Egloff Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen

Generalmajor a. D. Egloff Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen
Egloff Freiherr von Freyberg's last appearance was in the German documentary film "Augenzeugen berichten über Verdun (1916)". Shortly before his death at the age of 100, he established a foundation whose proceeds are intended to support older citizens. In December 2009, 190 citizens of Allmendingen over the age of 80 received a Christmas payment from this foundation (Freiherr von Freybergsche Stiftung).
Nickname	Kessel-Vogt Zigeunerbaron (Gypsy Baron)
Birth date	3 October 1883
Place of birth	Allmendingen, Oberamt Ehingen, Kingdom of Württemberg, German Empire
Death date	11 February 1984 (aged 100)
Place of death	Allmendingen, Alb-Donau-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
Resting place	Friedhof Allmendingen
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic National Socialist Germany
Service/branch	Prussian Army Imperial German Army Freikorps Reichswehr Luftwaffe
Rank	Generalmajor
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Prussian Order of the Crown Sovereign Military Order of Malta Iron Cross Bavarian Military Merit Cross Friedrich Order House Order of Hohenzollern
Relations	∞ 1945 Mechtilde Freifrau von und zu Mentzingen

Egloff Max Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen (3 October 1883 – 11 February 1984) was a German officer of the Prussian Army, the Imperial German Army, the Freikorps, the Reichswehr and the Wehrmacht. The flight pioneers who, before the outbreak of the First World War on 1 August 1914, had passed the pilot's test in accordance with the regulations of the German Aviation Association (Deutscher Luftschiffer-/Luftfahrer-Verband; DLV) in Germany founded in 1902, were honorably called "Alte Adler" ("old eagles"). Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen belonged to this elite.

Since 1919, Freiherr von Freyberg was a member of the "Aero-Club von Deutschland", but also of the Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Luftfahrt e. V. (Scientific Society for Aviation). He was in addition a renowned skull collector as well as a poet and author.

Life (chronology)

EK I for Captain Egloff Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen in 1915

Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen c. 1930

• 16 September 1904 Entered the 3. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß of the Guard Corps (German: Garde-Korps)
• 1 May 1912 Commanded to the Flieger-Bataillon Nr. 1 in Döberitz for pilot training
• 24 January 1913 Received his flight license (pilot's certificate) FAI-No. 355 with a biplane (Bristol) at the Halberstadt airfield (Flugplatz)
• 24 May 1914 On the flight guest list at Fliegerstation Cöln Butzweilerhof
• 20 June to 25 June 1914 Participated in the Ostmarkenflug (German flight competition)
  • The Ostmarkenflug was the successor to the East Prussian flight competition with the goals Breslau–Posen–Königsberg–Danzig. 28 (another source states 29) pilots with 36 planes, among them 16 military planes, took part. Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen flew a 100 PS Mercedes-L. V. G.-Doppeldecker, as did many others. Georg Hans (Alter Adler on 31 March 1913) and Laitsch (Alter Adler on 5 August 1910) won the first two prizes, Oberleutnant Freiherr von Freyberg the third, but he did receive the more importent Kaiserpreis, the special award of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
• 1914 to 1918 World War One
  • 3 August to 25 November 1914 Pilot with the Feldflieger-Abteilung 11 (FFA 11)
  • 26 November 1914 Pilot with the Brieftauben-Abteilung Ostende (BAO; "Carrier-Pigeon" was the covername for the first German bombing unit)
  • 28 May 1915 Leader (Führer) of the Feldflieger-Abteilung 5 (FFA 5)
  • 17 August 1916 to 19 October 1917 Commander of the Fliegerersatz-Abteilung 11 (FEA 11) in Brieg (south-east of Breslau)
  • 20 October 1917 to 18 January 1918 Leader (Führer) of the Fliegerabteilung 239 (Artillerie; FA A 239)
  • 23 November 1917 at the same time Grufl 5 (Flying Group Leader 5 at Army High Command 5)
  • 18 January 1918 Grufl 7 (Flying Group Leader 7 at Army High Command 7)
  • 30 November 1918 Fliegerersatz-Abteilung 5 (FEA 5) for demobilization
• 31 January 1919 Freikorps Lütwitz under General der Infanterie Freiherr von Lüttwitz (active in Bremen, Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven and Düsseldorf)
• 19 March 1919 Döberitz Air Base commandant
• Rhön gliding competition (Rhön-Segelflugwettbewerb) from 1920 to 1939
  • it is stated, that Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen participated in one or more of these internationally renowned gliding competitions.
• 1 May 1920 Staff of Motor Vehicle Company 3
• 24 January 1920 Sworn-in (Reichswehr)
• 1 October 1920 Staff of the 3rd Infantry Regiment
• 1 January 1921 Staff of the 1st Battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment
• 1 October 1921 Staff of the Training Battalion (in Wünsdorf) of the 9th Infantry Regiment
• 1 February 1923 Return to the Staff of the 1st Battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment
• 15 May 1923 Commander of the 11th Company (in Spandau) of the 3rd Battalion/9th Infantry Regiment
• 1 May 1924 Commander of the 6th Eskadron (in Potsdam)/4. (Preußisches) Reiter-Regiment
  • many sources state, that he was at the same time Flieger-Referent (aviation consultant) with the staff of the 3. Division (Berlin)
• 1925 Participated in the Deutscher Rundflug (German flight competition)
  • he flew a Heinkel HD 21 (D-676) for the Sportflug GmbH (disguised pilot training for the Reichswehr)
• 26 April to 30 September 1926 Lipetsk fighter-pilot school.
• 1927 In the Staff of the 5. (Preußisches) Reiter-Regiment in Stolp
• 31 March 1930 Retired (camouflage action)
• 1 April 1930 Supervised the secret training of young pilots for the Reichswehrministerium (RWM)
• 18 July to 7 August 1930 Participated in the Challenge International d’Avions de Tourisme (international flight competition) with a BFW M 23 c (D-1884; monoplane with Argus As 8 motor) of the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke
• 2 December 1930 Conversion training to C aircraft at the German Commercial Pilot School (DVS) in Braunschweig; pilot's license "C 2 Land"
• 3 May 1931 Guest of Honour for the opening of the first, fully functional Munich Airport in Oberwiesenfeld; Along with Major Hailer, Dr. Brandenburg, Hauptmann Vierling and Rittmeister Braun he received a Bavarian award.
• 22 to 28 November 1931 Flight training at the German Commercial Pilot School (DVS) in Braunschweig
• 3/4 to 22/23 July 1932 (different dates by different sources) Instrument flight course (Blindflugkursus) in Braunschweig
• 1 Oktober 1932 Return to the Reichswehr as an active officer and promotion to Lieutenant Colonel
  • transferred to the staff of the 4th Artillery Regiment and assigned to the Berlin Command (Kommandantur)
• 31 January 1933 Retired
• 1933/34 Trip (9 months) around the world (Weltreise)
• 1 April 1934 Entered the Luftwaffe as Jüterbog Air Base Commander
• 1 April 1936 Tasked with safeguarding the affairs of the commander of Luftgau Command 13
• 1 October 1936 to 30 September 1937 Air force attaché at the German embassy in Paris
• 1 October 1936 Offizier z. b. V. (special purpose officer) at the disposal of Herman Göring
• 1 December 1937 Assigned to the Air Circle Command II (Luftkreis-Kommando II)
• 6 December 1937 Tutow Aviation School
• 17 January 1938 Anklam Navigation School
• 3 February 1938 Perleberg Pilot School
• 17 February 1938 Schoenewald Observer School
• 3 March 1938 Werneuchen Fighter Pilot School
• 17 March 1938 Aviation Replacement Unit 17 (Fliegerersatz-Abteilung 17)
• 20 June 1938 Deputy commander of the pilot schools and the Aviation Replacement Unit 2
• 9 August 1938 Commandant of the Wildforth Air Force Training Area with effect from 1 August 1938
• 1. April 1939 Commandant of the Dramburg Air Force Training Area
• 26 August 1939 District Airfield Commandant at Kolberg
  • 28 July 1943 General der Flakartillerie Alfred Haubold wrote to the Reich Ministry of Aviation and praised Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen, asking Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring to promote the Freiherr to Lieutenant General on the day of retirement.
  • 31 August 1943 In a letter to the Commanding General of Luftgau III, he was informed, that Göring had denied the request.
• 14 October 1943 Retired with effect from 31 October 1943 (Source: BArch PERS 6/1250)

Family

Egloff was son of the lord of the manor Ernst Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen (1844–1909) and his wife Leopoldine, née Freiin von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Haldenwang (1851–1941).

