Wilhelm Fahrmbacher

Wilhelm Fahrmbacher
Wilhelm Fahrmbacher next to Erwin Rommel in Saint-Nazaire on the roof of a German U-boat bunker (18 February 1944)
Born	19 September 1888 Zweibrücken, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire
Died	27 April 1970 (aged 81) Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1907–45
Rank	General der Artillerie
Commands held	5. Infanterie-Division VII. Armeekorps XXV. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Annexation of the Sudetenland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Operation Overlord
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work	Military Advisor

Wilhelm Fahrmbacher (19 September 1888 – 27 April 1970) was a highly decorated General der Artillerie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several corps. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded by Nazi Germany to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Fahrmbacher was captured by American troops in 1945, he was handed over to French forces and held until 1950. After his release he served as a military advisor in Egypt.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (2 October 1914)
  • 1st Class (16 June 1917)
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (15 December 1934)
• Sudetenland Medal (21 November 1939)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (21 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (11 June 1940)
• Eastern Front Medal (10 August 1942)
• War Merit Cross with Swords
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Silver on 30 October 1943 as General der Artillerie in the Generalkommando XXV. Armeekorps^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 24 June 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of 5. Infanterie-Division^[2]
• Prince Regent Luitpold Medal
• Military Merit Order, 4th class with Swords (Bavaria)
• Military Merit Cross, 3rd class with War Decoration (Austria-Hungary) (6 April 1917)
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th with 1st class
• Commander of the Order of Merit of Hungary

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 540.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 148.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945