Erich Krebs

Erich Krebs
Birth name	Friedrich Wilhelm Erich Krebs
Birth date	19 July 1870
Place of birth	Berlin, Province of Brandenburg, Kingdom of Prussia, North German Confederation
Death date	9 January 1934 (aged 63)
Place of death	Berlin, German Reich
Resting place	Südwestkirchhof Stahnsdorf
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic
Service/branch	Prussian Army Imperial German Army Preliminary Reichswehr
Rank	Oberst (Colonel)
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Pour le Mérite
Relations	∞ 1906 Gertrud von Ernst ∞ Eleonore Fiebelkorn

Friedrich Wilhelm Erich Krebs (19 July 1870 – 9 January 1934) was a German officer of the Prussian Army, the Imperial German Army and the Provisional Reichswehr, finally honorary Colonel.

Military career (chronology)

Major Krebs commemorates fallen of his regiment in late spring 1917, Militär-Wochenblatt

Gravesite

Prussian Army

• 24 September 1889 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate)
  • Joined the Infanterie-Regiment „Graf Barfuß“ (4. Westfälisches) Nr. 17 in Mörchingen (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen)
• 17 April 1890 Portepee-Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)
• 18 January 1891 Sekondeleutnant (2nd Lieutenant) in the 6th Company
  • as of 1894 in the 14th Company/IV. Battalion/Infanterie-Regiment „Graf Barfuß“ (4. Westfälisches) Nr. 17
  • 1 May to 30 September 1894 Commanded to the Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 16 in Metz
  • 1 April 1895 to 31 March 1897 Adjutant of the IV. Battalion/Infanterie-Regiment „Graf Barfuß“ (4. Westfälisches) Nr. 17
• 1 April 1897 Transferred to the Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 173 in Saint-Avold (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen)
  • Renamed to 9. Lothringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 173 on 27 January 1902
• 1 April 1897 to 30 April 1899 Adjutant of the I. Battalion/Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 173
• 18 April 1899 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
• 1899 to 1902 Commanded to the War Academy (Kriegsakademie)
• Return to the 6th Company/9. Lothringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 173
  • Rank list 1904 3rd Company
• 25 November 1904 Transferred to the 81. Infanterie-Brigade (17. Division/IX. Armeekorps)
  • Brigade adjutant in Lübeck
• 18 July 1905 Hauptmann (Captain)
• 27 January 1908 Commander of the 6th Company/1. Ober-Elsässiches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 167 in Cassel
  • His beloved wife, only 33 years of age, tragically died 1912 in Cassel.
• 22 March 1912 Adjutant of the V. Armee-Korps
  • he was still with the corps at the beginning of WWI
• 19 July 1913 Major

WWI

• 2 August 1914 The V. Armee-Korps took part in the occupation of Luxembourg by German troops, preempting the planned French attack.
• 31 January 1915 Transferred to Commander-in-Chief East to serve as battalion commander
• February 1915 Commander of the II. Battalion/Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 118/25. Reserve-Division
• 26 November (2 December) 1916 Commander of the Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 27
  • The Pour le Mérite was awarded at the end of December 1917 for the tank battle near Cambrai (also awarded to Karl Ritter von Prager), in which regimental commander Major Krebs was one of the pillars of the defense. He fought with his regiment north of Havrincourt. The town of Flesquières became a symbol of the defensive battle against the British tanks. With artillery and close combat weapons, 40 tanks could be eliminated here alone.
• 15 July 1918 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 4 September 1918 Severely wounded

Post-WWI

• February 1919 Placed at disposal of the General Command of the V Army Corps
• 1 March 1919 Assigned to the War History Department of the Prussian Great General Staff (Großer Generalstab)
• July 1919 Leader of the Deputy 17th Infantry Brigade or Dissolution Staff 17
  • 11 July 1919 at the same time tasked with carrying out the business of the commander of Glogau (until mid-February 1920)
• October 1919 Head of the Resolution Office of the V Army Corps
• 9 April 1920 Retired "mit dem Charakter als Oberst" (Honorary Colonel)

Family

Erich was born on 19 July 1870 (baptized on 16 October 1870) the son of mason and later building master (Baumeister) in Berlin Anton Richard Krebs (b. 13 November 1839 in Eilenburg; d. 7 June 1916 in Berlin) and his first wife (∞ 16 October 1867) Maria Sophie Luise, née Schmauser (b. 28 October 1840 in Charlottenburg; d. 1 January 1881 in Berlin). He had several siblings. His father, now a widower, married again in 1887.

Marriages

On 26 May 1906 in Lübeck, Captain Krebs married his fiancée Pauline Susanne Gertrud von Ernst (b. 2 October 1878), who died on 16 June 1912, only 33 years old. Their daughter Gisela Ruth Ingeborg was born on 19 September 1910 in Cassel (baptized on 11 February 1911). His second marriage was with Eleonore Fiebelkorn, who reported his death to the Standesamt (German civil registration office) on 10 January 1934.

Awards and decorations

• Prussian Centenary Medal 1897 (Zentenarmedaille)
• Mecklenburg Order of the Griffon (Großherzoglich Mecklenburgischer Greifenorden), Knight's Cross with the Crown (MG3mKr)
• Red Eagle Order (Roter Adlerorden), 4th Class
• Military Merit Order (Bavaria), 4th Class with the Crown (BMV4mKr)
• Prussian Long Service Cross for 25 years (Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz)

WWI (excerpt)

• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
• Oldenburg Friedrich-August-Kreuz, Second and First Class (OK1)
• Gallipoli Star (Eiserner Halbmond; TH)
• House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross with Swords (HOH3⚔)
• Pour le Mérite on 23 December 1917 as Major and Commander of the Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 27/54. Infanterie-Division
• Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen 1918) in Mattweiß (Silver)