Erich Petersen

Erich Karl Alexander Petersen (25 August 1889 – 4 July 1963) was a German officer and general during the Second World War.

Erich Karl Alexander Petersen
Born	25 August 1889 (1889-08-25) Heidelberg, Grand Duchy of Baden, German Empire
Died	4 July 1963(1963-07-04) (aged 73) Allmannshausen, Starnberger See, Bavaria, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Branch	Prussian Army German Imperial Army Reichswehr German Army (Wehrmacht) Luftwaffe
Years of service	1909–45
Rank	General der Flieger
Commands	7th Air Division IV. Luftwaffe-Field-Corps LXXXX Army-Corps
Battles / wars	World War I World War II
Awards	German Cross in Gold

Life

Petersen was a military cadet and later an infantry officer.^[1] He served in WWI and then with the Reichswehr. At the beginning of WWII, he was a colonel and commander of the Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125 at the Westwall. He participated in the Battle of France and the Balkans campaign (World War II). On 11 October 1941 with effect from 1 October 1941, he was transferred to the Luftwaffe.^[2]

Petersen served as commander of the 7th Air Division, until being tapped for promotion to commanding general of the IV Luftwaffe Field Corps. He also served as commanding general of the LXXXX Army Corps. Following the war, he was tried and acquitted of war crimes in France. He was released on 18 January 1950.

Awards and decorations (excerpt)

• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
• Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
• Wound Badge (1918) in Black
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 1st Class
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 27 March 1942 as Generalmajor and commander of the 7. Flieger-Division^[3]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (17 September 1944)