Albrecht Lanz

Major Albrecht Lanz (25 February 1898 – 27 January 1942) was the first Kommandant of Guernsey and Jersey in the Channel Islands in World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Lanz was born on 25 February 1898, in Entringen in the Kingdom of Württemberg of the German Empire.^[1]

On 1 June 1940,^[3] Lanz arrived at Guernsey Airport with the Luftwaffe, as part of an attempt to discover the level of military preparedness of the islands (though they had been demilitarised, the information was kept secret until 28 June). Upon his arrival with his interpreter Major Maass. Lanz states that the moment command was transferred to him was "the proudest in this war". When Lanz went to Sark on 3 July to see Dame Sybil Hathaway, she noted that "Lanz was a tall, alert, quick-spoken officer, with dark hair and dark eyes. In civilian life he had been a Doctor of both Law and Philosophy, and I believe he came from a family of agricultural machinery manufacturers in Stuttgart [...] a fair minded man who would never trick anyone by low cunning". Ambrose Sherwill stated that he was "every inch a soldier and not very easy to get to know but absolutely straight and kindly".^[2]

Lanz was given a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 September 1940.^[4] It was noted in Die Wehrmacht in 1940, and an American military translation revealed the following. Whilst the German forces were attacking Belgium, specifically during the crossing of the River Lys, around Theilt (potentially Thielt). The battalion was attempting to attack Gothem, a village, on the 24 May 1940, but beaten back. The battalion again tried on the 26 May through grain fields with limited visibility due to the grain, and under enemy fire, the attack was failing. Lanz organised the group and they attacked successfully, taking several enemies prisoner.^[5]

しかし、彼は中佐の階級でその職を離れ、後に東部戦線に転属した。そこで、ランツと彼の連隊である第396歩兵連隊について、「この素晴らしい指導者であり人物の下にある兵士たちが羨ましい。彼は日焼けした顔に知性が溢れ、ユーモアにあふれている。誰に対しても優しい言葉や冗談を言う」と評された。^{[ 6 ]}彼は東部戦線で、1942年1月27日にソビエト連邦スモレンスクのラゼレットにある病院で負傷により亡くなった。 ^{[ 2 ] [ 4 ] [ 7 ]}

• 1940年9月4日、少佐として第396歩兵連隊第1連隊の指揮官として鉄十字騎士十字章を授与された^{[ 1 ] [ 8 ]}