(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generalleutnant Friedrich Breith
Born: 25 May 1892 in Kirchheimbolanden, Palatinate (Pfalz)
Died: 09 Jul 1982 in Munich (München)
Promotions:
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (21 Jan 1912); Fähnrich (22 Jun 1912); Leutnant (25 Oct 1913); Oberleutnant (17 Jan 1917); Hauptmann (01 Jan 1923); Major (01 Apr 1933); Oberstleutnant (01 Dec 1935); Oberst (01 Apr 1938); Generalmajor (01 Apr 1942); Generalleutnant (01 Apr 1943)
Career:
Entered Army Service (21 Sep 1911)
Fahnenjunker in the 18th Bavarian Infantry-Regiment (21 Sep 1911-07 Jul 1913)
Detached to the Bavarian War-School, Munich (01 Oct 1912-20 Aug 1913)
Transferred into the 5th Bavarian Field-Artillery-Regiment (07 Jul 1913-02 Aug 1914)
Detached to Instruction-Course at the Bavarian Military-Firing-School (21 Aug 1913-27 Sep 1913)
In the Field with the 2nd Battery of the 5th Bavarian Field-Artillery-Regiment (02 Aug 1914-12 Dec 1914)
Taken ill, in hospital (12 Dec 1914-22 Dec 1914)
Back to the 5th Bavarian Field-Artillery-Regiment (22 Dec 1914-25 Aug 1916)
Detached as Instructor to Training-Course for the Officer-Aspirants of the 3rd Bavarian Infantry-Division (10 Mar 1915-23 Apr 1915)
Detached as Instructor to Training-Course for the Officer-Aspirants of the 5th Bavarian Field-Artillery-Regiment in La Neuville (24 Mar 1916-21 Apr 1916)
Detached to the Regiments-Staff of the 6th Bavarian Reserve-Field-Artillery-Regiment (11 May 1916-26 Jun 1916)
Detached to the 8th Battery of the 6th Bavarian Reserve-Field-Artillery-Regiment (26 Jun 1916-26 Jul 1916)
Detached to the 4th Battery of the 6th Bavarian Field-Artillery-Regiment (26 Jul 1916-25 Aug 1916)
Transferred back into the 5th Bavarian Field-Artillery-Regiment (25 Aug 1916-21 Sep 1916)
Ordinance-Officer with the Staff of the 5th Bavarian Field-Artillery-Regiment (21 Sep 1916-01 Jan 1917)
Detached to the 3rd Bavarian Infantry-Division (18 Nov 1916-01 Jan 1917)
1st Ordinance-Officer with the Staff of the 3rd Bavarian Infantry-Division (01 Jan 1917-17 May 1918)
Severely wounded in Metz due to a aircraft bomb, in hospital (17 May 1918-19 Jul 1918)
Transferred into the Replacement-Battalion of the 5th Bavarian Field-Artillery-Regiment (19 Jul 1918-01 Mar 1919)
Granted Leave to regain his health (28 Nov 1918-14 Feb 1919)
Battery-Leader in the 5th Bavarian Field-Artillery-Regiment (01 Mar 1919-08 Apr 1919)
Transferred with Battery Loch to the Protection of the Government of Bamberg (08 Apr 1919-24 Apr 1919)
Ordinance-Officer in Group-Command 4 (24 Apr 1919-16 May 1920)
Auxiliary-Officer in Military-District-Command VII (16 May 1920-01 Oct 1922)
Detached to Instruction-Courses for Training as Subsidiary-Leader with the Staff of 7th Division (01 Jan 1921-25 Jun 1921)
Detached to Troop Service with the 6th Infantry-Regiment (25 Jun 1921-25 Sep 1921)
While retaining his position with the 7th Division, was Transferred into the 17th Mounted-Regiment (01 Oct 1921-21 Jun 1922)
Detached to the 1st Motorised-Transport-Battalion (21 Jun 1922-10 Jul 1922)
Transferred into the 7th Artillery-Regiment (01 Oct 1922-01 Oct 1923)
Battery-Chief in the 7th Artillery-Regiment (01 Oct 1923-01 Oct 1927)
Detached to the Reichsmarine on Board the Battleship Braunschweig (08 Jul 1923-04 Aug 1923)
Regiments-Adjutant of the 7th Artillery-Regiment (01 Oct 1927-01 Oct 1930)
Detached to the Artillery-School (01 Oct 1930-01 Oct 1934)
Commander of the III. Battalion of Artillery-Regiment Nürnberg (01 Oct 1934-15 Oct 1935)
Commander of the III. Battalion of the 17th Artillery-Regiment (15 Oct 1935-12 Oct 1937)
Detached to Staff-Officers-Course in Hammelburg (10 Nov 1935-23 Nov 1935)
Commander of the 35th Artillery-Regiment (12 Oct 1937-15 Apr 1940)
Artillery Commander 127 (15 Apr 1940-20 Dec 1941)
Detached to the OKH/In 4 (10 Mar 1941-25 Mar 1941)
Führer-Reserve OKH (20 Dec 1941-02 Jan 1942)
Commander of Artillery-School I (02 Jan 1942-01 Apr 1942)
Commander of Artillery-School II (01 Apr 1942-05 Apr 1943)
Commander of Artillery-School I (05 Apr 1942-27 May 1944)
Führer-Reserve OKH (27 May 1944-01 Jul 1944)
Commander of the 4th Mountain-Division (01 Jul 1944-08 May 1945)
In Soviet captivity (08 May 1945-06 Oct 1955)
Released (06 Oct 1955)

Awards & Decorations:
- - Deutsches Kreuz in Silber: am 22.07.1944 als Generalleutnant und Komm. Artillerie-Schule I
- - 1914 EK I
- - 1914 EK II
- - Verwundetenabzeiche, 1918 in Schwarz
- - Kgl. Bayer. Militär-Verdienstorden IV Klasse mit Schwertern
- - Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- - Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung I Klasse
- - Kriegsverdienstkreuz II Klasse mit Schwertern
- - Kriegsverdienstkreuz I Klasse mit Schwertern


Back to ABR Homepage