Walther August Georg Franz

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Walther Franz
Walther Franz (1896-1967).jpg
Hauptmann Walther Franz (in the picture Generalmajor) was transferred to the Luftwaffe from the Heer on 1 April 1934 and was appointed technical advisor for Nachrichtenverbindungswesen (signals) at the Luftkreis-Kommando II in Berlin.
Birth name Walther August Georg Franz
Birth date 27 February 1896 (1896-02-27)
Place of birth Konitz, West Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Death date 1 August 1967 (1967-09) (aged 71)
Place of death Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
Allegiance  German Empire
 Weimar Republic
 National Socialist Germany
Service/branch Iron Cross of the Luftstreitkräfte.png Imperial German Army
Freikorps Flag.jpg Freikorps
War Ensign of the Reichswehr, 1919 - 1935.png Reichswehr
Luftwaffe eagle.jpg Luftwaffe
Years of service 1914–1918
1919
1919–1935
1935–1945
Rank Generalleutnant
Battles/wars World War I
World War II
Awards Iron Cross

Walther August Georg Franz (27 February 1896 – 1 August 1967) was a German officer of the Imperial German Army, the Freikorps, the Reichswehr and the Wehrmacht, finally Lieutenant General (Generalleutnant) of the Luftwaffe in WWII. He must not be confused with the Vice Admiral of the Reichsmarine Walther Franz.

Military career (chronology)

  • Entered the Army as a War Volunteer in the Infanterie-Regiment „Generalfeldmarschall von Mackensen“ (3. Westpreußisches) Nr. 129 (03 Aug 1914-00 Oct 1914)
  • Officer-Aspirant-Courses in Döberitz (00 Oct 1914-27 Dec 1914)
  • Senior Officer-Aspirant in the 129th Infantry-Regiment (28 Dec 1914-21 Mar 1915)
  • Platoon-Leader (Zugführer) in the Infanterie-Regiment „von Borcke“ (4. Pommersches) Nr. 21 (22 Mar 1915-28 Nov 1916)
  • Battalion-Adjutant in the Infanterie-Regiment „von Borcke“ (4. Pommersches) Nr. 21 (29 Nov 1916-05 Jan 1917)
  • Platoon-Leader in the 21st Infantry-Regiment (06 Jan 1917-21 May 1917)
  • Company-Leader-Courses with the 105th Infantry-Division (22 May 1917-29 Jun 1917)
  • Temporary-Company-Leader in the Infanterie-Regiment „von Borcke“ (4. Pommersches) Nr. 21 (30 Jun 1917-07 Jul 1917)
  • Platoon-Leader in the Infanterie-Regiment „von Borcke“ (4. Pommersches) Nr. 21 (08 Jul 1917-26 Nov 1917)
    • At the same time, Detached to Mortar-Course with the 105th Infantry-Division (10 Oct 1917-25 Oct 1917)
  • Company-Leader (Kompanieführer) in the Infanterie-Regiment „von Borcke“ (4. Pommersches) Nr. 21 (27 Nov 1917-15 Apr 1919)
  • Detached to Officers-Trials-School (Offiziers-Versuchsschule) in Potsdam (16 Apr 1919-05 Sep 1919)
  • Company-Leader in the Volunteer-Infantry-Regiment Freiwilligen Infanterie-Regiment „von Borcke“ Nr. 21 (06 Sep 1919-21 Oct 1919)
  • Regiments-Adjutant of the Freiwilligen Infanterie-Regiment „von Borcke“ Nr. 21 (22 Oct 1919-31 Oct 1919)
    • The regiment in Culmsee near Thorn was ready to be deployed with the Freikorps „Roßbach“, Freikorps „von Diebitsch“ an others to the Baltics (Baltikumkämpfer). The Freiwilligen Infanterie-Regiment „von Borcke“ Nr. 21 was dissolved, but 120 men and six officers (among them the later SA-Brigadeführer Hans Erich Alexander Ramshorn) stayed with the Freikorps „Roßbach“ and marched to Thorensberg in Latvia. Walther Franz, as the most of the volunteer regiment, joined the Reichswehr.
  • Company-Officer in the 20th Signals-Battalion or Nachrichten-Abteilung 20 (01 Nov 1919-30 Sep 1920)
  • Company-Officer in the 1st Signals-Battalion or Nachrichten-Abteilung 1 (01 Oct 1920-31 Mar 1924)
  • Leader of the Fortress-Radio-Office of Fortress-Commander Königsberg (01 Apr 1924-31 Mar 1926)
  • Signals-Officer of the Fortress-Commander Königsberg (01 Apr 1926-31 Dec 1928)
  • Commander of the 2. Company in the 6th Signals-Battalion or 6. (Preußische) Nachrichten-Abteilung (01 Jan 1929-30 Sep 1932)
  • Signals-Staff-Officer (Nachrichten-Stabs-Offizier im Stab der 1. Kavallerie-Division) with the Staff of the 1st Cavalry-Division (01 Oct 1932-31 Mar 1934)
  • Transferred to the Luftwaffe as an Administrator for Communication-Affairs with Air-District-Command II, Berlin (01 Apr 1934-31 Oct 1935)
  • Commander of the Air-Signals-Replacement-Battalion II/12 (01 Nov 1935-31 Dec 1937)
    • Kommandeur der Luftnachrichten-Ersatz-Abteilung II/12 (Kdr. Ln.-Ers.Abt.II/12)
  • Commander of Courses at the Air-Signals-School Halle/Saale (01 Jan 1938-25 Jun 1939)
  • Commander of the 88th Air-Signals-Battalion and Signals-Leader of Legion Condor in Spain (26 Jun 1939-31 Jul 1939)
  • Air-Signals-Equipment-Inspector, RLM (01 Aug 1939-05 Oct 1939)
  • Signals-Leader with Air-Region-Command VI, Münster (06 Oct 1939-31 May 1940)
  • Signals-Leader with Air-Region-Command Belgium-North France (01 Jun 1940-19 Nov 1941)
  • Higher Signals Leader with Luftwaffe-Commander Centre (20 Nov 1941)
    • Höherer Nachrichtenführer beim Luftwaffen-Befehlshaber Mitte
  • Signals-Leader with the I. Flying-Corps (10 Jul 1942)
    • Nachrichtenführer beim I. Fliegerkorps
  • Higher Signals Leader with Luftwaffe-Command Don (1 Oct 1942)
    • Höherer Nachrichtenführer beim Luftwaffen-Kommando Don
  • Again Signals-Leader with the I. Flying-Corps (1 Apr 1942)
  • Signals-Leader with Special Duties with the Staff of the Wehrmacht-Commander South East (01 Jun 1943-28 Jun 1943)
    • Nachrichtenführer z. b. V. beim Stab des Wehrmachtbefehlshabers Südost
  • Higher Signals Leader with Luftwaffe-Command South East (29 Jun 1943-16 Aug 1943)
    • Höherer Nachrichtenführer beim Luftwaffenkommando Südost (Höh.Nafü/Lw.-Kdo. Südost)
  • Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of Communication-Affairs of the Luftwaffe (Offizier z. b. V. beim Chef des Nachrichten-Verbindungswesens der Luftwaffe), from 01 Apr 1944 the General-Signals-Leader of the Luftwaffe, RLM Employed for investigation into possible personnel transfers of the Air-Signals-Troops into Luftwaffe-Field-Divisions (Luftwaffen-Feld-Division) etc (17 Aug 1943-31 Jul 1944)

