Volunteer-Battalion of the 6th Infantry-Regiment (30 Sep 1937-01 Aug 1938)
Detached as Instructor for light Infantry-Weapons with the Training Courses for the Military Academy at the Infantry Firing School Bruck-Neudorf (07 Mar 1938-15 Mar 1938)
Transferred into the German Army (15 Mar 1938)
Location-Officer Krems (01 Aug 1938-20 Sep 1938)
Delegated with the Leadership of the I. Battalion of the 132nd Infantry-Regiment (20 Sep 1938-26 Aug 1939)
Detached to Course for Battalion-Commanders in D�beritz (04 Jan 1939-14 Jan 1939)
Commander of the I. Battalion of the 132nd Infantry-Regiment (26 Aug 1939-08 Jun 1940)
Commander of the 132nd Infantry-Regiment (08 Jun 1940-08 Jan 1942)
Delegated with the Leadership of the 385th Infantry-Division (08 Jan 1942-01 Feb 1942)
Commander of the 385th Infantry-Division (01 Feb 1942-19 Dec 1942)
Führer-Reserve OKH (19 Dec 1942-20 Jan 1943)
Delegated with the Leadership of XXIV. Panzer-Corps (20 Jan 1943-21 Jan 1943)
Killed-in-Action (21 Jan 1943)
Awards and Decorations:
k.u.k. Österr. Bronzene Militär-Verdienst-Medaille (“Signum Laudis”) am Bande des Militär-Verdienstkreuzes mit Schwertern
k.u.k. Österr. Militär-Verdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration
k.u.k. Österr. Silberne Militär-Verdienst-Medaille (“Signum Laudis”) am Bande des Militär-Verdienstkreuzes mit Schwertern
k.u.k. Österr. Militär-Verdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration (zum 2. ten Mal)
k.u.k. Österr. Orden der Eisernen Krone III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration und Schwertern
k.u.k. Österr. Karl-Truppenkreuz
k.u.k. Österr. Verwundetenmedaille mit 2. Mittelstreifen
Österr. Kriegs-Erinnerungs-Medaille mit Schwertern
Ungar. Kriegs-Erinnerungs-Medaille mit Schwertern
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01.10.1938
1939 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse (23 September 1939)
1939 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse (1939) 1st Class (5 November 1939)
Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen
Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (15 August 1940) as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur III.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 131 / 44.Infanterie-Division. The following wartime excerpt describes why Eibl would receive the Ritterkreuz: “On the 06.06.1940 Oberstleutnant Eibl and his Bataillon stormed the strongpoint of Chuignolles, with the commander himself leading from the front of the attack. This location had been built like a fortress and stoutly defended for a long time. It was the capture of this strongpoint alone that enabled the continued advance of German forces towards and east of Proyart. This success, achieved with daring bravery and extremely flexible execution, created the basis for further German offensive victories.”
Ehrenblattspange des Heeres (8 August 1941)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #50 (31 December 1941) as Oberst and Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 132 / 44.Infanterie-Division. Awarded for the decisive successes of his Regiment during the struggle for the Zwiahel bridgehead, which began on the 09.07.1941.
Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942”
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #21 (19 December 1942) as Generalmajor and Kommandeur 385.Infanterie-Division. Awarded for the extraordinary defensive achievements of his Division in the Rossosch area (located in the great Don bend) against overwhelming Soviet attacks. Eibl and his men repelled all hostile breakthrough attempts for weeks.
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Karl Eibl (23 July 1891 – 21 January 1943) was an Austrian-born general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, one of the highest decorations awarded by Nazi Germany. Eibl began his military career in the Austro-Hungarian Army in World War I and continued serving in the Austrian Bundesheer after the war. Following the 1938 Anschluss, he transferred to the German Army, rising rapidly through regimental and divisional commands on the Eastern Front. He was killed in action (by friendly fire) during the Soviet Operation Little Saturn while briefly commanding the XXIV Panzer Corps near Stalingrad. He was posthumously promoted to General der Infanterie.
There is a memorial monument to him in the city park of Krems an der Donau, Austria.
Karl Franz Eibl was born on 23 July 1891 in Steeg (also spelled Steg) am Hallstätter See, Upper Austria (then part of Austria-Hungary). He attended school in Krems and was stationed there during World War I.
