Martin Fiebig

Martin Fiebig
Born	7 May 1891 Rösnitz, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire now Rozumice, Opole Voivodeship, Poland
Died	Belgrade, Socialist Republic of Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia now Belgrade, Serbia
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1910–45
Rank	General der Flieger
Commands held	KG 4 VIII.Fliegerkorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Martin Fiebig (7 May 1891 – 23 October 1947) was a German general of Luftwaffe, serving during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Early life and World War I

Martin Fiebig was born on 7 May 1891 in Rösnitz, Upper Silesia. He served in World War I, and was promoted to Oberleutnant on 18 June 1915. From August 1914 to 1915, he served in the 18th Infantry Regiment. Sometime during 1915, he was transferred from the infantry to become a pilot. From 1915 to 1 August 1918, he was a pilot and Squadron-Leader in the 3rd Bomber Wing.

World War II

He commanded Kampfgeschwader 4 (KG 4 or Bomber Wing 4) in the Battle of the Netherlands, but was shot down and captured by the Dutch on the 10 May 1940, during the initial attack on Rotterdam-Waalhaven airfield. Fiebig commanded the attack of II./KG 4 leading his Stabsschwarm and was one of the two first planes shot after dropping its marker bombs. Most of the first squadron that followed the Colonel's bomber were shot down too by Dutch fighters and AAA. Colonel Fiebig was lucky to escape being expedited by the Dutch to the UK, a fate that around 1,250 of his fellow Luftwaffe and army comrades in captivity couldn't escape.

He later commanded the wing in the Battle of Belgium, the Battle of France, and the Battle of Britain. In 1941 he took part of the German invasion of Yugoslavia and subsequent Bombing of Belgrade. During Battle of Stalingrad, he was commander of the VIII Fliegerkorps in the Stalingrad sector.

Fiebig was executed in Belgrade for war crimes.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (18 September 1939)
  • 1st class (3 May 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 4 May 1942 as Generalleutnant and Nakfü 2/VIII. Fliegerkorps
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 8 May 1940 as Oberst and Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 4 "General Wever"
  • 168th Oak Leaves on 23 December 1942 as Generalleutnant and commanding general of the VIII. Fliegerkorps

References

Bibliography

Military offices
Preceded by none	Commander of Kampfgeschwader 4 1 September 1939 – 10 May 1940	Succeeded by Oberst Hans-Joachim Rath
Preceded by none	Commander of 1. Flieger-Division (1942-1945) 12 April 1942 – 6 June 1942	Succeeded by General Alfred Schlemm
Preceded by Generalfeldmarschall Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen	Commander of VIII. Fliegerkorps 1 July 1942 – 21 May 1943	Succeeded by General der Flieger Hans Seidemann
Preceded by Generalleutnant Alexander Holle	Commander of X. Fliegerkorps 22 May 1943 – 1 September 1944	Succeeded by disbanded
Preceded by General Otto Hoffmann von Waldau	Commander of Luftwaffenkommando Südost 22 May 1943 – 1 September 1944	Succeeded by General Stefan Fröhlich
Preceded by General Stefan Fröhlich	Commander of II. Fliegerkorps 1 February 1945 – 12 April 1945	Succeeded by Luftwaffenkommando Nordost
Preceded by II. Fliegerkorps	Commander of Luftwaffenkommando Nordost 12 April 1945 – 8 May 1945	Succeeded by none