| Friedrich Kirchner | |
|---|---|
 General Friedrich Kirchner | |
| Born | 26 March 1885 |
| Died | 6 April 1960 (aged 75) |
| Place of birth | Zöbigker Leipzig |
| Place of death | Fulda |
| Allegiance |
 German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch | Army |
| Years of service | 1899-1945 |
| Rank | General der Panzertruppe |
| Commands held |
1. Panzer-Division LVII. Panzerkorps |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Friedrich Kirchner (26 March 1885 – 6 April 1960) was a German general during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career[]
Friedrich Kirchner joined the imperial German army as a Fähnrich on 1 May 1899 and was assigned to the 8. Königlich Sächsisches Infanterie-Regiment "Prinz Johann Georg" Nr. 107. While assigned to this regiment he was promoted to Leutnant on 27 January 1907. The officers patent was back dated to 18 August 1905. Kirchner was transferred to the 1. Königlich Sächsisches Ulanen-Regiment "Kaiser Franz Josef von Österreich, König von Ungarn" Nr. 17 in 1911. He was still assigned to this regiment at the outbreak of World War I. He was promoted to Rittmeister on 24 July 1915.
After World War I he was accepted for service in the Reichswehr where he initially served with the 12. (Sächs.) Reiter-Regiment. He was made escadron chief, a position which he officially held of the 4th escadron of the 12. (Sächs.) Reiter-Regiment in Großenhain by the spring of 1924. He held this position for many years before he was transferred to the Regimentsstab of the 12. (Sächs.) Reiter-Regiment in Dresden in the spring of 1928. Kirchner was promoted to Major on 1 February 1928. From 1929 he served in the Stab of the 2. Kavallerie-Division in Breslau. Kirchner was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 1 December 1932 and Oberst on 1 November 1934. He was made commanding officer of the Schützen-Regiment 1 on 15 October 1935 and commanding officer of the 1. Schützen-Brigade on 10 November 1938. He was promoted to Generalmajor on 1 March 1938.
He participated in the invasion of Poland with the 1. Schützen-Brigade until he was given command of the 1. Panzer-Division on 17 November 1939. On 1 April 1940 he was promoted to Generalleutnant. Kirchner led the 1. Panzer-Division in the Battle of France. Kirchner was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 May 1940 for the successful leadership of the 1. Panzer-Division. He was wounded during the invasion of France when one of his legs was run over by a German vehicle.[1] He then took command of the LVII. Armeekorps on 15 November 1941. He was promoted to General der Panzertruppe on 1 February 1942. Even after the re-designation of the LVII. Armeekorps to LVII. Panzerkorps he remained in command of the LVII. Panzerkorps until the end of World War II.
Awards[]
- Iron Cross (1914)
- Infantry Assault Badge
- Cross of Honor
- Eastern Front Medal
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 1st Class, 25 Years
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 2nd Class, 18 Years
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 3rd Class, 12 Years
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class, 4 Years
- Tank Combat Badge in Silver
- Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
- German Cross in Gold on 22 April 1942 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 1. Panzer-Division[3]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Knight's Cross on 20 May 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 1. Panzer-Division[4]
- 391st Oak Leaves on 12 February 1944 as General der Panzertruppe and commanding general of the LVII. Panzer-Korps[4]
- 127th Swords on 26 January 1945 as General der Panzertruppe and commanding general of the LVII. Panzer-Korps[4]
- Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtsbericht (4 February 1943 and 27 November 1944)
References[]
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Berger, Florian (1999) (in German). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges [With Oak Leaves and Swords. The Highest Decorated Soldiers of the Second World War]. Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-0-6.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [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]. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001) (in German). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2]. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
- Schaulen, Fritjof (2004) (in German). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe II Ihlefeld - Primozic [Oak Leaves Bearers 1940 – 1945 Contemporary History in Color II Ihlefeld - Primozic]. Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 978-3-932381-21-8.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). 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]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Thomas, Franz (1997) (in German). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K]. Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
External links[]
- "Lexikon der Wehrmacht". Friedrich Kirchner. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/K/KirchnerF.htm. Retrieved 6 March 2008.
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