(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generalmajor Werner Friebe
Born: 12 Jul 1897 in Droschkau, District Namslau, Silesia (Schlesien)
Died: 08 Mar 1962 in Stuttgart
Promotions:
Gefreiter (27 Jan 1915); Unteroffizier (07 Sep 1915); Fähnrich (14 Dec 1915); Leutnant (23 Mar 1916); Oberleutnant (01 Dec 1925); Hauptmann (01 Sep 1933); Major (01 Mar 1937); Oberstleutnant (01 Apr 1939); Oberst (01 Oct 1941); Generalmajor (01 Jun 1944)
Career:
Entered Army Service (21 Sep 1914)
War Volunteer in the Replacement-Battalion of the 38th Fusilier-Regiment (21 Sep 1914-03 Jan 1915)
In the Field with the 38th Fusilier-Regiment (03 Jan 1915-00 Apr 1915)
In the Fortress-Hospital Lötzen (12 Feb 1915-28 Apr 1915)
Fahnenjunker in the 38th Fusilier-Regiment (00 Apr 1915-23 Mar 1917)
Detached to War School Course at the War School of the VI. Army-Corps (00 Jan 1916-00 Mar 1916)
Detached to Platoon-Leader-Course in Neuflize (02 Nov 1916-10 Nov 1916)
Detached for Training to the Telephone-Double-Platoon of the 11th Infantry-Division (28 Nov 1916-05 Dec 1916)
Leader of the Signals-Battalion of the 38th Fusilier-Regiment (23 Mar 1917-10 May 1918)
Detached to the Signals-School in Namur (15 Feb 1918-26 Feb 1918)
Regiments-Signals-Officer with the Staff of the 38th Fusilier-Regiment (10 May 1918-10 Dec 1918)
Adjutant of the III. Battalion of the 38th Fusilier-Regiment (10 Dec 1918-01 Jun 1919)
Leader of the Signals-Company of the I. Battalion of the 38th Fusilier-Regiment (01 Jun 1919-01 Oct 1919)
Transferred into the 11th Reichswehr-Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1919-30 Sep 1920)
Retired (30 Sep 1920)
Reactivated to Army Service (01 May 1924)
Company-Officer in the 7th Company of the 7th Infantry-Regiment (01 May 1924-01 Jan 1930)
Detached to MG-Course in Döberitz (13 Oct 1924-31 Oct 1924)
Detached to the 3rd Pioneer-Battalion (27 Jul 1925-15 Aug 1925)
Detached to the 3rd Pioneer-Battalion (21 Sep 1925-13 Nov 1925)
Detached to the 5th Artillery-Regiment (01 Jul 1926-30 Sep 1926)
Detached to Weapons School Course in Dresden (01 Oct 1926-20 Feb 1927)
Detached to the 3rd Motor-Transport-Battalion (01 Oct 1928-30 Sep 1930)
Transferred into the 1st Medical-Battalion (01 Jan 1930-01 Oct 1931)
Transferred for Subsidiary-Leadership-Training to the Staff of the 5th Division (01 Oct 1931-01 Oct 1933)
Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of Army Command with Previous Service Use (01 Oct 1933-01 May 1934)
Transferred into the Troop Office, RWM, from 21 May 1935 RKM, Department T1 (01 May 1934-01 Jul 1935)
Detached to the Army General Staff, 5th Department (01 Jul 1935-01 May 1936)
Transferred into the 5th Department of the Army General Staff (01 May 1936-12 Oct 1937)
Chief of the 1st Company of the 3rd Motorcycle-Rifle-Battalion (12 Oct 1937-01 Jun 1938)
Detached to Course for Battalion Commanders at the Infantry School Döberitz (03 May 1938-12 May 1938)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) of the 20th Division (01 Jun 1939-20 Aug 1939)
Chief of Operations (Ia) of the 20th Motorised-Infantry-Division (20 Aug 1939-06 Jan 1941)
Chief Of The General Staff of XXXXVIII. Motorised-Army-Corps (06 Jan 1941-21 Jun 1942)
Chief Of The General Staff of XXXXVIII. Panzer-Corps (21 Jun 1942-25 Nov 1942)
Führer-Reserve OKH (01 Jan 1943-15 Mar 1944)
At the same time, Detached as 1st General-Staff-Officer to the Division-Leaders-Courses in Berlin (05 Jan 1943-06 Feb 1943)
Detached to Army-Group South (15 Mar 1944-01 Apr 1944)
Delegated with the Leadership of the 8th Panzer-Division (01 Apr 1944-01 Jun 1944)
Commander of the 8th Panzer-Division (01 Jun 1944-20 Jul 1944)
Führer-Reserve OKH (20 Jul 1944-01 Sep 1944)
Chief Of The General Staff of the Replacement General-Command of the III. Army-Corps (Military-District III, Berlin) (01 Sep 1944-08 May 1945)
In Captivity (08 May 1945-00 May 1948)
Released (00 May 1948)

Awards & Decorations:
- Ritterkreuz: am 21.04.1944 als Oberst und Führer eines gep. Verbandes der 8. Panzer-Division
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 30.05.1942 als Oberst i.G. und Chef des Generalstabes des XLVIII. Panzerkorps
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Herzogl. Sachsen-Meiningisches Ehrenkreuz für Verdienst im Kriege
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis II. Klasse
- Spange zum EK II
- Spange zum EK I
- Medaille „Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942“


Back to ABR Homepage