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Biegeleben, Freiherr von, Arnold

Date of birth:
April 16th, 1883 (Darmstadt/Hesse, Germany)
Date of death:
October 11th, 1940 (Jullouville/Manche, France)
Buried on:
German War Cemetery La Cambe
Plot: 47. Grave: 232.
Nationality:
German

Biography

Generalleutnant Biegeleben died of a heart attack.

Promotions:
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (07 Aug 1901);
Fähnrich (14 Nov 1901);
Leutnant (18 Aug 1902);
Oberleutnant (18 Aug 1910);
Hauptmann (08 Oct 1914);
Hauptmann/Rittmeister (01 Feb 1922);
Major (01 Nov 1924);
Oberstleutnant (01 Oct 1929);
Oberst (01 Oct 1932);
Generalmajor (01 May 1935);
Generalleutnant (01 Aug 1937)

Career:
Entered Army Service (29 Mar 1901)
Fahnenjunker in the 25th Field-Artillery-Regiment (29 Mar 1901-1906)
Detached to the Field-Artillery-Firing-School (10 Feb 1905-31 May 1905)
Adjutant of the II. Battalion of the 25th Field-Artillery-Regiment (1906-1908)
Regiments-Adjutant of the 25th Field-Artillery-Regiment (1908-14 Oct 1914)
Battery-Leader in the 25th Field-Artillery-Regiment (14 Oct 1914-01 Feb 1917)
Leader of the III. Battalion of the 25th Field-Artillery-Regiment (01 Feb 1917-10 Jan 1919)
Adjutant of the General-Command of the IV. Reserve-Corps (10 Jan 1919-29 Mar 1920)
Transferred into the 6th Mounted-Regiment (29 Mar 1920-15 Jun 1921)
Squadron-Chief in the 6th Mounted-Regiment (15 Jun 1921-01 Feb 1925)
Transferred into the Staff of the 1st Cavalry-Division (01 Feb 1925-01 Apr 1929)
Transferred into the Staff of the 15th Mounted-Regiment (01 Apr 1929-01 Oct 1931)
Commander of the 15th Mounted-Regiment (01 Oct 1931-01 May 1935)
Cavalry-Commander Hannover (01 May 1935-21 Feb 1936)
Commander of the 2nd Cavalry-Brigade (21 Feb 1936-01 Apr 1936)
Higher Cavalry Officer 2 (01 Apr 1936-12 Oct 1937)
Higher Cavalry Officer 4 (12 Oct 1937-01 Mar 1938)
Commander of the 6th Infantry-Division (01 Mar 1938-11 Oct 1940)
Died (11 Oct 1940)

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Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
September 14th, 1914
Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
March 3rd, 1916
Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 6th, 1939
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 30th, 1939
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
May 11th, 1940
Deutsches Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur 6. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:
August 5th, 1940
The following wartime excerpt describes why Biegeleben was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“The decisive deed by Generalleutnant Freiherr von Biegeleben and his 6. Division was of massive operational importance for the entire western army. Fighting downriver from Paris, he and his Infanterie-Division were the first and only formation to have already forced a crossing over the Seine river near Les Andelys on the afternoon of the 09.06.1940. By doing so they prevented the totally surprised enemy from setting up a defense along this operationally important river obstacle, and this in turn rendered the defense of Paris untenable.”
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
November 24th, 1917
Ritter des Königlicher Preussischer Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  3.Klasse, 12 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  2. Klasse, 18 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  1.Klasse, 25 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
September 15th, 1936
Tsarski Orden
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
November 25th, 1914
Allgemeines Ehrenzeichen / Hessische Tapferkeitsmedaille

Sources

Photos