Radio-Inspector with the General-Signals-Leader of the Luftwaffe, RLM at the same time Representing the Higher Signals Leader with the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe (01 Aug 1944-02 May 1945)

    • As of 17 August 1943, his task was to examine screening and possible personnel transfers from the air intelligence force for ground combat (Luftwaffe field divisions).
    • Funk-Inspizient beim Generalnachrichtenführer der Luftwaffe im Reichsluftfahrtministerium und zugleich Vertreter des Höheren Nachrichtenführers beim Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe
  • In US Captivity in the area of Chiemsee (02 May 1945-27 Jun 1947)
  • Released (27 Jun 1947)[1]

Promotions

  • War Volunteer (Kriegsfreiwilliger) on 3 August 1914
  • Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter on 15 September 1914
  • Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier on 6 December 1914
  • Fähnrich (Officer Cadet) on 22 March 1915
  • Offiziers-Stellvertreter (Officer's Deputy) on 7 August 1915
  • Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) on 3 October 1915 with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 April 1914
  • Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant) on 1 November 1923
  • Hauptmann (Captain) on 1 September 1928
  • Major on 1 October 1934
  • Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) on 1 April 1937
  • Oberst (Colonel) on 20 April 1939
  • Generalmajor on 1 June 1941
  • Generalleutnant on 1 June 1943
    • Oberstrichter (Chief Justice) on 1 February 1945 with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 December 1944

Awards and decorations

References

  1. ↑ Franz, Walther
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