Fritz Freitag

Fritz Freitag (28 April 1894 – 10 May 1945) was a German SS commander during the Nazi era. During World War II, he commanded the 2nd SS Infantry Brigade, the SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer, and the SS Division Galicia. Freitag committed suicide in May 1945.

Fritz Freitag
Born	28 April 1894 Allenstein, East Prussia
Died	10 May 1945(1945-05-10) (aged 51) Graz, Allied-occupied Austria
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1914–19 1939–45
Rank	Brigadeführer
Commands	2nd SS Infantry Brigade SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer SS Division Galicia
Battles / wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career

Fritz Freitag was born in Allenstein, East Prussia, the son of a railroad official. After passing his high school examinations he joined the 1st (East Prussian) Grenadier Regiment of the Prussian Army. During World War I, Freitag served on both the Eastern Front and the Western Front. In 1919, Freitag joined the Freikorps and in 1920, the Schutzpolizei. By the time of World War II, Freitag had been promoted to Police Colonel. During the invasion of Poland, he was the Chief of Operations of the 3rd Police Regiment and the Chief of Staff to the senior police commander in the 14th Army, Udo von Woyrsch.^[1]

In September 1940, Freitag joined the SS and was posted onto the staff of Heinrich Himmler. He was then posted to the 1 SS Infantry Brigade as chief of staff. During the invasion of the Soviet Union, he organized rear-security operations in Belarus and assisted the Einsatzgruppen in rounding up the Jewish population in the occupied territories.^[2]

Freitag was appointed commander of 2nd SS Polizei Infantry Regiment still serving on the Eastern Front. He was promoted to Standartenführer for his performance in command of a kampfgruppe during the fighting in the Volkhov pocket.^[1] In January 1943, he was given temporary command of the SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer being replaced when becoming ill.^[1] From April to August 1943 he commanded the 2 SS Infantry Brigade, and from 18 August 1943 till 20 October 1943 the 4th SS Polizei Division. He was then given command of the SS Division Galicia. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in September 1944.

Freitag shot himself in the village of St. Andrä on 10 May 1945.

Awards

• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 September 1944 as SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS, and commander of the 14. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (gal. Nr. 1).^[3]

References

Citations

1. Mitcham, pp. 74-75
2. Heer, War of Extermination, p. 136
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 318.

Bibliography

• Hannes Heer; Klaus Naumann, eds. (2000). War of Extermination: The German Military in World War II 1941-1944. Berghahn Books. ISBN 1-57181-232-6.
• Mitcham, Samuel W (2007). The German Defeat in the East, 1944–45. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3371-7.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.