(Photo courtesy of Dieter Zinke)

Generalleutnant Fritz Hermann Michael Bayerlein

Born: 14 Jan 1899 in Würzburg
Died: 30 Jan 1970 in Würzburg

Promotions:
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (13 Sep 1918); Fähnrich (24 Jul 1919); Oberfähnrich (01 Jan 1921); Leutnant (01 Jan 1922); Oberleutnant (01 Jan 1927); Hauptmann (01 Mar 1934); Major (01 Jun 1938); Oberstleutnant (01 Sep 1940); Oberst (01 Apr 1942); Generalmajor (01 Mar 1943); Generalleutnant (01 May 1944)

Career:
Entered Army Service (05 Jun 1917)
Fahnenjunker in the 9th Bavarian Infantry-Regiment (05 Jun 1917-12 Jan 1918)
Transferred into the Field-Recruitment-Depot of the 4th Bavarian Infantry-Division (12 Jan 1918-28 May 1918)
In the Field with the 9th Bavarian-Infantry-Regiment (28 May 1918-15 Apr 1919)
Detached to the 12th Bavarian Fahnenjunker-Course in Freising (14 Sep 1918-19 Nov 1918)
Transferred to Volunteer-Battalion Dittmar, 5th Company (15 Apr 1919-28 May 1919)
Transferred into the 45th Reichswehr-Infantry-Regiment (28 May 1919-01 Jan 1921)
Detached to Course II at the Infantry School in Wünsdorf (27 May 1920-30 Nov 1920)
Transferred into the 21st Infantry-Regiment (01 Jan 1921-01 Oct 1930)
Detached to Sports Instructor Training in Wünsdorf (17 Jul 1922-13 Dec 1922)
Detached to a Course for Physical-Training in Wünsdorf (20 Jun 1924-24 Nov 1924)
Detached to the 7th Pioneer-Battalion (01 Oct 1924-25 Nov 1924)
Detached to the Infantry School (01 May 1927-01 Oct 1930)
Adjutant of the I. Battalion of the 21st Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1930-01 May 1933)
Detached to Subsidiary-Leadership-Training with the Staff of the 2nd Division (01 Oct 1932-01 May 1933)
Transferred as Officer with Special Duties of the Chief of the Army Command, while retaining previous position (01 May 1933-15 Apr 1935)
Transferred into the Staff of the Artillery Leader V and detached to the Army General Staff (15 Apr 1935-15 Oct 1935)
Transferred into the 15th Division, while retainig previous position with Army Command (15 Oct 1935-15 Apr 1936)
Transferred into the General-Staff of the 15th Division (15 Apr 1936-12 Oct 1937)
Detached to the Staff of the Landwehr-Commander Hanau (04 Jan 1937-31 Jan 1937)
Detached into the Army Mountaineer Course in the 100th Mountain-Jäger-Regiment (05 Apr 1937-14 Apr 1937)
Company-Chief in the 6th MG-Battalion (12 Oct 1937-10 Oct 1938)
Chief Supply Officer (Ib) in the General-Staff of the XV. Army-Corps (10 Nov 1938-01 Apr 1939)
Chief of Operations (Ia) in the Staff of the 10th Panzer-Division (01 Apr 1939-25 Feb 1940)
Chief of Operations (Ia) in the General-Staff of the XIX. Army-Corps (25 Feb 1940-01 Jun 1940)
Chief of Operations (Ia) in the General-Staff of Panzer-Group Guderian (01 Jun 1940-16 Nov 1940)
Chief of Operations (Ia) in the General-Staff of the 2nd Panzer-Army (16 Nov 1940-30 Aug 1941)
Führer-Reserve OKH (30 Aug 1941-05 Oct 1941)
Chief of the General Staff of the Africa-Korps (05 Oct 1941-07 Dec 1942)
Chief of the General Staff of the German-Italian Panzer-Army Africa (07 Dec 1942-01 Mar 1943)
Chief of the General Staff of the 1st Italian Army (01 Mar 1943-31 May 1943)
Führer-Reserve OKH (31 May 1943-20 Oct 1943)
Delegated with the Leadership of the 3rd Panzer-Division (20 Oct 1943-15 Dec 1943)
Commander of the 3rd Panzer-Division (15 Dec 1943-05 Jan 1944)
Führer-Reserve OKH (05 Jan 1944-10 Jan 1944)
Commander of the Panzer-Instruction-Division (10 Jan 1944-20 Jan 1945)
Führer-Reserve OKH (20 Jan 1945-29 Mar 1945)
Delegated with the Leadership of the LIII. Army-Corps (29 Mar 1945-08 May 1945)
In captivity (08 May 1945-1947)
Released (1947)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz (764): am 26.12.1941 als Oberstleutnant i.G. und Chef des Stabes DAK
- Eichenlaub (258): am 06.07.1943 als Generalmajor und Deutscher Chef des Stabes bei der 1. Italien. Armee
- Schwerter (81): am 20.07.1944 als Generalleutnant und Kommandeur der Panzer-Lehr-Division
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 23.10.1942 als Oberst i.G. und Chef des Stabes DAK
- 1914 EK II : 30.08.1918
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz: 31.08.1918
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis II. Klasse
- 1939 EK I : 27.09.1939
- Spange zum EK II : 13.09.1939
- Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber
- Kgl. Italien. Silberne Tapferkeitsmedaille
- Ritterkreuz des Kgl. Italien. Militärordens von Savoyen
- Erinnerungsmedaille für den deutsch-italienischen Feldzug in Afrika
- Ärmelband “Afrika”
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Silber
- Wehrmachtbericht: 11.01.1944; 26.06.1944
- Nennung im Ehrenblatt des Heeres (5630): am 06.03.1945 als Generalleutnant und Kommandeur der Panzer-Lehr-Division


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