Apelt, Fedor Johannes

Date of birth:: October 14th, 1904 (Rohnau-Zittau/Saxony, Germany)
Date of death:: April 15th, 1988 (Bückeburg/Lowersaxony, Germany)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Career:
01.04.1922: 15. Kompanie / 10. (sächs.) Infanterie-Regiment - Löbau
8. (MG) Kompanie / 10. (sächs.) Infanterie-Regiment - Löbau
Infanterie-Geschütz-Lehrgang - II. Abteilung / Art.Reg. 4
sMG-Kurs - Altengrabow
01.10.1929-30.09.1932: 1. Futtermeister - 8. (MG) Kompanie / 10. (sächs.) Infanterie-Regiment - Löbau
01.07.1934: Kompanie-Offizier - 8. (MG) Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 10 - Bautzen
01.10.1934: Kompanie-Offizier - 8. (MG) Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment - Königsbrück
15.10.1935: Führer - 4. Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiments 53 - Weißenfels (Saale)
16.03.1936: Kommandeur - 4. Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiments 53 - Weißenfels (Saale)
15.11.1940: Kommandeur - III. Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 32
17.02.1941-15.03.1941: Bataillons- und Abteilungs-Kommandeurs-Lehrgang - Lehrgruppe C - II. Inspektion - Infanterie-Regiment 211 - Truppenübungsplatz Königsbrück
04.04.1942-02.08.1942: Führer - Infanterie-Regiment 32 then Kommandeur - III. Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 32
13.09.1942: Führer - Infanterie-Regiment 102
17.08.1944: WIA (loss of his right arm) near Laudona and sent to the Lazarett Ergli
01.11.1944: Führer-Reserve

Promotions:
01.10.1926: Unteroffizier
1930: Feldwebel
1932: Oberfeldwebel
01.07.1934: Leutnant
01.07.1934: Oberleutnant
01.03.1936: Hauptmann
01.04.1941: Major
01.10.1942: Oberstleutnant
01.05.1943: Oberst

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Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: August 7th, 1941

Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: October 20th, 1941

Silver version.

Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Major
Unit:: III. / Infanterie-Regiment 32
Awarded on:: March 12th, 1942

Krimschild (Stiftungs ausführing)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: December 30th, 1942

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberst (Colonel)
Unit:: Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 102 / 24.Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: February 8th, 1944

The following press article from the Dresdener Morgenzeitung (dated 03.03.1944) describes why Apelt was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“As was reported by the Führer headquarters yesterday, the Führer has awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross to Oberst Fedor Apelt, commander of a Grenadier-Regiment. As was further reported by the Führer headquarters, Oberst Apelt managed to build up a defensive front west of Novgorod under heavy enemy defensive fire. By doing so he was able to hold off the Soviet forces that were attacking to the south and thereby enable the withdrawal of German forces from Novgorod.”

More specifically, this newspaper article refers to Apelt’s successful holding of the defensive perimeter Ostrow—Nawolok—Ssyrkowo in the time period 17.-18.01.1944.