Erhard Raus

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Erhard Raus (January 8, 1889 - 1956) was a German Colonel General (Generaloberst) during World War II.

Raus was born in Wolframitz (Bohemia). He fought on the Eastern Front during World War II before being dismissed by Hitler in March of 1945. He later became a prisoner of war. During the war in the east he was one of the most competent and creative General to serve in the east.

During his command of the German 6th Panzer Division he achieved the impossible and led the way to Leningrad, Moscow and the rescue attempt to relieve the entrapped German 6th Army at Stalingrad, only to have the objective snached away from him by Hitler, who would divert his force away at the critcal time when all three objectives could of been taken. Preventing the siege of Leningrad, the withdrawal of Moscow and the attempt to rescue the 6th Army.

His achievements go mostly unrecognised because of the decision of the high command to pull him out of action when he could have achieved his objective and claimed at least minor fame for himself.

During the dark days when the whole Eastern Front was being pushed back by the hammer of the Soviet Union he stabilised the major crossing point across the Donets halting the Russians that threatened to outrun the retreating German army, which was scrabling to esablish the Panther-Wotan Line (which was only partially completed when the army was forced to fall back on it).

Raus subsequently wrote and co-wrote a number of books and publications focusing on strategic analysis of the tank tactics used by his forces on the Eastern front.

He died in Bad Gastein.

[edit] Awards

• Eisernes Kreuz 2. and 1. Klasse
• Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub
  • Ritterkreuz (11 October 1941)
  • Eichenlaub (22 August 1943)

[edit] Works

• Panzer Operations: The Eastern Front Memoir of General Raus, 1941-1945 (with Steven H. Newton)
• Peculiaries of Russian warfare (German report series, 1949)
• Tactics in unusual situations (Small unit tactics, 1951)
• Improvisations and field expedients: Their use as instruments of command (1951)
• Effects of climate on combat in European Russia (German Report Series, CMH Pub 104-6, 1952)
• The Pomeranian battle and the command in the east (1952)
• Strategic deceptions (Deceptions & Cover Plans Project # 29, 1948)

[edit] References

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5. 
• Tsouras, Peter G.. Panzers on the Eastern Front: General Erhard Raus and His Panzer Divisions in Russia, 1941-1945.