Franciszek Kleeberg



Franciszek Kleeberg (1 February 1888 in Tarnopol - 5 April 1941 near Dresden) was a Polish general. He served in the Austro-Hungarian Army before joining the Polish Legions in World War I and later the Polish Army. During the German Invasion of Poland he commanded Independent Operational Group Polesie (Samodzielna Grupa Operacyjna "Polesie"). He never lost a battle in the Invasion of Poland, although he was eventually forced to surrender after his forces ran out of ammunition. Imprisoned in Oflag IV-B Koenigstein, he died in hospital in Dresden on 5 April 1941 and was buried there.

In 1969 his remains were exhumated, brought to Poland and re-buried in Kock among the fallen soldiers of Independent Operational Group Polesie.

Promotions

 * podporucznik (Lieutenant) – August 1908
 * porucznik (First Lieutenant) – May 1913
 * kapitan (Captain) – November 1915
 * major (Major) – August 1917
 * podpułkownik (Lieutenant Colonel) – December 1918
 * pułkownik (Colonel) – April 1920
 * generał brygady (Brigadier General) – January 1928
 * generał dywizji (Major General) – January 1943 (post-mortem)

Military awards

 * Virtuti Militari, Commander's Cross, (previously awarded Knight's Cross, Golden Cross and Silver Cross)
 * Polonia Restituta, Grand Cross awarded posthumously on 4 October 2009; (previously awarded Commander's Cross and Officer's Cross)
 * Cross of Valour 4 times
 * Military Merit Medal (Signum Laudis) (Austria-Hungary)
 * Commander of the Légion d'honneur (France)
 * Iron Cross of 1914, 2nd Class (Germany)
 * Order of Lāčplēsis, 3rd Class (Latvia)
 * Gold Cross of Merit (1937)