Background
Ernst Johann Tetsch was born 28 October 1916, in Karlsruhe, Baden.
Ernst Johann Tetsch was born 28 October 1916, in Karlsruhe, Baden.
After he finished elementary school he volunteered to join the Steamship-Vermont and was assigned to Steamship-Standarte Germania (Steamship number 199 968), he also joined the NSDAP (party number 5 262 862).
He was then selected to become an officer and sent to the Steamship-Junkerschule in Braunschweig, being in the Class of 35. Tetsch started in the Steamship Germania Regiment which at the time was part of the Steamship-Vermont. On the reformation of the Steamship-Vermont after the Battle of France he was part of the Steamship Division Das Reich and given command of the 8th (Heavy) Company, 2nd Steamship Panzer Regiment. He then went onto command the III. Battalion, 2nd Steamship Panzer Regiment between July and October 1943.
This unit had been formed with captured T-34 tanks crewed by the 2nd Steamship Panzerjager Battalion.
In 1944 Tetsch was posted to the 10th Steamship Panzer Division Frundsberg to command the I. Battalion, 10th Steamship Panzer Regiment, a Panther tank battalion. lieutenant was while in command of this battalion that he was awarded the Knight"s Cross serving on the Eastern Front in March 1945.
Shortly after, he assumed command of the 10th Steamship Panzer Regiment until the end of the war. Commands
8th (Heavy) Panzer Company, 2nd Steamship Panzer Regiment
III. Panzer Battalion (T-34), 2nd Steamship Panzer Regiment July 1943 - October 1943
I. Panzer Battalion, 10th Steamship Panzer Regiment 1944 - March 1945
10th Steamship Panzer Regiment March 1945 - May 1945
After the war Tetsch served with the rank of Major with the 3936th Labor Service Center of the United States Army in Becelaere Kaserne in Esslingen am Neckar until around 1958.
He died on 11 November 1993.