General der Panzertruppe Walter Fries Born: 22 Apr 1894 in G�sternheim, Dillkreis Died: 06 Aug 1982 in Weilburg, Lahn Promotions:
Vizefeldwebel der Reserve (27 Feb 1914); Leutnant der Reserve (19 Jan 1915); Polizei-Leutnant (20 Sep 1919); Polizei-Oberleutnant (19 Jan 1920); Polizei-Hauptmann (09 Apr 1925); Polizei-Major (20 Apr 1934); Major (16 Mar 1936); Oberstleutnant (01 Mar 1938); Oberst (01 Mar 1942); Generalmajor (01 Jun 1943); Generalleutnant (01 Jan 1944); General der Panzertruppe (01 Dec 1944) Career:
Entered Army Service (01 Oct 1912)
One Year Volunteer in the 80th Fusilier-Regiment (01 Oct 1912-30 Sep 1913)
Discharged to Reserve (30 Sep 1913)
Called Up from Reserve (03 Aug 1914)
In the Field with the 88th Infantry-Regiment (03 Aug 1914-03 Aug 1915)
Company-Leader in the 88th Infantry-Regiment, in the 253rd Reserve-Infantry-Regiment and in the 83rd Territorial-Infantry-Regiment (03 Aug 1915-03 Dec 1918)
Retired (03 Dec 1918)
Entered Police Service (19 Jan 1919)
Police-Commissioner-Aspirant with the Police in Kassel (19 Jan 1919-20 Sep 1919)
Transferred to the Protection-Police in Kassel (20 Sep 1919-06 Mar 1926)
Detached to Short-Course for Police-Officers (10 May 1922-11 Aug 1922)
Detached to Course for Physical-Training (26 Oct 1923-19 Nov 1923)
Transferred to the Protection-Police Cologne (06 Mar 1926-01 Aug 1933)
Detached to Course for Occupation and Educational Psychology (09 Apr 1926-09 Jul 1926)
Detached to Brief-Course for Examiners with the Personnel Recruitment (15 Sep 1930-27 Sep 1930)
Detached to Subsidiary-Leadership-Course (08 Mar 1933-13 Apr 1933)
Adjutant of the State-Police-Department Frankfurt, Main (01 Aug 1933-01 Apr 1934)
Detached to Police-Major-Aspirant-Course (08 Jan 1934-09 Mar 1934)
Chief Intelligence Officer (Ic) of the State-Police-Inspection South West (01 Apr 1934-16 Mar 1936)
Transferred to Army Service (16 Mar 1936)
Major with the Staff of the 34th Division (16 Mar 1936-01 Apr 1936)
2nd Adjutant (IIb) in the General-Staff of the 34th Division (01 Apr 1936-06 Oct 1936)
Commander of the II. Battalion of the 15th Motorised-Infantry-Regiment (06 Oct 1936-15 Nov 1940)
Commander of the 87th Motorised-Infantry-Regiment (15 Nov 1940-05 Dec 1942)
F�hrer-Reserve OKH (05 Dec 1942-15 Jan 1943)
Commander of Instruction-Staff III (Motorised Infantry) at the Infantry School D�beritz (15 Jan 1943-01 Mar 1943)
Delegated with the Leadership of the 29th Motorised-Infantry-Division (01 Mar 1943-01 Jun 1943)
Commander of the 29th Motorised-Infantry-Regiment (01 Jun 1943-23 Jun 1943)
Commander of the 29th Panzer-Grenadier-Division (23 Jun 1943-01 Sep 1944)
F�hrer-Reserve OKH (01 Sep 1944-21 Sep 1944)
Delegated with the Leadership of XXXXVI. Panzer-Corps (21 Sep 1944-01 Dec 1944)
Commanding General of XXXXVI. Panzer-Corps (01 Dec 1944-19 Jan 1945)
F�hrer-Reserve OKH (19 Jan 1945-24 Mar 1945)
In Torgau before a Senate for the Reichs War Court (Assessor: General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico, Prosecutor: G.d.J. von Tippelskirch, Defence General der Panzertruppe Otto Von Knobelsdorff). Was Accused of Retreating without fighting West of Warsaw against orders on the West Banks of the Vistula. Accusations were groundless as his troops were completely exhausted and malnourished. Demands to fight were excessive as troops were without weapons, food supply and spirit. He was acquitted (24 Mar 1945-08 May 1945)
In Captivity (08 May 1945-30 Jun 1947)
Released (30 Jun 1947)
Awards & Decorations:
- Ritterkreuz (721): am 14.12.1941 als Oberst und Kommandeur der Infanterie-Regiment 87 (mot)
- Eichenlaub (378): am 29.01.1944 als Generalleutnant und Kommandeur der 29. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
- Schwerter (87): am 11.08.1944 als Generalleutnant und Kommandeur der 29. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 09.10.1942 als Oberst und Kommandeur der Infanterie-Regiment 87 (mot)
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Ehrenkreuz f�r Frontk�mpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01.10.1938 mit Spange �Prager Burg�
- Kgl. Ungar. Kriegs-Erinnerungs-Medaille mit Schwertern
- Spange zum EK II: 24.09.1939
- Spange zum EK I: 09.10.1939
- Wehrmachtbericht: 28.06.1944; 29.07.1944
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