Ernst Tiburzy

Ernst Tiburzy ( born December 26, 1911 in Drozdowo ( Orzysz ), East Prussia, † November 14, 2004 in Papenburg ) was a German Volkssturm battalion commander, who was the first Volkssturm member received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Tiburzy was commander of the Volkssturm battalion 25/82 in the fortress of Königsberg. He received the Knight's Cross for his fight to the fort, when he destroyed on 10 February 1945 in the single combat between five and nine Russian T -34. Through this initiative, it prevented a breakthrough of Soviet troops. For his efforts he was wounded several times. He was the first of only four Volkssturm members who received the Knight's Cross. The award was confirmed in the German newsreel number 755 from March 1945.

Furthermore Tiburzy was mentioned in the Wehrmacht report of 28 February 1945.