He joined the Austro-Hungarian Army on 1 August 1914 as a Leutnant in k.u.k. Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment 21. He served throughout the war on various fronts and was promoted to Oberleutnant in 1915. After the dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918, he remained in the military of the First Austrian Republic (Bundesheer), eventually rising to command Infanterie-Regiment 6.
After the Anschluss of Austria into Nazi Germany on 12 March 1938, Eibl was integrated into the German Wehrmacht with the rank of Oberstleutnant. He initially served with Infanterie-Regiment 131 of the 44th Infantry Division.
Eibl participated in the invasion of Poland in September 1939. As commander of the III Battalion, Infanterie-Regiment 131, he earned both classes of the Iron Cross (2nd Class on 23 September 1939; 1st Class on 5 November 1939).
During the Battle of France in 1940, he commanded Infanterie-Regiment 132 (after briefly commanding its 1st Battalion). On 6 June 1940 his regiment stormed the strongpoint at Chuignolles, defeating a French brigade. For these actions he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 15 August 1940 as Oberstleutnant and commander of III./Infanterie-Regiment 131 (sources occasionally list the regiment number inconsistently due to rapid transfers).
After occupation duties in France, Eibl's regiment moved east for Operation Barbarossa in June 1941. As Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 132, he distinguished himself in heavy fighting around Zhitomir and the Zwiahel bridgehead near the Uman pocket. He received the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross (50th recipient) on 31 December 1941. He was also awarded the Honour Roll Clasp of the Army on 8 August 1941 (180th recipient) and the Infantry Assault Badge.
In January 1942 he was promoted to Generalmajor and given command of the newly formed 385th Infantry Division (initially acting from 8 January, full command from 1 February 1942). The division, raised largely from replacement personnel, was committed to the Don River sector.
During the Soviet winter offensive of 1942–43 (Operation Little Saturn), Eibl's 385th Infantry Division played a key role in halting Soviet advances north of Stalingrad in the Rossosch area. For this defensive success he became the 21st recipient of the Swords to the Knight's Cross (and only the second Army officer after Erwin Rommel) on 19 December 1942.
On 20 January 1943 he was appointed acting commander of the XXIV Panzer Corps (part of 4th Panzer Army) after the previous commander, Generalleutnant Arno Jahr, committed suicide. Eibl was killed the next day, 21 January 1943, northwest of Rossosh (near Kravzoka / Krawzowka / Novy Georgiyevsky).
The exact circumstances remain somewhat controversial. Most German and postwar accounts state that Italian soldiers (from the Alpine Corps) mistook Eibl's command vehicle for a Soviet armoured car during the chaotic retreat and destroyed it with hand grenades, mortally wounding him. He was taken to a field hospital where he died of his injuries (some accounts mention foot amputation). Italian sources, including reports from General Nasci, claim he was killed by an unexploded Soviet bomb. He was posthumously promoted to Generalleutnant (effective 19 December 1942 in some lists) and then to General der Infanterie on 1 March 1943.
Eibl is remembered as a capable regimental and divisional commander who rose from the Austrian Army to high rank in the Wehrmacht. His death by friendly fire during the Stalingrad disaster exemplifies the chaos of the German retreat in early 1943. A monument in Krems an der Donau commemorates his service.
Source:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Eibl
- https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/ (page not found, but referenced for general Wehrmacht personnel data)
- https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/1134/Eibl-Karl-Franz.htm
- https://grokipedia.com/ (no relevant entry found)
- https://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=list&cat=300
- https://www.unithistories.com/officers/bio/german/HeerE.htm
- https://web.archive.org/web/20091027052912fw_/http://geocities.com/orion47.geo/index2.html (no specific Eibl info found)
- https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=1180276
- https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/ (no specific threads found)
- https://www.bundesarchiv.de/en/ (general archive reference)
- https://www.geni.com/ (no profile found)
- https://books.google.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/20091028010641fw_/http://geocities.com/orion47.geo/WEHRMACHT/HEER/General/EIBL_KARL.html
- Berger, Florian (1999). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die hoechstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-0-6.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Traeger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubtraeger 1939-1945 Band 1: A-K. Osnabrueck, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
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