Date of birth:

November 29th, 1896 (Grießen/Baden, Germany)

Date of death:

July 8th, 1974 (Tirschenreuth/Bavaria, Germany)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Theodor Preu was born November 29th, 1896 in Griessen. September 1st, 1914 he voluntarily joined the Cheveauleger-Regiment in Nuremberg. After having been promoted to Leutnant he was sent to the Western Front. After World War One he remained in the Reichsheer and served in Infanterie-Regiment 20 and subsequently on the Stab, 5 Infanterie-Division. In 1936 he joined the 17 Infanterie-Division.
At the outbreak of World War Two, he served as Adjutant of his division and later on in 1939 he was named Kommandeur II Infanterie-Regiment 21. Holding this rank, he was wounded in France and after recuperation he was named Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 21. In 1944, Theodor Preu was put in command of 111. Infanterie-Division and in May he was made Kommandeur 197. Infanterie-Division.

Promotions:
January 1st, 1916: Leutnant;
April 1st, 1936: Major;
November 22nd, 1941: Oberstleutnant;
February 1st, 1942: Oberst (271);

Career:
September 1st, 1914: Chevauleger-Regiment, Nuremberg;
1916: Führer MG-Kompanie;
?: Infanterie-Regiment 20;
?: Stab, 5. Infanterie-Division;
April 1st, 1936: 17. Infanterie-Division;
1937: IIa 17. Infanterie-Division;
1939: Adjutant 17. Infanterie-Division;
November 1st, 1939: Kommandeur II. / Infanterie-Regiment 21 / 17. Infanterie-Division;
March 11th, 1940: Kommandeur I. / Infanterie-Regiment 21;
December 10th, 1940: Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 21 / 17. Infanterie-Division;
January 18th, 1944: charged with command of 111. Infanterie-Division;
March 5th, 1944: Führerreserve OKH;
April 1st, 1944 - April 12th, 1944: charged with command of 17. Infanterie-Division;
April 25th, 1944: Heeresgruppe Mitte;
May 1944 - June 1944: Kommandeur 197. Infanterie-Division;
June 20th, 1944: Führer 296. Infanterie-Division;
June 1944: made a prisoner-of-war near Vitebsk, Belorussia;
June 1944 - 1948: Detained as POW.

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• Photo 1: Dobri Dobrev
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
  - Die Ritterkreuztraeger der Deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS
  - Onderzoek via Panzer-Archiv Forum