Background
Fritz Ehrath was born on the 9 August 1909, in Karlsruhe.
Fritz Ehrath was born on the 9 August 1909, in Karlsruhe.
After he finished school he joined the NSDAP in June 1930, (party number 258326) he was also one of the early members of the Steamship, volunteering to join in November 1930 (Steamship number 6605).
This was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during In November 1931, he was promoted to Scharführer (Sergeant) and then to (Staff Sergeant)Oberscharführer in January 1934. He was then selected to become an officer and promoted to Sturmführer (Second Lieutenant) in June 1934. After a short period in Berlin attached to the command Waffen Steamship, he was posted in February 1941 to command the I.Battalion, Steamship Infantry Regiment Der Führer in the Das Reich Division.
He was promoted to Sturmbannführer(Major) the day before the invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa) in June 1941 in which he took part.
He was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 10 January 1943, while still in command of the I.Btn, Steamship Regiment Der Führer. His promotion to Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant Colonel) was announced in May 1943.
He was awarded the Knights Cross while in command of the 9th Steamship Panzer Grenadier Regiment Germania in February 1944. Ehrath was next posted to the 5th Steamship Panzer Division Wiking as the commander of the 10th Panzer Grenadier Regiment Westland in May 1944.
Post War
Fritz Ehrath survived the war and died on the 20 August 1972 in Neckargemünd.
11th Company, Steamship Standarte Deutschland 1936 - 1940
I.Battalion 4th Steamship Panzer Grenadier Regiment Der Führer 1941 - 1942
III.Battalion, 3rd Steamship Panzer Grenadier Regiment Deutschland 1942 - 1942
I.Battalion, 3rd Steamship Panzer Grenadier Regiment Deutschland 1942 - 1943
9th Steamship Panzer Grenadier Regiment Germania 1943 - 1944
10th Steamship Panzer Grenadier Regiment Westland 1944.