Soldbuch of Uffz. Erich Sölken, 220 Pz. Pi. Btl. 21. Pz. Div. Nordwind

Unteroffizier Sölken served in the 220 Panzer Pionier Btl. of the 21. Panzer Division which fought strong delaying actions against the allied troops in the region of Lothringen and Saarpfalz in 1944. In January 1945 the 21. Panzer Division was ordered to participate in the Nordwind offensive. The unit fought in the famous tank battle at Hatten on January 16 and after that advanced through the Hagenau forest in the direction of Rohrwiller where the division was once more heavily engaged with the Americans. For his actions during the Nordwind offensive Uffz. Sölken was awarded with the Eisernes Kreuz II Klasse and Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz.

By February 1945 the 21. Pz. Div. was rushed to the eastern front in the vicinity of Rietschen along the Neisse river. The division fought the Russians while it retreated towards Weisswasser and finally Cottbus. For his actions on the eastern front Sölken would be awarded with the Infanterie Sturmabzeichen.

His last known unit was a Kampfgruppe, named Pz. Gren. Btl. Bischoff. Most probably made up from the last remnants of the 21. Panzer Division. The Soldbuch comes with a nice set of photos of Sölken, his family and his unit.