Date of birth:

October 13th, 1906 (Baienfurt/Württemberg, Germany)

Date of death:

June 7th, 1988 (Böblingen/Baden-Württemberg, Germany)

Nationality:

German

Promotions:
?: NSKK-Obersturmbannführer;
April 20th, 1936: NSKK-Standartenführer;
October 1935: Unteroffizier der Reserve;
July 26th, 1937: Leutnant der Reserve -5690 (RDA: August 1st, 1937 - 120);
November 9th, 1939: NSKK-Oberführer;
August 12th, 1940: Oberleutnant der Reserve -2060 (RDA: July 1st, 1940 -429);
March 21st, 1943: Hauptmann der Reserve -770 (RDA: February 1st, 1943);
November 9th, 1943: NSKK-Brigadeführer;

Career:
1913 - 1916: Volksschule;
1916: Realschule Zuffenhausen;
? - April 1922: Realschule Feuerbach;
April 1st, 1922 - March 31st, 1925: Lehre zum Einzelhandelskaufmann, Stuttgart;
1933: Hauptamtlicher Mitarbeiter SA;
?: Motorstandarte 54, NSKK, Freiburg;
April 4th, 1934: Kraftfahr-Abteilung 5, Ulm;
May 12th, 1939: MG-Bataillon 4, Müllheim;
August 26th, 1939: Adjutant Aufklärungs-Abteilung 260, Baienfurt;
September 1939: Panzer-Regiment 7, Stuttgart-Vaihingen;
? - 1941: Heimatlazerett Freiburg;
January 1942: Kompanieführer Panzer-Ersatz-Abteilung 7, Böblingen;
June 1942: Chef Stabskompanie I. / Panzer-Regiment 201;
?: Chef 2. / Panzer-Regiment 201;
July 25th, 1943: Führer I. / Panzer-Regiment 201;
February 7th, 1944 - March 4th, 1944: Kommandant Abteilungsführer-Schule, Putlos;
May 1945 - December 31st, 1949: American POW.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Awarded on:

August 5th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Awarded on:

September 28th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

SIlver version.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann der Reserve (Captain of Reserves)

Unit:

Führer, I. Abteilung, Panzer-Regiment 201, 23. Panzer-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

September 7th, 1943

Robert Alber commanded the I./Panzer-Regiment 201 during the summer of 1943. During the first part of the battle for the Mius, on the 30.07.1943, Alber was ordered to take a Kampfgruppe with both Panzers and reconnaissance units and launch a counterattack towards the north. His Panzer was soon knocked out, but he boarded another one and continued the attack. Disregarding the threats to his exposed battlegroup from the flanks and rear, they reached the village of Garany.

Here his Panzer received two anti-tank gun hits and Alber was wounded in the right hand, but he remained in the fight and even managed to defeat 3 Soviet anti-tank gun positions with his damaged vehicle. By 11:30 the village was secured, and Alber launched an attack back towards the south in order to encircle the enemies they’d bypassed. Thus, a mere 10 minutes later, contact was made with the 16th Pz.Gr. Division at Hill 196.0 (1 km south of Garany), and the ring was secured. Elements from 6 Soviet rifle divisions were trapped, and by the time of the battle’s conclusion the Soviets had lost 4193 prisoners, 52 anti-tank guns and 35 other artillery pieces.

Alber was presented with the Knight’s Cross shortly afterwards for this major tactical achievement.

2089th Heeres- and Waffen-SS award.

• Photo 1: Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv
• Photo: Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv
  
• - FEDERL, CH., Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Panzerdivisionen 1939-1945, VDM Heinz Nickel, Zweibrücken, 2000.
  - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 2004.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002