Date of birth:

May 19th, 1900 (Drahnow/Westprussia, Germany)

Date of death:

December 14th, 1976 (Goslar/Lower Saxony, Germany)

Nationality:

German

Brother of General der Infanterie Hermann Foertsch
After the Second World War Friedrich Foertsch served with the Bundeswehr from 2nd November 1956 until 31st December 1963, where he finally reached the rank of General.

Promotions:
May 21st, 1918: Fahnenjunker;
January 1st, 1921: Fähnrich;
April 1st, 1922: Leutnant;
February 1st, 1927: Oberleutnant;
April 1st, 1934: Hauptmann;
August 1st, 1938: Major;
November 1st, 1940: Oberstleutnant;
June 1st, 1942: Oberst im Generalstab;
June 1st, 1944: Generalmajor;
March 1st, 1945: Generalleutnant;
January 1st, 1956: Generalmajor (Bundeswehr);
December 1st, 1958: Generalleutnant (Bundeswehr);
May 9th, 1961: General (Bundeswehr).

Career:
May 21st, 1918: 8. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 175;
1919: Freikorps "Feldmarschall Hindenburg";
1920: 17. Infanterie-Regiment;
1924 - 1927: 11. / 17. Infanterie-Regiment;
October 1st, 1927: Adjutant III. (Jäger) / 17. Infanterie-Regiment;
1932: 12. (MG.) / 17. Infanterie-Regiment;
1932: Kriegsakademie;
1935: Kommandantur Königsberg;
October 12th, 1937: Kompaniechef Infanterie-Regiment 81;
November 10th, 1938: 2. Generalstabsoffizier, Generalstab III. Armeekorps;
1939: 1. Generalstabsoffizier (Ia), 60. Infanterie-Division;
1940: Stab Chef der Heeresrüstung und Befehlshaber des Ersatzheeres;
June 1st, 1942: 1. Generalstabsoffizier (Ia), 18. Armee;
December 1st, 1943 - January 25th, 1945: Chef des Generalstabes, 18. Armee;
January 1945: Chef des Generalstabes, Heeresgruppe Kurland;
May 8th, 1945: Soviet POW;
June 29th, 1950: 25 year's imprisonment;
October 9th, 1955: early releas;
1956: m.d.F.b. II. Korps (Bundeswehr);
April 1957: Kommandeur 2. Grenadier-Division;
1959: stellvertretender Chef des Stabes, Planung und Grundsatzfragen, NATO-Hauptquartier, Paris;
April 1st, 1961: Generalinspekteur der Bundeswehr;
December 31st, 1963: Retired.

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Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Unit:

8. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 175, Kaiserliche Heer

Awarded on:

July 17th, 1919

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded on:

1934

Awarded on:

1936

Awarded on:

1936

Awarded on:

1936

Awarded on:

1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 17th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 23rd, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 13th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 16th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst im Generalstab (Colonel to the General Staff)

Unit:

Ia, Stab, Armee-Oberkommando 18, 18. Armee, Heer

Awarded on:

May 10th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Generalmajor (Brigadier)

Unit:

Chef des Generalstabes, 18. Armee, Heer

Awarded on:

September 5th, 1944

The following excerpt from the 18. Armee’s newspaper describes why Foertsch would be awarded the Knight’s Cross as follows…

“The man well-known to all members of our Armee for over two long years of war, Generalmajor Friedrich Foertsch, was awarded the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross by the Führer and Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht. This high honour was presented to Generalmajor Foertsch in the name of the Führer on the 07.09.1944 by the supreme commander of Heeresgruppe Nord, Generaloberst Schörner. During a speech Generaloberst Schörner spoke on behalf of all of us by praising the great and numerous deeds of Generalmajor Foertsch, who was heavily responsible for the fortunes of our Armee. Generalmajor Foertsch’s name is inseparably connected to the fluid battles and successful defensive actions of the northern German Armee before Leningrad, at Volkhov, south of Lake Ladoga, the retreat from northern Russia in the winter of 1944, the defensive battles along the line Pskov—Ostrov—Opotschka—Idritza—Popozk and now also in the never-ending combat in the Baltic region.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1945

Awarded on:

December 9th, 1963

Awarded on:

1965

• Photo 1: Norbert Beyerlein
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
  - WEGMANN, GüNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 2010.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Lexikon de Wehrmacht