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Sixt, Friedrich

Date of birth:
October 28th, 1895 (Munich/Bavaria, Germany)
Date of death:
August 4th, 1976 (Icking/Bavaria, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

03.08.1914: Fahnenjunker, joined the Royal Bavarian Army
08.1914: served in the 6. Königlich Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment „Prinz Ferdinand von Bourbon, Herzog von Kalabrien"
24.02.1915: promoted to Leutnant with Patent from 18.06.1913
1916: artillery officer, wounded near Verdun, France
1918: WIA in the Chemin des Dames, France
1919: Oberleutnant in the Imperial Army
04.1920: Reichswehr Artillery Regiment 21
1921: transferred to the 7th (Bavarian) Artillery Regiment as battery officer
Staff officer in the Bavarian Free Corps 'von Epp'
01.11.1923: Oberleutnant, reintegrated in the 5th battery of the 7th (Bavarian) Artillery Regiment in Munich
01.10.1926: two-year leadership assistant training (general staff training) with the staff of the 7th Division of the Reichswehr in Munich
01.07.1928: promoted to Hauptmann
09.1929: transferred to the 9th Battery of the 6th (Prussian) Artillery Regiment in Wolfenbüttel
04.1930: staff of the 7th Division of the Reichswehr in Munich
01.08.1937: promoted to Oberstleutnant
01.04.1938: transferred to the Army General Staff - 2nd division with Oberquartiermeister III (O Qu III)
01.02.1940: promoted to Oberst i.G.
20.04.1940: Chief of the General Staff of General Command XXXXIV. Army Corps during the western campaign
06.1941: fought in Russia
18.05.1942: awarded the DKiG
01.06.1942: promoted to Generalmajor
07.1942: appointed Chief of the General Staff of the 17th Army
With this he took part in the summer offensive and the subsequent retreat in 1942/43
01.06.1943: promoted to Generalleutnant
29.06.1943: appointed commander of the 50th Infantry Division
01.05.1944: seriously wounded in the Crimea
17.08.1944: after his recovery, took over command of the 5th Jäger Division
19.04.1945: still in charge of the CI General Command. Army corps on the Elbe
05.1945: captured by the British
1947: released from captivity

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
September 28th, 1939

Had already received the Iton Cross 2nd Class on December 23rd 1915.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
June 11th, 1941

Had already received the Iron Cross 1st Class on May 5th 1918.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst im Generalstab (Colonel to the General Staff)
Unit:
Generalstabschef, XXXXIV. Armeekorps
Awarded on:
May 18th, 1942

Award 116/12.
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 50.Infanterie-Division, XXXXIX.Gebirgs-Korps, 17.Armee, Heeresgruppe A
Awarded on:
December 17th, 1943
On the 01.11.1943 Sixt and his divisional staff were ordered to form Gruppe Sixt and take overall control of the defense of the Perekop isthmus, with the goal of preventing a Soviet breakthrough into the Crimea. Sixt was awarded the Knight's Cross for the defensive success of his unit along the Tatar wall on the 06.11.1943.

2443rd Award.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 50.Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:
January 17th, 1944
Ordinul Mihai Viteazul Clasa 3

Royal Decree No. 97.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kdr, 5. Jäger-Division
Awarded on:
September 12th, 1944
The Hessian-Thuringian 129th infantry division under the leadership of Generalmajor von Larisch and the Württembergian 5th Jägerdivision under the command of Generalleutnant Sixt distinguished themselves in the battle at the lower Narew with firmness and offensive drive.
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 5.Jäger-Division, XXIII.Armee-Korps, 2.Armee, Heeresgruppe Weichsel
Awarded on:
March 11th, 1945
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
Awarded in part for his achievements during the defensive battles along the Bug and the Narew rivers in the fall of 1944, but mainly for his performance during the Soviet Winter offensive of early 1945.

At the beginning of this offensive he mastered many critical situations, and in particular a strong Soviet flank attack that came at a time when his Division was already heavily engaged. With a handful of Sturmgeschütze he was able to push back the Soviet attack while leading from the front.

It was through Sixt's excellent leadership that the Division was able to retreat from the Narew to the Vistula (16-28.01.1945) in largely good order. It had the distinction of being the only formation of the 2. Armee originally positioned along the Narew to reach the west side of the Vistula with all of its artillery and supply troops.

772nd Award.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
May 5th, 1918
Eisernes Kreuz 1.Klasse (1914)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
December 23rd, 1915
Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1934
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer

Sources

  • Photo 1: Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv
  • Photo: Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv
  • - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
    - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
    - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
    - Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer, Elite of the Third Reich - The Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-45: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, England, 2003
    - Ichim, E., Ordinul Militar de Razboi "Mihai Viteazul", Modelism & Jertfa, Bucahrest, Romania, 2000
    - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001
    - Reinicke, A., Die 5. Jäger-Division – Polen, Westfeldzug 1940, Rußland, Das Ende an der Oderfront, Nebel Verlag GmbH, Eggolsheim, Deutschland, 2003
    - ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de

Photo