(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generalleutnant Herbert Olbrich
Born: 01 Jul 1897 in Friedheim, District Wirsitz
Died: 29 Oct 1976 in Munich (München)
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (17 Sep 1917); Leutnant zur See (28 Sep 1919); Oberleutnant zur See (01 Apr 1922); Kapitänleutnant (01 Oct 1929); Major (01 Dec 1934); Oberstleutnant (01 Jan 1937); Oberst (01 Apr 1939); Generalmajor (01 Apr 1942); Generalleutnant (01 Apr 1944)
Career:
Entered the Navy at the Naval-School Mürwik (03 Oct 1916-21 Dec 1916)
Seekadett on Board the School-Ship ‘Freya’ (22 Dec 1916-28 Mar 1917)
On Board the Liner ‘Schlesien’ and the Liner ‘Hannover’ (29 Mar 1917-07 Jul 1917)
At the Naval-School Mürwik (08 Jul 1917-03 Jan 1918)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Kaiserin Augusta’ (04 Jan 1918-09 Mar 1918)
With the Naval-Corps Flaunders (10 Mar 1918-12 Dec 1918)
Transferred to the Reserve (12 Dec 1918-10 Jan 1920)
Transferred to the Volunteer Naval-Division East (01 Jan 1919-15 May 1919)
With the Backwater and River Flotilla of the East Prussian Volunteer-Corps (16 May 1919-1919)
Reactivated to the Active-Officer-Corps of the Navy as Watch-Officer on the Torpedo-Boats ‘T 155’ and ‘V 5’ (10 Jan 1920-09 Aug 1920)
Transferred with the Cadre of the III. Torpedo-Boat-Flotilla (10 Aug 1920-10 Sep 1920)
1st Watch-Officer on the Minesweeper ‘M 93’ (11 Sep 1920-24 Mar 1921)
Watch-Officer with the 5th Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (25 Mar 1921-02 Jan 1922)
Course at the Coastal-Artillery-School (Flak-Course) (03 Jan 1922-31 Mar 1922)
Commandant of the Artillery-Tender ‘Fuchs’ (01 Apr 1922-02 Jun 1925)
Course at the Ship-Artillery-School (03 Jun 1925-22 Sep 1925)
2nd Artillery-Officer with the II. Naval-Artillery-Battalion (23 Sep 1925-05 Oct 1927)
Artillery-Advisor and Adjutant of the Inspector of Naval-Artillery (06 Oct 1927-30 Sep 1928)
Watch-Officer and 2nd Artillery-Officer on the Cruiser ‘Nymphe’ (01 Oct 1928-16 Apr 1929)
Watch-Officer and 2nd Artillery-Officer on the Cruiser ‘Königsberg’ (17 Apr 1929-01 Nov 1929)
1st Watch-Officer and 2nd Artillery-Officer on the Cruiser ‘Amazone’ (02 Nov 1929-15 Jan 1930)
Watch-Officer and 2nd Artillery-Officer on the Cruiser ‘Köln’ (15 Jan 1930-02 Mar 1932)
Course at the Ship-Artillery-School (03 Mar 1932-25 Sep 1932)
Company-Chief and Artillery-Officer with the II. Naval-Artillery-Battalion (26 Sep 1932-30 Sep 1933)
Transferred to Luftwaffe Service as Sea-Flyer and Observer Training in Warnemünde (01 Oct 1933-30 Sep 1934)
Squadron-Captain of Sea-Flying-Squadron M 1 and Commander of Catapult-Flying of the Fleet (01 Oct 1934-05 May 1936)
Advisor in the Luftwaffe General Staff, 2nd Department (06 Mar 1936-30 Apr 1939)
Chief Of The General Staff of Air-Region-Command III (01 May 1939-31 Jul 1939)
Chief Of Staff of the Leader of Sea-Air-Force East (01 Aug 1939-18 Dec 1939)
Chief Of The General Staff of Air-Fleet 4 (19 Dec 1939-21 Jul 1940)
Chief Of Staff of the General Of Luftwaffe with the Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine (22 Jul 1940-09 Nov 1942)
Delegated with the Leadership of the 13th Luftwaffe-Field-Division (10 Nov 1942-24 Jan 1943)
Commander of the 17th Luftwaffe-Field-Division (25 Jan 1943-30 Oct 1943)
Delegated with Special Tasks in the Luftwaffe General Staff (31 Oct 1943-11 Dec 1944)
Chief of the Office for Special Tasks and Troop Proposals, RLM (12 Dec 1944-14 Jan 1945)
Führer-Reserve (15 Jan 1945-08 May 1945)
Commander of Luftwaffe-Division Sea (10 May 1945-18 Jul 1945)
In British Captivity (18 Jul 1945-17 May 1948)
Released (17 May 1948)

Decorations & Awards:
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz (Marine)
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914/1918
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis II. Klasse
- Gemeinsames Flugzeugführer- und Beobachter-Abzeichen
- Spange zum EK I
- Spange zum EK II
- Slowakisches Kriegssiegerkreuz


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