Wilhelm Baur
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm Baur or Wilhelm Baur de Betaz (Metz
, 1883 - Lindelfels, 1964) was a German
Lieutenant General (Generalleutnant) of the Heer during Second World War.
(February 17, 1883), in Alsace-Lorraine
, which was then part of Germany
. He joined the army at twenty years old. He served in the 61st Artillery Regiment, from 1903 until 1914. Baur was detached to the Military Technical Academy in 1909, before being detached to the War-Academy from 1912 to 1914. During the First World War, Baur served as a company-grade officer. He was awarded the Iron Cross
.
At the beginning of the Second World War, Wilhelm Baur was appointed Chief of Staff of the Higher Flying-Training-Commander. In March 1940, he took command of the Special-Purpose-Combat-Group in Norway
. On September 1940, he was appointed commander of the air district of Greifswald
, then commander of the air district of Döberitz. Baur was promoted to the rank of major general (Generalmajor) on July 1941. On May 1942, Baur worked at the headquarters of the armies, with General Walther von Unruh. He was appointed Chief of the Defence Economy Staff, in Norway. Baur was promoted General Lieutenant (Generalleutnant) on August 1943. On September 1944, Wilhelm Baur was eventually placed in Führer-Reserve until the end of the war.
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
, 1883 - Lindelfels, 1964) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Lieutenant General (Generalleutnant) of the Heer during Second World War.
Biography
Wilhelm Baur was born in MetzMetz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
(February 17, 1883), in Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
, which was then part of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He joined the army at twenty years old. He served in the 61st Artillery Regiment, from 1903 until 1914. Baur was detached to the Military Technical Academy in 1909, before being detached to the War-Academy from 1912 to 1914. During the First World War, Baur served as a company-grade officer. He was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
.
At the beginning of the Second World War, Wilhelm Baur was appointed Chief of Staff of the Higher Flying-Training-Commander. In March 1940, he took command of the Special-Purpose-Combat-Group in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. On September 1940, he was appointed commander of the air district of Greifswald
Greifswald
Greifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
, then commander of the air district of Döberitz. Baur was promoted to the rank of major general (Generalmajor) on July 1941. On May 1942, Baur worked at the headquarters of the armies, with General Walther von Unruh. He was appointed Chief of the Defence Economy Staff, in Norway. Baur was promoted General Lieutenant (Generalleutnant) on August 1943. On September 1944, Wilhelm Baur was eventually placed in Führer-Reserve until the end of the war.
Staff positions
- Group-Director in the War-Scientific-Department, RLM (1 May 1937-07 Sep 1939)
- Chief of Staff of the Higher Flying-Training-Commander 4 (08 Sep 1939-28 Mar 1940)
- Commander of the Special-Purpose-Combat-Group (Norway) (29 Mar 1940-20 Sep 1940)
- Airport-Area-Commandant, Greifswald (21 Sep 1940-06 Feb 1941)
- Airport-Area-Commandant, Döberitz (07 Feb 1941-4 May 1942)
- Representative of the Luftwaffe in OKW, Special-Staff of General von Unruh (5 May 1942-31 Oct 1942)
- Chief of the Defence Economy Staff Norway (01 Nov 1942-30 Jun 1943)
- Field-Economics-Commander Norway (01 Jul 1943-30 Apr 1944)
- Higher Field-Economics-Officer with the Wehrmacht-Commander Norway (1 May 1944-18 Sep 1944)
Promotions
- Fähnrich (18 Oct 1903);
- Leutnant (24 Apr 1904);
- Oberleutnant (24 Jul 1912);
- Hauptmann (8 Nov 1914);
- Charakter als Major (8 Apr 1920);
- Oberstleutnant (1 Mar 1935);
- Oberst (1 Aug 1937);
- Generalmajor (1 Jul 1941);
- Generalleutnant (1 Aug 1943)
Decorations
- RK des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von HohenzollernHouse Order of HohenzollernThe House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
, mit Schwertern - Eisernes Kreuz (1914) II and Ist classe
- Kgl. Preuss. Flugzeugbeobachter-Abzeichen
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IVe à IIe classe
- Eisernes KreuzIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
Spange - Deutsches Kreuz in Silber