Otto Fretter-Pico

Otto Fretter-Pico
Born	2 February 1893 Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, German Empire
Died	30 July 1966 (aged 73) Flims, Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	Major General (Generalleutnant)
Commands held	57th Infantry Division 148th Reserve Division 148th Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Stalingrad Belgorod-Khar'kov Offensive Operation Operation Dragoon Italian Campaign Battle of Garfagnana Battle of Collecchio
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations	Maximilian Fretter-Pico (brother)

Otto Ludwig Julius Fritz Franz Balduin Fretter-Pico (2 February 1893 – 30 July 1966) was a highly decorated major-general (Generalleutnant) in the German Army (Heer) during World War II who commanded several divisions. 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. Otto Fretter-Pico surrendered on 28 April 1945 to Brazilian troops and was held until 1948.

After his release on 7 July 1948, he settled in Switzerland. Fretter-Pico died at the age of 73 on July 30, 1966 in Flims, in the Canton of Graubünden, in Switzerland.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (25 March 1915)^[1]
  • 1st Class (8 December 1917)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1914) in Black (fall 1918)^[1]
• Knight's Cross 2nd Class of the Order of the Zähringer Lion with Swords (13 November 1916)^[1]
• Honor Cross 3rd Class of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords (April 1918)^[1]
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (21 December 1934)^[1]
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (28 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (22 June 1941)^[1]
• General Assault Badge in Silver (30 September 1941)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 11 December 1941 as Oberst in Artillerie-Regiment 297^[2]
• Eastern Front Medal (11 August 1942)^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 December 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 148th Infantry Division^[3][4]

References

Citations

1. Wegmann 2010, p. 172.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 122.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 186.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 318.

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.
• Gassend, Jean-Loup (2014). Autopsy of a Battle, the Allied Liberation of the French Riviera, August September 1944. Atglen PA: Schiffer. ISBN 9780764345807.
• 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.
• Wegmann, Günter (2010). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 7: Fl–Fu [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 7: Fl–Fu] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2380-1.