Date of birth:

September 19th, 1888 (Zweibrücken/Bavaria, Germany)

Date of death:

April 27th, 1970 (Garmisch-Partenkirchen/Bavaria, Germany)

Nationality:

German

Promotions:
July 18th, 1907: Fahnenjunker;
October 31st, 1907: Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier;
March 9th, 1908: Fähnrich;
March 7th, 1910: Leutnant;
May 19th, 1915: Oberleutnant;
March 22nd, 1918: Hauptmann/Rittmeister;
February 1st, 1928: Major;
February 1st, 1932: Oberstleutnant;
April 1st, 1934: Oberst;
August 1st, 1937: Generalmajor;
June 1st, 1939: Generalleutnant;
October 20th, 1940: General der Artillerie.

Career:
July 18th, 1907: 5. Feldartillerie-Regiment „König Alfons XIII. von Spanien";
April 22nd, 1908: Kriegsschule München;
January 22nd, 1909: 4. Königlich Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment;
October 1st, 1911: Artillerie- und Ingenieur-Schule;
January 25th, 1914: Adjutant, I. Abteilung, 4. Königlich Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment;
August 24th, 1914: Lazerett;
September 10th, 1914: Adjutant, I. Abteilung, 4. Königlich Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment;
December 5th, 1915: Führer 1. Gebirgs-Kanonenbatterie, Gebirgs-Kanonen-Abteilung 213;
April 29th, 1916: Führer 6. Batterie, 21. Feldartillerie-Regiment;
February 22nd, 1917: Adjutant, 4. Königlich Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment;
February 26th, 1919: Führer, I. Bataillon, 4. Königlich Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment;
February 28th, 1919: Führer, 2. Volkswehr-Batterie;
April 24th, 1919: Führer Panzer-Batterie, Gruppe Hierl;
May 20th, 1919: Führer, Panzer-Batterie, 43. Grenz-Infanterie-Brigade;
October 29th, 1919: Chef, 4. Batterie, Reichswehr-Artillerie-Regiment 21;
October 1st, 1920: Chef, 4. (Gebirgs-) Kompanie, 7. (Bayer.) Fahr-Abteilung;
June 1st, 1926: Stab, II. Abteilung, 7. (Bayer.) Artillerie-Regiment;
May 1st, 1928: Chef, 4. Batterie, 7. (Bayer.) Artillerie-Regiment;
June 12th, 1928: Heeres-Waffen-Amt (WaA), Reichswehrministerium;
April 1st, 1931: Kommandeur, II. Abteilung, 7. (Bayer.) Artillerie-Regiment;
April 1st, 1934: Abteilungschef, Heeresabnahmeabteilung (WaAbn), Heereswaffenamt, Reichswehrministerium;
March 1st, 1938: Artilleriekommandeur 35 (Arko 35);
August 15th, 1938: Kommandeur, 5. Infanterie-Division;
October 20th, 1940: Kommandierenden General, VII. Armeekorps;
March 1st, 1942: Führerreserve;
May 1st, 1942: Kommandierender General, XXV. Armeekorps;
June 10th, 1944: Kommandeur Heeresgruppe Normandie;
August 1st, 1944: Befehlshaber Deutschen Einheiten Bretagne / Festungskommandant Lorient;
May 10th, 1945 - August 10th, 1950: POW;
March 15th, 1951 - August 1958: Member Central Staff of Planning, Egyptian Army.

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Rank:

Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)

Awarded on:

March 13th, 1913

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Rank:

Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

Adjutant, I. Abteilung, 4. Königlich Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment, 2. Feldartillerie Brigade, 2. Königlich Bayerische Division, Armee

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1914

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Rank:

Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

Adjutant, I. Abteilung, 4. Königlich Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment, 2. Feldartillerie Brigade, 2. Königlich Bayerische Division, Armee

Awarded on:

November 15th, 1914

Awarded with swords.

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

Adjutant, 4. Königlich Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment, 2. Feldartillerie Brigade, 2. Königlich Bayerische Division, Armee

Awarded on:

April 6th, 1917

Awarded with "Kriegsdekoration".

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

Adjutant, 4. Königlich Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment, 2. Feldartillerie Brigade, 2. Königlich Bayerische Division, Armee

Awarded on:

June 16th, 1917

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Abteilungschef, Heeresabnahmeabteilung (WaAbn), Heereswaffenamt, Reichswehrministerium

Awarded on:

December 15th, 1934

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Abteilungschef, Heeresabnahmeabteilung (WaAbn), Heereswaffenamt, Reichswehrministerium

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Abteilungschef, Heeresabnahmeabteilung (WaAbn), Heereswaffenamt, Reichswehrministerium

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Abteilungschef, Heeresabnahmeabteilung (WaAbn), Heereswaffenamt, Reichswehrministerium

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Abteilungschef, Heeresabnahmeabteilung (WaAbn), Heereswaffenamt, Reichswehrministerium

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Rank:

Generalmajor (Brigadier)

Unit:

Abteilungschef, Heeresabnahmeabteilung (WaAbn), Heereswaffenamt, Reichswehrministerium

Awarded on:

November 16th, 1937

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Generalleutnant (Major-general)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 5. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

November 21st, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Generalleutnant (Major-general)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 5. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

May 21st, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Generalleutnant (Major-general)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 5. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

June 11th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Generalleutnant (Major-general)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 5. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

June 24th, 1940

The following wartime excerpt describes why Generalleutnant Fahrmbacher would receive the Knight’s Cross…

“General Fahrmbacher conducted a surprise attack across the Marne river with particular energy and initiative on the night of the 13./14.06.1940. The result was that the enemy was forced to retreat prematurely, and an immediate pursuit by the Armee was initiated. This success by the 5. Division would be of decisive importance for the subsequent pursuit battles over the Aube and Seine rivers.”

The following press article supplements this description with additional details…

“During the fighting in the time period 09.-12.06.1940 Generalleutnant Fahrmbacher threw back the enemy wherever they were located, and was able to facilitate the advance of neighbouring formations through his unstoppable drive. He led a coup-de-main across the Marne with particular energy and fury on the night of the 13./14.06.1940.This forced the enemy to retreat prematurely while also enabling the Armee to conduct an immediate pursuit.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

General der Artillerie (Lieutenant-General of Artillerie)

Unit:

Kommandierender General, XXV. Armeekorps, Heer

Awarded on:

August 10th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

General der Artillerie (Lieutenant-General of Artillerie)

Unit:

Kommandierender General, XXV. Armeekorps, Heer

Awarded on:

October 30th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Gareth Collins
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - KURSIETIS, A.J., The Wehrmacht at War 1939-1945, Uitgeverij Aspekt, Soesterberg, 1999.
  - PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
  - 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
  - Reinicke, A., Die 5. Jäger-Division – Polen, Westfeldzug 1940, Rußland, Das Ende an der Oderfront, Nebel Verlag GmbH, Eggolsheim, Deutschland, 2003
  - Axis Biographical Research
  - General der Artillerie Wilhelm Fahrmbacher - Lexikon der Wehrmacht