(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generaloberst Werner Freiherr von Fritsch
Born: 04 Aug 1880 in Benrath
Died: 22 Sep 1939 near Praga, Warsaw (KIA)
Promotions:
Fähnrich (22 May 1899); Leutnant (27 Jan 1900); Oberleutnant (18 Oct 1909); Hauptmann (22 Mar 1913); Major (16 Sep 1917); Oberstleutnant (05 Feb 1923); Oberst (01 Mar 1927); Generalmajor (01 Nov 1930); Generalleutnant (01 Jun 1932); General der Artillerie (01 Feb 1934); Generaloberst (20 Apr 1936)
Career:
Entered Army Service (21 Sep 1898)
Fahnenjunker in the 25th Field-Artillery-Regiment (21 Sep 1898-01 Oct 1902)
Detached to Artillery and Engineer School (01 Oct 1902-1903)
Adjutant of the I. Battalion of the 25th Field-Artillery-Regiment (1903-22 Mar 1913)
Detached to the War Academy (01 Oct 1907-20 Jul 1910)
Detached to the Grand General Staff (20 Mar 1911-01 Apr 1911)
Transferred into the Grand General Staff (22 Mar 1913-1914)
In the General-Staff of the 1st Guards-Infantry-Division; In the General-Staff of the 4th Army; In the General-Staff of the Commanding General of the Air Force; Chief Of Operations (Ia) in the General-Staff of the VI. Reserve-Corps (1914-1918)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) of the General-Command Border-Protection North (15 Jan 1919-01 Oct 1919)
In the Staff of Group-Command III (01 Oct 1919-01 Apr 1920)
Advisor in the RWM (01 Apr 1920-01 Mar 1922)
Commander of the II. Battalion of the 5th Artillery-Regiment (01 Mar 1922-01 Apr 1924)
Chief Of The General Staff of the 1st Division (01 Apr 1924-01 Feb 1926)
Department-Director in the RWM/T1 (01 Feb 1926-01 Nov 1928)
Commander of the 2nd Artillery-Regiment (01 Nov 1928-01 Mar 1930)
Artillery-Leader II, Stettin (01 Mar 1930-01 Oct 1931)
Commander of the 1st Cavalry-Division (01 Oct 1931-01 Oct 1932)
Commander of the 3rd Division and Commander in Military-District III (01 Oct 1932-01 Feb 1934)
Chief Of Army Command (01 Feb 1934-01 Jun 1935)
Commander-in-Chief of the Army (01 Jun 1935-28 Jan 1938)
Granted Leave (28 Jan 1938-04 Feb 1938)
Retired (04 Feb 1938)
Chef des Artillerie-Regiments 12 (15 Jun 1938)
Volunteer In the Field with the 12th Artillery-Regiment (01 Sep 1939-22 Sep 1939)
Killed-in-Action (22 Sep 1939)

Awards & Decorations:
- RK des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Kgl. Preuss. Roter Adler-Orden IV. Klasse
- Kgl. Bayer. Militär-Verdienstorden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Kgl. Bayer. Militär-Verdienstorden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern und mit der Krone
- Ritterkreuz I. Klasse des Kgl. Württembg. Friedrichs-Ordens mit Schwertern
- Ritterkreuz II. Klasse des Grossherzoglich Hessischer Verdienstorden Philipps des Grossmütigen
- Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz
- k.u.k. Österr. Militär-Verdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration
- Türkischer Eiserner Halbmond
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz
- Kgl. Preuss. Dienstauszeichnungskreuz
- Ehrenritter des Kgl. Preuss. Johanniter-Ordens
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914/1918
- Rechtsritter des Kgl. Preuss. Johanniter-Ordens
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Goldenes Ehrenzeichen der NSDAP


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