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Freytag, Walter (Generalmajor)

Date of birth:
July 2nd, 1892 (Hasselburg/Saxony, Germany)
Date of death:
February 6th, 1982 (Dresden, East Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

He was the brother of Oberst Viktor Freytag and of General Werner Freytag.

Awards:
January 14th, 1915: Fürstlich Schwarzburgisches Ehrenkreuz 3. Klasse mit Schwertern;
November 1st, 1915: Herzoglich Braunschweigisches Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse;
January 1st, 1916: Fürstlich Lippisches Kriegsverdienstkreuz;
June 3rd, 1918: Herzoglich Braunschweigisches Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse;
June 13th, 1918: Bewährungsabzeichen zum Herzoglich Braunschweigischen Kriegsverdienstkreuze 2. Klasse.

Promotions:
May 1st, 1912: Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter;
August 7th, 1912: Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier;
November 19th, 1912: Fähnrich;
August 19th, 1913: Leutnant;
October 5th, 1916: Oberleutnant;
January 1st, 1924: Hauptmann;
October 1st, 1933: Major;
April 1st, 1936: Oberstleutnant;
January 1st, 1939: Oberst;
August 1st, 1942: Generalmajor (9).

Career:
Career:
Entered Army Service (05 Mar 1912)
Fahnenjunker in the 27th Infantry-Regiment (05 Mar 1912-06 Aug 1914)
Wounded, in Hospital (06 Aug 1914-10 Sep 1914)
In the Field as Battalion-Adjutant with the 27th Infantry-Regiment (10 Sep 1914-28 Sep 1914)
Wounded, in Hospital (28 Sep 1914-25 Nov 1914)
Adjutant of the 21st Field-Infantry-Battalion (25 Nov 1914-28 Dec 1914)
Regiments-Adjutant of the 263rd Reserve-Infantry-Regiment (28 Dec 1914-31 May 1918)
Awarded the Fürstlich Schwarzburgisches Ehrenkreuz 3. Klasse mit Schwertern (1918)
At the same time, Delegated with the Temporary Leadership of the MG-Company of the 263rd Reserve-Infantry-Regiment (01 Jan 1916-01 Apr 1916)
Temporary-Supply-Officer in the Staff of the 79th Reserve-Division (31 May 1918-16 Jul 1918)
Transferred back into the 263rd Reserve-Infantry-Regiment (16 Jul 1918-19 Aug 1918)
Leader of the I. Battalion of the 263rd Reserve-Infantry-Regiment (19 Aug 1918-12 Sep 1918)
Acting-2nd General-Staff-Officer of the 79th Reserve-Division (12 Sep 1918-25 Sep 1918)
1st Ordinance-Officer in the Staff of the 79th Reserve-Division (25 Sep 1918-12 Nov 1918)
Company-Leader in the 261st Reserve-Infantry-Regiment (12 Nov 1918-18 Nov 1918)
Adjutant and 2nd General-Staff-Officer of the 79th Reserve-Division (18 Nov 1918-11 Jan 1919)
2nd General-Staff-Officer in the Staff of the Landesjägerkorps (11 Jan 1919-01 Feb 1920)
Transferred into the 16th Reichswehr-Jäger-Battalion, later renamed 32nd Reichswehr-Jäger-Regiment (01 Feb 1920-14 Apr 1920)
Leader of the MG-Company in the I. Battalion of the 32nd Reichswehr-Jäger-Regiment (14 Apr 1920-01 Jan 1921)
Company-Leader of the 12th (MG) Company of the 12th Infantry-Regiment (01 Jan 1921-01 Oct 1921)
Company-Officer in the 12th (MG) Company of the 12th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1921-01 May 1923)
Detached to Course for MG-Company-Leaders (22 Sep 1921-05 Oct 1921)
Detached to 2nd Ski-Course (01 Feb 1922-28 Feb 1922)
Welfare-Officer of the Training-Battalion of the 12th Infantry-Regiment (01 May 1923-01 Apr 1924)
Chief of the 14th Company of the 12th Infantry-Regiment (01 Apr 1924-01 Feb 1928)
Chief of the 3rd Company of the 12th Infantry-Regiment (01 Feb 1928-01 May 1932)
Detached to Firing-Course in Dresden (10 Jun 1929-29 Jun 1929)
Location-Senior in Zerbst (01 May 1932-25 Nov 1932)
