Helmut Friebe

Helmut Friebe
Born	4 November 1894 Namslau
Died	14 January 1970 (aged 75) Friedrichshafen
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	125. Infanterie-Division 22. Infanterie-Division (Luftlande) LXIV. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of Belgium Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of the Caucasus Kerch–Eltigen Operation
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations	Werner Friebe

Helmut Friebe (4 November 1894 – 14 January 1970) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the LXIV. Armeekorps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

He took up his command in Crete in May 1944 after the kidnap of General Kreipe by Patrick Leigh Fermor and Bill Stanley Moss working with Cretan andartes.

Friebe was captured by American troops in May 1945 and was released in 1947. Helmut Friebe was the older brother of Generalmajor Werner Friebe, who is also a Knight's Cross recipient.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords (4 December 1917)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold (16 January 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 August 1941 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 164 ^[1]

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 156.

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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht