Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Oberst Karl Faulhaber

Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberst Karl Faulhaber (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 282 / 98.Infanterie-Division). He formally received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 19 December 1943 in recognition of his decisive personal leadership during the critical fighting that followed the Soviet landing near Eltigen south of Kertsch on the Kerch Peninsula on 1 November 1943. Born on 11 January 1896 in Gerolzhofen, Faulhaber was already a decorated veteran who had earned the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 12 November 1942 while commanding the same regiment, then designated Infanterie-Regiment 282. When Soviet forces, supported by heavy artillery fire from the Taman peninsula, established a beachhead at Eltigen under cover of darkness, all communications with the coastal defence forces of the II. Bataillon under Hauptmann Dr. Finke collapsed and the situation remained completely unclear. Acting as commander of the coastal sector south of Kertsch, Oberst Faulhaber immediately drove forward in person, encountered the battered 2. Kompanie of his regiment whose commander had been severely wounded, and observed several hundred Soviet troops advancing westward along the Kamysch-Burun–Tobetschik road, already threatening to envelop the firing positions of the 2./Artillerie-Regiment 198. Refusing to await the arrival of the divisional reserve, he rallied the leaderless and heavily depleted Kompanie under intense fire, led them personally in a flank attack against the advancing enemy, outflanked the foremost Soviet elements, and seized a series of commanding crests and quarries. Throughout the subsequent fierce Soviet counter-attacks he moved from nest to nest, directing the defence by personal example and ensuring that the vital high ground south of Salt Lake remained in German hands. This bold action halted the enemy breakthrough at the last moment, relieved the threatened artillery battery, restored contact with the encircled command post of Hauptmann Finke, and created the conditions for a continuous defensive line that later enabled the Eltigen beachhead to be contained and constricted with limited forces, thereby preserving the Kerch Peninsula for the hard-pressed 98. Infanterie-Division..

Karl Faulhaber’s Ritterkreuz recommendation reads as follows:

“Just before daybreak on the 01.11.1943, and under the cover of numerous heavy batteries firing from the Taman peninsula, the enemy landed near Eltigen (south of Kertsch). At first the situation remained totally unclear. All means of communication were unavailable. Under the enemy’s artillery drumfire no battle noises could be heard except for a few scattered rifle and MG shots, which soon fell silent. Communications to the II./Grenadier-Regiment 282 (commanded by Hauptmann Dr. Finke, and in charge of coastal defense along with the local reserve) failed. Communications from Finke’s command post likewise failed to reach Hauptmann Vockentanz, commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 282 (which was on standby as the divisional reserve in Stary Karantin-Süd). Everything about the situation remained unclear, including the strength of the landed enemy, the extent of their beachhead and their current disposition.

Oberst Faulhaber, the commander of the coastal sector south of Kertsch, immediately resolved to personally carry out the necessary reconnaissance and restoration of communication with Hauptmann Finke. As he was driving forward he encountered the 2./Grenadier-Regiment 282 south of Kamysch-Burun. At the time this unit was taking cover from heavy enemy artillery fire in the road ditches. Heavy losses had been incurred, and the Kompanie commander had fallen out with severe injuries. At this same time Faulhaber perceived that the Russians were already marching westwards from Eltigen with about 200-300 men along the road Kamysch-Burun-Tobetschik. Russian elements were bypassing the firing position of the nearby 2./Artillerie-Regiment 198 on both sides. It therefore had to be assumed that the command post of Hauptmann Finke, located further to the south, had either been encircled or destroyed. If the enemy continued their advance further west they would capturing the commanding high ground south of Salt Lake. In doing so they would secure all the prerequisites for a further successful attack into the unprotected territory towards the west, and also enable further landings to take place in the particularly valuable Kamysch-Burun harbour.

Fully realizing the severity of the situation, and the need to take instant action, Oberst Faulhaber decided not to wait for the divisional reserve to arrive. He decided to launch an immediate attack with the already heavily weakened, leaderless Kompanie. Under heavy fire he got the Kompanie to get on its feet again, led them to a relatively safe place north of the road to reassemble, and then from here launched a flank attack into the enemy forces that were advancing northwards. Faulhaber himself led at the head of this attack. As the fully surprised enemy began to hesitate, Oberst Faulhaber managed to outflank the foremost enemy elements and push them back across the road. He subsequently captured a series of crests and quarries. During an immediately launched enemy counterthrust by strong enemy forces Oberst Faulhaber rushed from resistance nest to resistance nest, directing the individual soldiers to their targets and inspiring them through his personal example. In this way he ensured that, following back-and-forth combat, his troops were able to remain in control of the commanding strongpoints.

The successes that were achieved were of great and decisive importance for the continuation of combat in the area. The enemy’s strong landed forces were slowed down during their unopposed march to the west at the last second, and were forced to yield a considerable amount of their newly conquered territory. In the process they took significant losses and were thrown into confusion. The 2./Artillerie-Regiment 198 was freed from its imminent encirclement, and was once again able to deliver decisive artillery support for the forthcoming battles. Contact with Finke’s encircled command post and the forces that had been gathered to him was restored. Through this the conditions were created to form an unbroken line of resistance, from which an attack that sought to constrict the enemy beachhead would later be launched.

The success achieved under the personal, bold leadership of Oberst Faulhaber prevented the enemy breakthrough. It also laid the groundwork for newly brought up forces to significantly constrict the enemy forces in the Eltigen beachhead and form a defensive front that would be able to contain them with minimal amounts of friendly troops. This enabled the Kertsch peninsula to continue to be held with the weak available forces.”

Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2632509#p2632509
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/4232/Faulhaber-Karl-Grenadier-Regiment-282.htm