Träger des Ritterkreuz und des Eichenlaube
Major Dr. Eberhard Zahn

Born on 2 January 1910 as the son of a lawyer in Wupertal-Barmen, Eberhard Zahn joined the Wehrmacht at the outbreak of war as a reservist and Unterführer-Anwärter (candidate) and assignment to the Panzerjäger-Abteilung 33, of the 33.Infanterie-Division. During the campaign in the West he was promoted to Leutnant on 6 Jan 1940 for courage and heroism. With his unit that was attached to the 15.Panzer-Division as part of Rommel's Afrika-Korps, Zahn participated in the North African campaign from the first to the last day as the Abteilung-Adjutant, Kompanie-Chef, and ultimately as the commander of the Panzerjäger-Abteilung. During the British capture of the Fortress Capuzzo he entered captivity from which he managed to escape onto Egyptian soil.

During the North African campaign Zahn was promoted to Oberleutnant on 9 Jan 1941 for his courage while facing the enemy. On 30 May 1941 he was decorated with the Knight's Cross. On 10 Jan 1942 he was promoted again to Hauptmann for bravery in action and on 17 Aug 1942 he earned the Italien Medal for Bravery in silver. On 4 Jan 1943 he was promoted to Major der Reserve. On the North African battlefield Dr. Zahn received on 6 Mar 1943 as the 204th soldier of the German Army the Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross. After serving in North Afrika he joined the Staff of Generaloberst Hube where he was employed during the Allied invasion of Sicily.

As the commander of the s.Pz.Jgr.Abt.88 (Hornissen) in February 1944, Zahn arrived on the Eastern Front for action during the fighting withdrawal from Northern Ukraine along the Dnjestr and through the Karpathian Mountains. After recovering from a serious wounding he was assigned as commander of the Panzerbrigade 101 and promoted to Oberstleutnant der Reserve. During this time he saw action during the fighting withdrawals through the Balkans and East Prussia. As of 12 Jan 1944, during the final phase of the war, he served as commander of the Panzer-Regiments 9 in Poland, Austria, and under the most harsh conditions in Czechoslovakia. He was awarded the Wound Badge in gold and briefly entered Russian captivity.