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Albert Frey (SS officer)
Encyclopedia
Albert Frey was a Standartenführer
(Colonel) in the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
. He was born on 16 February 1913 in Heidelberg, the son of a master baker
. In December 1933 he joined the SS-Verfügungstruppe.
In 1937 as an SS Oberscharführer (Staff Sergeasnt), he attended the SS Junker school at Brunswick
where he came out in the top 12 on the course.
In March 1938 he was promoted to an SS-Sturmfuhrer (Second Lieutenant) and was posted as a platoon commander to the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler Regiment.
On 20 April 1939 he was again promoted to SS-Obersturmführer (First Lieutenant )and given command of the 9th company of the Leibstandarte, for the Poland Campaign
and the Battle of France
.
In November 1940 he took command of the 1st Company LSSAH which he commanded throughout the Balkans Campaign. After the start of Operation Barbarossa
he was in July 1941 given command of the 3rd Battalion LSSAH. With this battalion he had a decisive impact on the subsequent battle, capturing a bridge over the Mius north of Taganrog
. The bridge was then attacked by three Russian armored trains. Despite severe losses all three armored trains were destroyed. For this action Frey was awarded the German Cross in Gold
. Frey proved himself again in the fighting at Kharkov through his personal courage and leadership of his battalion.
On April 20, 1942, he was promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer (Major) and in July 1942 he took over the 1st battalion of the newly established 1st SS Panzer-Grenadier Regiment LSSAH.
For his achievements during the battle between the Donetz and Dnepr at the beginning of 1943, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
, and a short time later he was appointed commander of the 1st SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment. He had a brief deployment in Italy, where he convinced an Italian General it was better to surrender than fight. He captured 10.000 prisoners.
He quickly returned to the Eastern Front for the Battle of Kursk
where he commanded a battle group, consisting of his regiment, a Panther tank
Battalion, an assault gun Company and an artillery Battalion, which fought in the Kiev
region. For this successful defence, he received on 27 December 1943 the oak leaves to the Knight's Cross. In March 1944 he was given command of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and transferred to the area Kamenez - Podolsk
.
In June 1944 the Division was in France
for the Battle of Normandy
and was seriously wounded, and had to give up command of the Division.
Later in August 1944, he became a staff officer in the headquarters of 6th SS Panzer Army. At the end of the war he was a liaison officer to the Gauleiter
for the Upper Danube, he fled abroad so as to escape captivity.
Albert Frey and his wife Lotte died in the morning of September 1, 2003 in Heilbronn
.
Standartenführer
Standartenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in the so-called Nazi combat-organisations: SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK...
(Colonel) in the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard. Initially the size of a regiment, the LSSAH eventually grew into a divisional-sized unit...
. He was born on 16 February 1913 in Heidelberg, the son of a master baker
Baker
A baker is someone who bakes and sells bread, Cakes and similar foods may also be produced, as the traditional boundaries between what is produced by a baker as opposed to a pastry chef have blurred in recent decades...
. In December 1933 he joined the SS-Verfügungstruppe.
In 1937 as an SS Oberscharführer (Staff Sergeasnt), he attended the SS Junker school at Brunswick
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
where he came out in the top 12 on the course.
In March 1938 he was promoted to an SS-Sturmfuhrer (Second Lieutenant) and was posted as a platoon commander to the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler Regiment.
On 20 April 1939 he was again promoted to SS-Obersturmführer (First Lieutenant )and given command of the 9th company of the Leibstandarte, for the Poland Campaign
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
and the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
.
In November 1940 he took command of the 1st Company LSSAH which he commanded throughout the Balkans Campaign. After the start of Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
he was in July 1941 given command of the 3rd Battalion LSSAH. With this battalion he had a decisive impact on the subsequent battle, capturing a bridge over the Mius north of Taganrog
Taganrog
Taganrog is a seaport city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the north shore of Taganrog Bay , several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River. Population: -History of Taganrog:...
. The bridge was then attacked by three Russian armored trains. Despite severe losses all three armored trains were destroyed. For this action Frey was awarded the German Cross in Gold
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
. Frey proved himself again in the fighting at Kharkov through his personal courage and leadership of his battalion.
On April 20, 1942, he was promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer (Major) and in July 1942 he took over the 1st battalion of the newly established 1st SS Panzer-Grenadier Regiment LSSAH.
For his achievements during the battle between the Donetz and Dnepr at the beginning of 1943, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
, and a short time later he was appointed commander of the 1st SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment. He had a brief deployment in Italy, where he convinced an Italian General it was better to surrender than fight. He captured 10.000 prisoners.
He quickly returned to the Eastern Front for the Battle of Kursk
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
where he commanded a battle group, consisting of his regiment, a Panther tank
Panther tank
Panther is the common name of a medium tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. It was intended as a counter to the T-34, and to replace the Panzer III and Panzer IV; while never replacing the latter, it served alongside it as...
Battalion, an assault gun Company and an artillery Battalion, which fought in the Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
region. For this successful defence, he received on 27 December 1943 the oak leaves to the Knight's Cross. In March 1944 he was given command of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and transferred to the area Kamenez - Podolsk
Podolsk
Podolsk is an industrial city and the administrative center of Podolsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Pakhra River...
.
In June 1944 the Division was in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
and was seriously wounded, and had to give up command of the Division.
Later in August 1944, he became a staff officer in the headquarters of 6th SS Panzer Army. At the end of the war he was a liaison officer to the Gauleiter
Gauleiter
A Gauleiter was the party leader of a regional branch of the NSDAP or the head of a Gau or of a Reichsgau.-Creation and Early Usage:...
for the Upper Danube, he fled abroad so as to escape captivity.
Albert Frey and his wife Lotte died in the morning of September 1, 2003 in Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
.
See also
- Waffen SS
- 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf HitlerThe Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard. Initially the size of a regiment, the LSSAH eventually grew into a divisional-sized unit...
- List of Knight's Cross holders 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler