(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)

General der Flieger Bernhard Waber
Born: 20 May 1884 in Kremsier, Moravia (Mähren)
Died: 06 Feb 1945 in Spandau (Hanged)
Promotions:
Leutnant (18 Aug 1907); Oberleutnant (01 Nov 1912); Hauptmann (01 Jul 1915); Major (01 Jul 1920); Oberstleutnant (01 Jun 1924); Oberst (01 Feb 1930); Generalmajor (22 Jun 1936); Generalleutnant (01 Sep 1940); General der Flieger (01 Mar 1942)
Career:
Entered the Austrian Army (18 Aug 1907)
In the 13th Infantry-Regiment (18 Aug 1907-00 Oct 1912)
Detached to the War-School in Vienna (00 Oct 1912-00 Aug 1914)
With the Staff of the 1st March-Brigade (00 Aug 1914-00 Sep 1914)
With the Staff of the 92nd Landwehr-Infantry-Brigade (00 Sep 1914-00 Sep 1914)
With the Staff of the 23rd Infantry-Troop-Brigade (00 Sep 1914-00 Jan 1915)
With the Staff of the 30th Infantry-Troop-Brigade (00 Jan 1915-00 Nov 1915)
With the Staff of the 15th Infantry-Troop-Division (00 Nov 1915-00 Mar 1916)
With the Staff of the 9th Infantry-Troop-Brigade (00 Mar 1916-00 Sep 1916)
In the Quartermaster-Department of the 3rd Army (00 Sep 1916-00 May 1917)
In the General-Staff-Department of the 3rd Army (00 May 1917-00 Mar 1918)
In the General-Staff of Army-High-Command East (00 Mar 1918-00 Nov 1918)
With the Officer-Castle-Guard, Vienna (00 Nov 1918-00 Dec 1918)
With the Office-Command of the State-Office for Army Matters (00 Dec 1918-31 Aug 1921)
With the Staff of Brigade-Command 2 (01 Sep 1921-31 May 1925)
With Army-Administration-Station Vienna (01 Jun 1925-30 Apr 1928)
At the same time, Company-Commander in the 1st Infantry-Regiment (01 Jul 1926-30 Sep 1926)
With the Staff of Brigade-Command 2 (01 May 1928-30 Jun 1930)
Detached to Army-Administration-Station Vienna (01 Jul 1930-31 Jul 1930)
Director of Army-Administration-Station Vienna (01 Aug 1930-03 Aug 1933)
Granted Leave with Waiting Pay (03 Aug 1933-30 Nov 1934)
In Department 1 of the Federal Ministry for State Defence (01 Dec 1934-30 Nov 1935)
In the Mobilisation-Department of the Federal Ministry for State Defence (01 Dec 1935-30 Nov 1936)
Retired (30 Nov 1936)
Entered the German Lufwaffe (17 Mar 1938)
Officer with Special Duties in the Austrian Federal Ministry for State Defence then in the RLM (17 Mar 1938-18 Mar 1939)
At the same time, Commanded for Information to Luftwaffe-Group-Command 3, Bomber-Wing 355, Reconnaissance-Group 25 and 15, Stuka-Wing 165, Fighter-Wing 135, to Air-Region-Commands VII, XIII and XII, to the Greater Bomber-Flying-School Lechfeld, to Air-War-School Fürstenfeldbruck, to Military-Replacement-Inspection Munich, to Air-Fleet-Command 3 and 4 and to Air-Region-Command XIII (01 Jun 1938-18 Mar 1939)
Commander of the Processing and Transit Station Prague (19 Mar 1939-30 Apr 1939)
Commanding General and Commander in Air-Region VIII (01 May 1939-22 Oct 1941)
Commanding General and Commander in Field-Air-Region Kiev (23 Oct 1941-09 Sep 1942)
Commanding General and Commander in Firld-Air-Region Kharkov (10 Sep 1942-15 Mar 1943)
Detached into the Domain of Luftwaffe-Command South-East (15 Mar 1943-18 Jul 1943)
Commanding General and Commander in Air-Region XXX, Belgrade (19 Jul 1943-29 Aug 1944)
Commanding General of the German Luftwaffe North Balkans (29 Aug 1944-01 Nov 1944)
Arrested and Tried by the Reichs War Court (01 Nov 1944-06 Feb 1945)
By Judgement of the Special-Court of the Reichsmarschall because of 'Severe Mismanagement In His Staff And Apparent Corruption in the Sphere Of Influence Of His Air-Region', he was Condemned to Death (13 Nov 1944)
Dishonourable Discharge from the Luftwaffe (02 Jan 1945)
Executed by Hanging in Spandau Prison (06 Feb 1945)

Decorations & Awards:
- Deutsches Kreuz in Silber: am 26.07.1943 als General der Flieger und Kommandierender General und Befehlshaber im Feld-Luftgau Kharkov
- 1914 EK II
- k.u.k. Österr. Militär-Jubiläums-Kreuz 1848-1908
- k.u.k. Österr. Erinnerungskreuz 1912-1913
- k.u.k. Österr. Orden der Eisernen Krone III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration und Schwertern
- k.u.k. Österr. Militär-Verdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration und den Schwertern
- k.u.k. Österr. Bronzene Militär-Verdienst-Medaille (“Signum Laudis”) am Bande des Militär-Verdienstkreuzes und den Schwertern
- k.u.k. Österr. Silberne Militär-Verdienst-Medaille (“Signum Laudis”) am Bande des Militär-Verdienstkreuzes und den Schwertern
- k.u.k. Österr. Verwundetenmedaille mit 2. Mittelstreifen
- Österr. Kriegs-Erinnerungs-Medaille mit Schwertern
- Kgl. Ungar. Kriegs-Erinnerungs-Medaille
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern


Back to ABR Homepage