Fritz Becker (general)

This article is about the German World War II general. For the German football player, see Fritz Becker.

Fritz Becker
Born	(1892-03-07)7 March 1892 Heidberg, Regierungsbezirk Köln, Rhine Province, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died	11 June 1967(1967-06-11) (aged 75) Herzberg, Lower Saxony, West Germany
Allegiance	Prussia German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
Branch	Prussian Army Imperial German Army Reichsheer German Army
Service years	1913–1945
Rank	Generalleutnant
Unit	7th Rhenish Infantry Regiment No. 69
Commands	370. Infanterie-Division 389. Infanterie-Division XXIV Panzerkorps XLVI. Panzerkorps
Conflicts	World War I World War II Battle of France Balkan Campaign Operation Barbarossa Battle of the Caucasus Courland Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations	∞ 1927 Hilde Koch; 2 children

Fritz Becker (7 March 1892 – 11 June 1967) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II who held commands at divisional and corps levels. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Promotions

• 29 January 1913 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate)
• 16 June 1913 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (Officer Candidate with Corporal/NCO/Junior Sergeant rank)
• 18 October 1913 Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)
• 20 May 1914 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) with Patent from 24 May 1912
• 18 June 1917 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
  • 1 July 1922 received Reichswehr Rank Seniority (RDA) from 18 June 1917 (11)
• 1 March 1925 Hauptmann (Captain) (5)
• 1 April 1934 Major (41)
• 2 August 1936 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) with effect and RDA from 1 August 1936 (56)
• 31 March 1939 Oberst (Colonel) with effect and RDA from 1 April 1939 (27)
• 20 April 1942 Generalmajor (Major General) with effect and RDA from 1 April 1942 (32b)
• 20 April 1943 Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) with effect and RDA from 1 April 1943 (7a)

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class in September 1914
  • 1st Class on 29 October 1916
• Wound Badge (1918) in Black
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords on 13 December 1934
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th to 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 2 October 1936
  • 1st Class on 29 January 1938
• West Wall Medal on 28 February 1940
• Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 22/25 May 1940
  • 1st Class on 3 June 1940
• Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze on 24 November 1941
• Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal on 3 September 1942
• Kuban Shield on 1 August 1944
• German Cross in Gold on 22 November 1941 as Oberst and Commander of the Infanterie-Regiment 60 (motorized)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 April 1943 as Generalmajor and Commander of the 370. Infanterie-Division

Sources

• German Federal Archives: BArch PERS 6/434 and PERS 6/299382

References

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.
• 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.