Date of birth:

April 29th, 1898 (Dopsattel/Eastern Prussia, Germany)

Date of death:

November 6th, 1965 (Rottach-Egern/Bavaria, Germany)

Nationality:

German

Gerhard Feyerabend was born on 29th April 1898 at the Gut Dopsattel in Königberg, Prussia. He was the son of "Rittergutsbesitzer" Eugen Feyerabend (8th February 1860 – 18th January 1901) and Anna Claassen (20th April 1870 – 13th January 1943). Between 1906 and 1911 hewas educated at the Gymnasium in Königsberg. With 13 years young he started his military career at the Kadettenschule in Köslin in 1911, followed by the Hauptkadettenanstalt in Berlin-Lichterfelde from 1914 until 1916.

On 29th March 1916 he was promoted to Fähnrich and joined the Feld-Artillerie-Regiment 82 from 1916 until 1918. with this unit he was active at the Eastern Front and took part in the Battle at Kowel. He was promoted to Leutnant on 5th December 1916. In 1917 he was transferred to the west and took part in the Battle for Verdun.

After the First World War, Feyerabend joined the newly formed Reichwehr. On 18th July 1924 he married Bratricken Erna Reschke (born 16th June 1901). He was promoted to Oberleutnant on 31st July 1925 and his promotion to Hauptmann followed on 1st April 1933. On 9th May 1935 the couple Gerhard and Bratricken became the parent to daughter Marie-Louise. Gerhard Feyerabend was promoted to Major on 2nd August 1936. From 1937 he was active as Ia with Generalstab 24.Division and was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 20th March 1939.

In September 1939, when war broke out, Feyerabend took part in the Polish Campaign. During the campaign in the West he acted as Ia in Generalstab XXXX.Armeekorps, whicht was followed by the Yougoslavian Campaign in 1941 as Ia in Stab 2.Armee and in the Soviet campaign with the same occupation. Feyerabend was promoted to Oberst on 9th November 1941. On 15th December 1941 he was appointed Generalstabchef XXVII.Armeekorps. On 2nd August 1943 followed the appointment to Chef des Generalstabes 1.Armee and he was promoted to Genralmajor on 20th February 1944. At this time he was transferred to the Western Front. On 9th November 1944, Feyerabend was appointed to Kommandeur 11.Infanterie-Division in the Kurland area. He was finally promoted to Generalleutnant on 23rd February 1945. On 10th May 1945 he was in Soviet captivity with the remains of his division. Later he was to find out that his wife and daughter were killed by Soviet military on 30th January 1945. He was finally released from imprisonment on 10th July 1947.

After his imprisonment, Gerhard Feyerabend lived in Rottach-Egern, Bavaria until he died on 17th November 1965.

Besides his Iron Crosses 1st and 2nd Class and his Second World War related decorations, Gerhard Feyerabend also reveived the Bavarian Militray Order of Merit 4th Class with Sword, the Austrian War Merit Cross 3rd Class with Wardecoration and the Wounded Award in Black (1918). In September 1920 he also had received the Bronze Sport Award.

Promotions:
29th March 1916: Fähnrich;
5th December 1916: Leutnant;
31st July 1925: Oberleutnant;
1st April 1933: Hauptmann;
2nd August 1936: Major;
20th March 1939: Oberstleutnant;
9th November 1941: Oberst;
20th February 1944: Generalmajor;
23rd February 1945: Generalleutnant.

Career:
1911 – 1914: Kadettenschule Köslin;
1914 – 1916: Hauptkadettenanstalt Berlin-Lichterfelde;
1916 – 1918: Feld-Artillerie-Regiment 82;
1937: Ia Generalstab 24.Division;
1940: Ia Generalstab XXXX.Armeekorps;
1941: Ia Stab 2.Armee;
15th December 1941: Generalstabchef XXVII.Armeekorps;
2nd August 1943: Chef des Generalstabes 1.Armee;
9th November 1944: Kommandeur 11.Infanterie-Division;
10th May 1945 – 10th July 1947: Prisoner of War.

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• Photo 1:
• Photo 2:
• - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio Verlag, Bissendorf, 2003.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
  - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X