Generalleutnant Fritz Bayerlein
Information obtained from Personal Nachweiss on file at the Bundesarchiv
Militärarchiv Freiburg, Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv-Kriegsarchiv and
Wirsberg Gymnasium Würzburg. (as translated from the German Old Script – Deutsche Schrift)
Promotions,
Awards, Decorations and Unit Assignments:
Baptized: Fritz Hermann Michael Bayerlein (from Stadtarchiv Würzburg)
Generalleutnant (highest rank at surrender)
*January 14, 1899 Würzburg
+January 30, 1970 Würzburg
Drafted as the 55th student from Gymnasium Class for School Year
1899 (Eintritt i. Heer): June 5, 1917
Surrendered to General Robert W. Hasbrouck's "Lucky Seventh" the 7th
Armored Division, First US Army: April 16, 1945
Released from captivity, Military Intelligence Support Center # 4, Oberursel,
Germany: April 2, 1947
Awards and Decorations:
Wound Badge, WWI, (Verwundetenabzeichen), Aug.31, 1918
Iron Cross Second Class (Eisernes Kreuz (EK) II. Klasse), Aug. 30, 1918
Iron Cross Second Class, 1939 Clasp, (Eiserne Kreuz (EK)II. Klasse (Spange)),
Sep. 13, 1939.
Iron Cross First Class, (Eiserne Kreuz (EK)I. Klasse), Sep. 27, 1939
Knight’s Cross (Ritterkreuz), Dec. 26, 1941 (#764)
German Cross in Gold, (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold), Oct. 23, 1942
Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves (Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz), Jul.
6, 1943 (# 258)
Knight’s Cross with Swords, Oakleaves (Eichenlaub mit Schwertern zum
Ritterkreuz), Jul. 20, 1944 (# 81)
Wound Badge in Silver – wounded over 3 times (Verwundetenabzeichen in
Silber)
Panzer Assault Badge (Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber): Dec 16, 1944
Italian Decorations awarded in North Africa:
Cavaliere des Militärordens von Savoyen
Italienische Tapferkeitsmedaille in Silber.
Promotions:
Sep. 13, 1918: Non-commissioned officer’s rank (Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier)
July 5, 1919: Officer cadet (Fähnrich)
January 1, 1921: Officer candidate (rank of master sergeant) Oberfähnrich)
January 1, 1922: Leutnant
January 1, 1927: Oberleutnant
March 1,1934: Hauptmann
June 1, 1938: Major
September 1, 1940: Oberstleutnant
April 1, 1942: Oberst
March 1, 1943: Generalmajor
May 1, 1944: Generalleutnant
Note: RDA (Rang-Dienst-Alter), service time in grade, not provided.
Units:
June 24, 1917: Sworn in; 4th
Bavarian Infantry Division
June 5, 1918: Enlisted as a private in the 9th Bavarian Infantry
Regiment
January 12, 1918: Field Recruiting
Depot of the 4th Bavarian Infantry Division.
May 28, 1918: 7th Company,
(a Machine Gun Company), II Battalion,
9th Bavarian Infantry Regiment
April 15, 1919: Transferred to
the 5th Company of the
Volunteer Battalion “Dittmar”
May 28, 1919: Transferred to the 3rd Company of the
3rd Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment 45.
October 16, 1919: Sworn in again.
January 1, 1921: Oberfähnrich,
3rd Company of the 21st Bavarian Infantry Regiment.
March 1, 1930: 4th Machine
Gun Company, of the 21st Bavarian Infantry Regiment.
October 1, 1930: Adjutant for the
1st Battalion of the 21st Infantry Regiment
August 3, 1934: Sworn in. (Hitler
Oath taken by all military members.)
April 15, 1935: Assigned to the General Staff of the Artillery Leader V.
October 15, 1935: General Staff officer
of the 15th Division, Infantry Regiment 21. Frankfurt am Main
April 8, 1936: General Staff 15th
Division
December 21, 1936: Landwehr
Company in Hanau.
October 12, 1937: Company Chief,
2nd Company, Machine Gun Battalion 6.
November 12, 1938: Ib (Logistics)
Officer, General Staff of the XV. Armeekorps.
April 1, 1939: Ia (Operations)of
the 10. Panzer Division.
February 25, 1940: Ia (Operations)
General Staff of the XIX Armee Korps
June 1, 1940: Ia (Operations) General
Staff of Panzergruppe Guderian
November 16, 1940: Ia (Operations)
General Staff, 2. Panzerarmee
August 30, 1941: Führerreserve
Oberkommando der Heeres (OKH)
October 5, 1941: Chief of the General
Staff of the Afrikakorps
December 7, 1942 : Chief of the
General Staff of the German-Italian Panzer Army Afrika
March 1, 1943: Chief of the General
Staff of the 1st Italian Army (North Africa under Italian General Meese)
May 7, 1943: Evacuation from Africa
- due to illness, as ordered by Rommel.
May 31, 1943: Führerreserve
OKH
October 20, 1943: Commander, Berlin
- Brandenburg 3rd Panzer Division
January, 1944: Führerreserve OKH
January 10, 1944: Commander Panzer Lehr Division
January 20, 1945: Führerreserve OKH
March 29, 1945: Commander, LIII Army Corps
April 16, 1945 Surrender in the Ruhr
Prisoner of War Camp through April 16, 1945 through his release on 2 April
1947.
Schools:
September 14, 1918: 12th Bavarian
Fahnenjunker Course in Freising
May 27, 1920: Infantry School II,
Wünsdorf. (through November 30, 1920).
July 7 – December 13, 1922: Wünsdorf, training to become a Physical Training
Instructor
June 20 – November 24, 1924: Pionier
Training/Physical Training for the 7th Pionier Battalion (Engineer)
October 1 – November 25, 1925: Training
for Pionier Duty at the 7th Pionier Battalion.
April 21, 1927: Transferred to
the Infantry School – recalled back to the Company.
Received the Honor Sword for accurate shooting.
September 12, 1930: Attended Infantry
School.
March 8 – 11, 1932: Military district
exams.
November 25, 1932: School and exam
for English.
1932 – 1935: Kriegsakademie
(War College)
Lifeguard/lifesaving swim test
