"On the November 21, 1941, when Tolsdorff was acting commander of the
II Infantry Regiment 22, the Soviets (fighting from the Vyborgsskaja
bridgehead) made a dangerous breakthrough in the Bataillon’s main
defensive line. Scraping together a reserve Kompanie made up of drivers
and communications troops from the Bataillon staff, Tolsdorff led a
counterattack against this penetration. Despite being wounded three
times he and his force succeeded in regaining the line. For this
Tolsdorff was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on December 4, 1941."
"During the Third Battle of Lake Ladoga, taking place
on both sides of the Kirov railway, Tolsdorff and his Bataillon were
assigned a section of line to defend. They not only succeeding in
holding their own positions for 14 days, but also managed to throw back
Soviet forces that broke through in the neighboring one. In all these
battles Tolsdorff led from the front in both offense and defense. For
these actions he was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on September15, 1943."
"During the Soviet operation Bagration, Tolsdorff took over command of a
scratch force of alert and leave companies, Grenadier Regiment 1067. He
was first ordered to break through to the garrison at Vilnius, which he
succeeded in doing (on the way rescuing a German field hospital with
3,000 wounded men). He then took part in the city's defense, later
breaking out with other units when a narrow corridor had been created by
German relief forces. He and his men had distinguished themselves
during the time they defended the city, so much so that Tolsdorff was
christened "The Lion of Vilnius" by German propaganda. For his actions
here he received the Swords to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on July 18, 1944."
"Awarded for the excellent leadership of his division during the Battle of the Bulge (where it successfully seized and held a river crossing),
and later during the retreat through the Eifel region." He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak leaves, Swords and Diamonds on March 18, 1945.
"After the war, Tolsdorff was charged with the killing of Franz Xaver Holzhey
in the closing days of World War II. He was convicted in 1954 and
subsequently acquitted in 1960. The trials generated substantial public
interest and media coverage."
Another capable and ruthless enemy elite,
Brian
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