Tests as Auxiliary-Translator in the Russian Language (25 Nov 1932-25 Oct 1933)
Tests as Translator in the French Language (25 Oct 1933-01 Oct 1934)
Commander of the Training-Battalion of the Infantry-Regiment Halberstadt (01 Oct 1934-01 Jun 1935)
Detached to Course for Staff-Officers with Military-District-Command III (28 Jan 1935-09 Feb 1935)
Commander of the Training-Battalion of the Infantry-Regiment Dessau (01 Jun 1935-15 Oct 1935)
Commander of the III. Battalion of the 33rd Infantry-Regiment (15 Oct 1935-01 Jan 1937)
Transferred to the Staff of Fortress-Commander Glogau (01 Jan 1937-10 Nov 1938)
Transferred to the Staff of the 54th Infantry-Regiment (10 Nov 1938-01 Apr 1939)
Commandant of Brünn (01 Apr 1939-10 Apr 1941)
Führer-Reserve OKH, At the same time Delegated with the Leadership of the 240th Infantry-Regiment (10 Apr 1941-20 Jun 1941)
Commander of the 240th Infantry-Regiment (20 Jun 1941-07 Jan 1942)
Führer-Reserve OKH (07 Jan 1942-01 Mar 1942)
Commander of the 769th Infantry-Regiment (01 Mar 1942-12 Jul 1942)
Commandant of Smolensk (12 Jul 1942-05 Nov 1942)
Führer-Reserve OKH (05 Nov 1942-01 Dec 1942)
Commandant of Krasnodar (01 Dec 1942-04 Feb 1943)
Führer-Reserve OKH (04 Feb 1943-15 Mar 1943)
Commander of East-Troop 741 (15 Mar 1943-15 May 1943)
Commander of East-Troop 853 (15 May 1943-10 Oct 1943)
Führer-Reserve OKH (10 Oct 1943-08 Nov 1943)
Detached to the Staff of the Replacement General-Command of the XX. Army-Corps (08 Nov 1943-01 Dec 1943)
Commandant of Danzig then Fortress Danzig (01 Dec 1943-20 Feb 1945)
Führer-Reserve OKH (20 Feb 1945-00 Mar 1945)
Commandant of Elbing then Fortress Elbing (00 Mar 1945-08 May 1945)
In Soviet Captivity, Member of the National-Committee Free Germany and Student at the Antifa-School (08 May 1945-1949)
Released from Soviet Captivity (1949)
Entered the Volkspolizei Of The DDR (1950)
Commander of the Volkspolizei-Alarm Kochstedt (1950-1952)
Detached to Military School in the Soviet Union (1952-1953)
Transferred to the National Peoples Army of the DDR (01 Oct 1952)
Chief of the Regimental-Commander-School in Dresden (1953-1957)
Transferred into the Ministry for National Defence (1957-1958)
Retired (1958)

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Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
September 3rd, 1914
Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
September 5th, 1915
Eisernes Kreuz 1.Klasse (1914)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
June 15th, 1918
with swords
Ritter des Königlicher Preussischer Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
July 20th, 1918
WIA 06.08.1914 + 28.09.1914
Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (1918)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
1934
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936

4. bis 2. Klasse
Awarded on:
1937
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  1.Klasse, 25 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalmajor (Brigadier)
Unit:
Kommandant, Festung Danzig, Heer
Awarded on:
1945
Ehrenblattspange des Heeres und Waffen-SS
Awarded on:
1962
Vaterländischer Verdienstorden Bronze (III. Stufe)
in bronze

Sources

  • Photo 1:
  • - Scheibert, Horst. Die Träger der Ehrenblattspange des Heeres und der Waffen-SS/ Die Träger der Ehrentaffelspange der Kriegsmarine/ Die Inhaber des Ehrenpokals für Besondere Leistung im Lukftkrieg. Friedberg, Ger.: Podzun-Pallas Verlag, 1986, ISBN 3-7909-0283-7
    - Axis History Forum via Awardholders / unit
    - geocities.ws
    - Generale des Heeres 1939-1945
    - axishistory.com

Photo