He had ten siblings. His oldest brother Johann Christoph Rudolf Albrecht (1874–1930) took over the manor after the death of the father, another brother, Albrecht Ernst, would become vice admiral of the Reichsmarine. His younger brother Kaspar (b. 1885) was ⚔ on 16 February 1915 as a captain and company commander of the Garde-Schützen-Bataillon at the Western Front. His youngest brother Ulrich (b. 1892) was ⚔ on 17 January 1916 as a 2nd Lieutenant of the Garde-Schützen-Bataillon.

One of his many nephews, a son of Albrecht Ernst, was the fallen U-boat commandant Walter (1915–1943). Albrecht Ernst's oldest son, Burkhard/Burkhardt (Dr. med.), was also ⚔ on 7 November 1944 as a medical officer (Sanitätsoffizier).

Marriage

In 1945, presumably before the war ended, Generalmajor Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen married Mechtilde Ida Huberta Maria, widowed Freifrau von und zu Mentzingen, née Schenk Freiin von Stauffenberg (1904–1991). Mechtilde had married on 28 Mai 1925 Rudolf Peter Maria Joseph Freiherr von und zu Mentzingen (b. 15 March 1902 in Tanger), Vice Consul at the German General Consulate in Istanbul, who was ⚔ on 10 August 1941 as 1st Lieutenant at the Eastern Front. Rudolf and Mechtilde had five children. Egloff and Mechtilde divorced in 1955 but maintained a close friendship.

Promotions

• 16.9.1904 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate)
• 22.4.1905 Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)
• 27.1.1906 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) with Patent from 21.7.1904
• 19.7.1913 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
• 27.1.1915 Hauptmann (Captain); rank changed to Rittmeister during his time with the cavalry
• 1.5.1927 Major
• 1.10.1932 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
  • 1.4.1934 received Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1.10.1931
• 31.1.1933 Charakter als Oberst (honorary Colonel)
  • 14.3.1935 received Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1.12.1933

Wehrmacht

• 1.10.1935 Oberst (Colonel)
• 1.6.1938 Charakter als Generalmajor (honorary Major General)
• 1.4.1939 Generalmajor (active)
  • 1.6.1940 z. D. (at disposal)
  • 14 October 1943 at disposal position abolished (z. V.-Stellung aufgehoben) with effect from 31 October 1943

Awards and decorations

Rank list 1927

• Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Knight of Honour and Devotion (M2) on 14 August 1912
• German Military Pilot’s Badge (Militär-Flugzeugführer-Abzeichen) in spring 1913
• Prussian Order of the Crown (Preußischer Kronenorden), 4th Class (PKrO4) on 29 May 1913
• Kaiserpreis of the Ostmarkenflug on 25 June 1914
• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 14 September 1914
  • 1st Class on 31 January 1915
• Military Merit Cross (Großherzoglich Mecklenburg-Schwerinsches Militärverdienstkreuz), 2nd Class (MVK2/MK2) on the ribbon for combatants on 15 December 1914
• Bavarian Military Merit Cross, 4th Class with Swords (BMV4⚔/BM4⚔) on 21 April 1916
• Friedrich Order, Knight 1st Class with Swords (WF3a⚔) on 1 December 1917
• House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross with Swords (HOH3⚔) on 16 December 1917
• Aviator Commemorative Badge (Flieger-Erinnerungsabzeichen) on 6 November 1919
• Silver Plaque of the Bavarian Government on 3 May 1931
• Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer (FEK)
• Wehrmacht Long Service Awards (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung), 4th to 1st Class on 2 October 1936

Gallery

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Wrtings (selection)

• Der Flugschüler. Gesammelte Winke der FEA 11, Breslau 1917
• Friedolin und das Steinbeil – Eine schwäbisch-heitere Mär unserer Tage, Erbach 1983
  • At the age of 84, Egloff Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen began his Friedolin volumes with something cheerful and thoughtful; there were 16 in total (1967 to 1984).