Friedrich Mieth

Friedrich Mieth
Born	4 June 1888 Eberswalde, Province of Brandenburg
Died	2 September 1944 (aged 56) Iaşi, Romania
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1906–44
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	112. Infanterie-Division IV. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of Moscow Battle of the Caucasus Lower Dnieper Offensive Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive First Jassy-Kishinev Offensive Jassy–Kishinev Offensive (August 1944) †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Friedrich Mieth (4 June 1888 – 2 September 1944) was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the IV. corps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Friedrich Mieth was killed on 2 September 1944 in Iaşi, Romania.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (17 September 1914)^[1]
  • 1st Class (11 March 1915)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Eiserner Halbmond (29 January 1918)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (29 December 1934)
• Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung 4th to 1st Class
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (29 October 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (4 February 1940)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal
• Order of Michael the Brave
  • 3rd Class
• German Cross in Gold on 26 December 1941 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 112. Infanterie-Division^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 2 November 1943 as General der Infanterie and commander of IV. Armeekorps^[3]
  • 409th Oak Leaves on 1 March 1944 as General der Infanterie and commander of IV. Armeekorps^[4]
• Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (18 February 1944 and 8 June 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
18 February 1944	In den schweren Kämpfen im Raum von Nikopol haben ostmärkische, bayerische, rheinisch-westfälische, sächsische, mecklenburgische, pommersche und ostpreußische Division unter dem Befehl des Generals der Gebirgstruppen Schörner und der Generale Brandenberger, Mieth und Kreysing in der Zeit vom 5. November 1943 bis 15 Februar 1944 in Angriff und Abwehr starke Durchbruchsversuche der Bolschewisten mit blanker Waffe verhindert und ihnen hohe Verluste zugefügt. Dabei wurden 1754 Panzer, 533 Geschütze, zahlreiche andere Waffen und sonstiges Kriegsgerät erbeutet oder vernichtet und 56 feindliche Flugzeuge durch Infanteriewaffen abgeschossen.[5]	In the heavy fighting in the area of Nikopol have the Ostmark, Bavaria, Rhineland-Westphalia, Saxony, Mecklenburg, Pomerania and East Prussia Division under the command of the General of Mountain Troops Schörner and the generals Brandenberger, Mieth and Kreysing in the time frame of 5 November 1943 to 15 February 1944 in offensive and defensive actions, prevented Bolsheviks attempts to break through with cold steel and inflicted heavy losses. Thereby have been captured or destroyed. 1754 tanks, 533 guns, many other weapons and other military equipment, 56 enemy aircraft have been shot down by infantry weapons.
8 June 1944	Bei den Kämpfen im Raum von Jassy haben deutsch-rumänische Truppen unter dem Befehl des rumänischen Generals der Kavallerie Racovita, des Generals der Panzertruppen von Knobelsdorff sowie des Generals der Infanterie Mieth, hervorragend unterstützt durch starke deutsch-rumänische Kampf- und Schlachtfliegerverbände, in harten Kämpfen die Bolschewisten aus tief gegliederten, zäh verteidigten Stellungen geworfen und die eigenen Stellungen dadurch bedeutend verbessert.[6]	In the battles in the area of Jassy, German and Romanian troops under the command of the Romanian Cavalry General Racoviţă, General of Panzer troops von Knobelsdorff and the General of the Infantry Mieth, superbly supported by strong German-Romanian bomber and ground-attack aircraft units, have thrown in fierce combat out of their deeply structured, tough defending, positions, the Bolsheviks, and improved our positions significantly.

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 83.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 311.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 255.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 68.
5. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 37.
6. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 121.

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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com
• Friedrich Mieth @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived November 17, 2010)