ek2 and document.
Gefr. Heinrich Petersen
(Gefreiter – roughly equivalent to Private First Class or Lance Corporal)
Unit:
1./s.Art.Abt. 843
This stands for 1st Battery, Heavy Artillery Battalion 843 (1. Batterie, schwere Artillerie-Abteilung 843).
Awarded on:
24 April 1943
The award document was signed by the commander of the 260th Infantry Division.
What was the Iron Cross 2nd Class?
The Iron Cross 2nd Class (EK II) was one of Germany’s most common awards for bravery. It was granted for courage in combat or for distinguished service under enemy fire. A soldier normally had to receive the EK II before becoming eligible for the EK I (Iron Cross 1st Class).
About Heavy Artillery Battalion 843
A schwere Artillerie-Abteilung (Heavy Artillery Battalion) was not part of a division’s organic artillery regiment but was an independent heavy artillery unit that could be attached to different divisions or army corps as needed.
Such battalions typically operated heavy weapons including:
15 cm heavy field howitzers (schwere Feldhaubitzen)
Sometimes 17 cm guns or 21 cm mortars
Long-range bombardment of enemy positions
Counter-battery fire against Soviet artillery
The designation 1./s.Art.Abt. 843 indicates that Petersen served in the battalion’s 1st Battery.
The 260th Infantry Division in April 1943
At this time, the 260th Infantry Division was fighting on the Eastern Front in the central sector of Russia. Following the German defeat at Stalingrad, heavy fighting continued during early 1943 in areas west of Moscow and toward the Orel–Kursk region. The division remained active on the Eastern Front for virtually the entire war.
Because the award document was issued by the commander of the 260th Infantry Division, it is highly likely that Heavy Artillery Battalion 843 was attached to and supporting the division at that time. This was standard practice for independent heavy artillery units.
Interesting Detail on the Award Document
At the bottom of the document appears the inscription:
“Generalleutnant und Kommandeur 260. Inf. Division”
(Lieutenant General and Commander of the 260th Infantry Division)
The signature appears to be that of the division commander. On Iron Cross 2nd Class award certificates, the signature was almost always that of the division commander or his deputy.
“Generalleutnant und Kommandeur 260. Inf. Division”
was almost certainly Walter Hahm. He commanded the 260th Infantry Division from 1 January 1942 until 8 November 1943. Only during a temporary absence between August and October 1942 was he replaced by Dietrich von Choltitz.
Therefore, on 24 April 1943, Hahm was the official commander of the division and was almost certainly the officer who signed this award document.
Walter Hahm
Born: 1894
A career officer who served in the German Army prior to the First World War.
Commanded the 260th Infantry Division during much of the heavy fighting on the Eastern Front in 1942–1943.
Later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in recognition of his leadership of the division.