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Deutsch, Friedrich Max Gotthelf DIpl.Ing.

Date of birth:
September 25th, 1895 (Stoltenhagen, Germany)
Date of death:
March 27th, 1945 (Wesel, Germany)
Buried on:
Grave Lieutenant Dr. Ludwig Nover
Plot: F. Grave: 1a.
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Also found under 'Friedrich-Wilhelm'

10.08.1914: entered the Heer
01.09.1915: promoted to Leutnant without patent
WWI served in the Pioniertruppe
01.10.1920: patent as Leutnant granted (RDA 01.09.15)
01.04.1925: promoted to Oberleutnant
01.04.1930: promoted to Hauptmann
01.12.1935: promoted to Major
01.04.1936-1943: transferred from the Heer to the Luftwaffe in the rank of Major and assigned to the RLM as a Gruppenleiter concerned with the testing of weapons (Wa Prüf 10)
01.06.1938: promoted to Oberstleutnant
01.10.1939-31.05.1943: appointed Abteilung.-Chef / L. Flak 2 / Generalluftzeugmeister in RLM
01.12.1940: promoted to Oberst
01.06.1943-18.08.1943: transferred to Flak-Ers.Abt. 12
18.08.1943: transferred to Lw.-Befh. Mitte for further assignment
15.12.1943-27.04.1944: appointed Kdr. Flak-Rgt. 25
01.1944: appointed Kdr. Flakgruppe Halle-Merseburg
30.04.1944: appointed Kdr. 16. Flakdivision (mot)
01.07.1944: promoted to Generalmajor (Flak)
10.02.1945: transferred to Stab/ Fallsch.AOK 1 and then appointed Kampfkommandant Wesel
27.03.1945: captured in a bunker at Wesel with his staff and KIA when his HQ was stormed by British Troops

There are various accounts of how the German general met his end.One American account states that he fell 'leading his men in a desperate counter-attack against the Commandos'.A British account states that General Deutsch was killed in the bombing.A third and rather more vivid account comes from Philip Pritchard of No.6 Commando:

"In the middle of the battle,passing through Wesel,we found a Commando lance-corporal digging a grave in a garden.This seemed strange and we asked him why he was doing it.He said his section had been searching a house when they were confronted by a German officer.The lance-corporal immediately said "Hands up!" but the German replied "I am General Deutsch and i will only surrender to an officer of equal rank." The lance-corporal was fed up with all this and said "Well,this will equalize you",and fired his Tommy-gun at the general,with fatal results.

Brigadier Mills-Roberts was furious and as a punishment he ordered the lance-corporal to bury the general.Anyway,that was the gist of his story.As we went off,the unfortunate lance-corporal was still digging."

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Sources

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