Date of birth:

February 6th, 1892 (Karlsruhe/Baden, Germany)

Date of death:

April 4th, 1986 (Kreuth am Tegernsee/Bavaria, Germany)

Nationality:

German

Promotions:
September 20th, 1910: Fahnenjunker;
1911: Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier;
1911: Fähnrich;
January 27th, 1912: Leutnant (Patent January 31st, 1910);
September 18th, 1915: Oberleutnant;
October 18th, 1918: Hauptmann;
April 1st, 1932: Major;
March 1st, 1935: Oberstleutnant;
August 1st, 1937: Oberst;
March 1st, 1941: Generalmajor;
February 1st, 1942: Generalleutnant (RDA March 1st, 1942);
June 1st, 1942: General der Artillerie.

Career:
September 20th, 1910: Offiziersanwärter Feldartillerie-Regiment „Großherzog" (1. Badisches) Nr. 14;
March 1911 - November 1911: Kriegsschule Danzig;
September 1913 - January 1914: Lehrgang Artillerieschule Jüterborg;
January 1914: Adjutant Feldartillerie-Regiment „Großherzog" (1. Badisches) Nr. 14;
January 1915: Führer Ballonabwehr-Kanonen-Zug;
May 7th, 1916: Adjutant Landwehr-Infanterie-Brigade;
June 16th, 1916: Adjutant Brigade Meister;
August 13th, 1916: Stab, 8. Landwehr-Division;
April 1917: Adjutant 56. Landwehr-Infanterie-Brigade;
January 1918 - February 1918: Generalstabsausbildung Oberkommando der Heeresgruppe Herzog Albrecht von Württemberg;
?: Hilfsoffizier, Stab Wehrkreiskommando I;
?: Stab 1. Division;
?: Führergehilfenausbildung;
October 1st, 1921: Stab 1. (Preuß.) Artillerie-Regiment;
August 1st, 1922: Generalstab Gruppenkommando 1;
April 1st, 1923: Heeresabteilung (T 1), Truppenamt (TA), Reichswehrministerium;
October 1st, 1925: Kompaniechef, 6. (Preußische) Artillerie-Regiment;
October 1st, 1926: Heeresabteilung (T 1), Truppenamt (TA), Reichswehrministerium;
October 1st, 1927: Chef 8. Batterie, 6. (Preuß.) Artillerie-Regiment, Hannover;
?: Heeres-Reitschule;
October 1st, 1930: Ib, Stab, 1. Kavallerie-Division, Frankfurt an der Oder;
October 1st, 1933: Ia, 3. Division der Reichswehr;
October 1st, 1934: Stab, Kommandantur Frankfurt an der Oder;
1935: Auslandabteilung, Oberkommando des Heeres;
1938: Militärattacheé Türkischen Armee;
November 10th, 1938: Chef des Generalstabes, Generalkommando der Grenztruppen Saarpfalz;
September 17th, 1939: Chef des Generalstabes, XXIV. Armeekorps;
April 1st, 1941: Führerreserve;
April 19th, 1941: Kommandeur 97. leichten Infanterie-Division;
December 27th, 1941: mit den Führung beauftragt, XXX. Armeekorps;
June 1st, 1942: Kommandierender General XXX. Armeekorps;
1942: Armee-Abteilung Fretter-Pico;
February 1943: Kommandierender General XXX. Armeekorps;
July 1944: Führerreserve;
July 17th, 1944: mit den Führung beauftragt, 6. Armee;
September 17th, 1944: Oberbefehlshaber Armeegruppe Fretter-Pico;
December 23rd, 1944: zur Verfügung des Oberkommando des Heeres;
March 1945: Assessor, Reichskriegsgericht;
March 30th, 1945: Kommandierenden General, Stellvertretenden Generalkommando IX. Armeekorps;
March 30th, 1945: Befehlshaber Wehrkreis IX;
May 8th, 1945 - 1947: American POW.

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Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Rank:

Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

Adjutant, Feldartillerie-Regiment „Großherzog" (1. Badisches) Nr. 14, Baden

Awarded on:

October 12th, 1914

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

Stab, 8. Landwehr-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

December 23rd, 1916

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded on:

1918

Rank:

Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)

Unit:

Auslandabteilung, Oberkommando des Heeres, Heer

Awarded on:

October 10th, 1935

Rank:

Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)

Unit:

Auslandabteilung, Oberkommando des Heeres, Heer

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Chef des Generalstabes, XXIV. Armeekorps, Heer

Awarded on:

October 31st, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Chef des Generalstabes, XXIV. Armeekorps, Heer

Awarded on:

June 16th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Generalmajor (Brigadier)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 97. leichte Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

December 26th, 1941

The following excerpt describes why Fretter-Pico would be awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“The 97. Infanterie-Division’s attack objective for the 31.08.1941 was the capture of a bridgehead around Bezuly. Generalmajor Fretter-Pico followed the first attack waves of his Division personally and reached the attack objective of Bozuly alongside the foremost infantry elements. He then made the independent decision to thrust further ahead with the foremost elements (disregarding the open flanks to the right and left) to capture the commanding high ground at Pidgora. The attack carried on until nightfall, by which time the heights had been taken. Thus, already on the first attack day, the independent resolve of Generalmajor Fretter-Pico had achieved a decisive success for the favourable continuation of the combat in the Dnieper bridgehead.”

761st Heer Award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

General der Artillerie (Lieutenant-General of Artillerie)

Unit:

Kommandierender General, XXX. Armeekorps, Heer

Awarded on:

September 1st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

General der Artillerie (Lieutenant-General of Artillerie)

Unit:

Kommandierender General, XXX. Armeekorps, Heer

Awarded on:

September 19th, 1942

Award 177/2.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

General der Artillerie (Lieutenant-General of Artillerie)

Unit:

Kommandierender General, XXX. Armeekorps, Heer

Awarded on:

January 16th, 1944

The following press article, dated 19.01.1944, describes why Fretter-Pico would receive the Oakleaves as follows…

“As commanding general of an Armee-Korps, General der Artillerie Fretter-Pico especially distinguished himself through flexible and determined leadership during the winter battles of 1942/1943 between the Don and the Donez, the defensive battles near Izyum in the summer of 1943 and in the prevention of enemy breakthrough attempts southwest of Dnepropetrovsk at the end of November and December of 1943. In particular, he smashed a Soviet offensive on the 05.12.1943 that was launched with seven rifle divisions, a tank corps, and numerous additional tank, artillery and mortar formations. In this time, at the peak of the fighting, he made the bold decision to utilize a nocturnal attack against the broken-in Soviet forces.

When the enemy again commenced a major assault on the 19.12.1943 with 4-5 rifle divisions and numerous special formations, General der Artillerie Fretter-Pico prevented the enemy breakthrough right as it was about to succeed with a daring counterattack of his own. During this battle the Soviets lost 83 tanks in three days. Their additional losses in men and weapons were likewise so extraordinarily high that they were forced to suspend their attack.”

368th Award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

General der Artillerie (Lieutenant-General of Artillerie)

Unit:

Oberbefehlshaber, Armeegruppe Fretter-Pico, Heer

Awarded on:

October 30th, 1944

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded with swords.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Wehrkundearchiv
• Photo: Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
  
• - 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.
  - Lexikon der Wehrmacht
  - Ritterkreuzträger