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Milch, Erhard (Generalfeldmarschall)

Date of birth:
March 30th, 1892 (Wilhelmshaven/Nedersaksen, Germany)
Date of death:
January 25th, 1972 (WuppertalNoordrijn-Westfalen, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Alfred Erhard Richard Oscar Milch, brother of Werner Milch (1903-1984)

Promotions:
August 18th, 1911: Leutnant (RDA: August 20th, 1909);
August 18th, 1915: Oberleutnant;
August 18th, 1918: Hauptmann;
October 28th, 1933: Oberst;
March 24th, 1934: Generalmajor;
March 28th, 1935: Generalleutnant (RDA: April 1st, 1936);
January 30th, 1936: General der Flieger;
November 1st, 1938: Generaloberst;
July 19th, 1940: Generalfeldmarschall.

Career:
February 24th, 1910: Heer;
1910 - 1914: Artillerie;
August 19th, 1915: Beobachter, Artillerie-Flieger-Abteilung 205;
August 28th, 1915: Beobachter, Artillerie-Flieger-Abteilung A 204;
June 15th, 1916: Adjutant, Artillerie-Fliegerschule Ost I;
July 4th, 1917: Armeeflugpark 6;
July 9th,1917: stellvertretender Führer, Flieger-Abteilng 5;
July 30th, 1917: Bildungsoffizier, Fliegergruppenführer 2;
April 9th, 1918: Anwärter für Grossen Generalstab, Armeeflugpark 17;
April 23rd, 1918: Heer;
1919: Freikorps;
1919: Polizei;
January 31st, 1920: entlassung Heer;
February 1920: Junkers AG;
November 1921 - December 1925: Haupt Direktor Junkers AG;
January 30th, 1933: Reichsheer;
February 2nd, 1933: stellvertretender Reichskommissar für Luftfahrt;
May 5th, 1933: Staatssekretär RLM;
April 20th, 1936: Luftwaffe;
February 1st, 1939: Generalinspektor der Luftwaffe / vertreter des Reichsministers der Luftfahrt / vertreter des Oberbefehlshabers der Luftwaffe;
April 12th, 1940: Oberbefehlshaber Luftflotte 5;
November 19th, 1941: Generalluftzeugmeister;
1942: Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates / Präsident der Deutschen Lufthansa AG, Berlin;
January 19th,1943: Führer der Transportverbände Stalingrad;
October 1st, 1944: wounded in a car crash near Arnhem;
February 1st, 1945: Führerreserve OKL;
May 4th, 1945: British POW;
April 17th, 1947: sentenced to life imprisonment due to war crimes;
January 31st, 1951: sentence changed to 15 years imprisonment;
June 28th, 1954: released;
?: Consultant, Thyssen Steel Company.

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Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
October 4th, 1914
Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
October 19th, 1915
Eisernes Kreuz 1.Klasse (1914)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
June 23rd, 1916
Königlich Preussisches Flugzeugbeobachter-Abzeichen
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
1919
Königlich Preussisches Flieger Erinnerungs-Abzeichen
Awarded on:
June 1933
Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro - Grand'Ufficiale
Awarded on:
May 31st, 1933
Order of Civil Merit 2nd Class
Awarded on:
May 1934
Awarded on:
July 27th, 1934
Stern des Ehrenzeichen des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
December 15th, 1934
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Awarded on:
March 30th, 1935
Gemeinsames Flugzeugfuhrer-Beobachter Abzeichen mit Brillianten
Awarded on:
May 27th, 1935

With swords
Order of Military Merit 1st Class
Awarded on:
June 6th, 1935
Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun suurristi (SVR SR)
Awarded on:
June 30th, 1935
Order of St. Sava 1st Class
Awarded on:
August 15th, 1935

With swords
Großkreuz des Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischer Hausorden
Awarded on:
October 1935
Awarded on:
August 16th, 1936
Deutsches Olympia Ehrenzeichen Erster Klasse
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  1.Klasse, 25 Jahre
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  2. Klasse, 18 Jahre
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  3.Klasse, 12 Jahre
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre
Awarded on:
January 30th, 1937
Goldenes Ehrenzeichen der NSDAP
Awarded on:
March 3rd, 1937
Gran Oficial Orden del Merito
Awarded on:
October 1937
Ordine della Corona d'Italia - Cavaliere Commendatore
Awarded on:
December 1937
Zuiho sho, 1st Class
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
April 20th, 1938
Luftschutz-Ehrenzeichen 2. Stufe
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
General der Flieger (Air Marshall)
Awarded on:
April 20th, 1938
Luftschutz-Ehrenzeichen 1. Stufe
Awarded on:
January 1938
Order of the Crown 1st Class
Rank:
Generaloberst (Air Chief Marshall)
Awarded on:
November 21st, 1938
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
Rank:
Generaloberst (Air Chief Marshall)
Awarded on:
May 22nd, 1939
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
Rank:
Generaloberst (Air Chief Marshall)
Awarded on:
September 19th, 1939
Medaille zur Erinnerung an die Heimkehr des Memellandes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generaloberst (Air Chief Marshall)
Unit:
Generalinspekteur der Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
September 24th, 1939
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generaloberst (Air Chief Marshall)
Unit:
Generalinspekteur der Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
September 30th, 1939
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
Awarded on:
December 18th, 1939
Grootkruis in de Orde van Leopold II
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generaloberst
Unit:
Staatssekretär im Reichsluftfahrtministerium und Chef der Luftflotte 5
Awarded on:
May 4th, 1940
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1942
Magyar Érdemrend Tisztikeresztje Hadidiszitmennyel es Kardokkal

Sources

  • Photo 1: Gareth Collins
  • - Kröll F., Der Prozess gegen Erhard Milch, In: Ueberschär G., Der Nationalsozialismus vor Gericht, Frankfurt, 1999
    - Rigg B.M., Hitlers jüdische Soldaten, Paderborn, 2003
    - Axis Biographical Research
    - Nachlass Erhard Milch