Ferdinand-Wilhelm von Stein-Liebenstein zu Barchfeld

Ferdinand-Wilhelm Freiherr von Stein-Liebenstein zu Barchfeld (born February 22, 1895 in Constantinople , Ottoman Empire , † March 1, 1953 in Asbestos near Sverdlovsk , Soviet Union ) was a German officer , most recently Major General of the Air Force in World War II .

Life

Ferdinand-Wilhelm von Stein-Liebenstein came from the Hessian-Thuringian noble family of the Stein-Liebenstein zu Barchfeld .

First World War

He joined the Bavarian Army on August 4, 1914 after the start of the First World War and initially served in the Leib-Infanterie-Regiment . Later he was platoon leader in the Reserve Infantry Regiment 3 and then in the Landwehr Infantry Regiment 3, where he was promoted to lieutenant in the reserve in April 1916 .

In September 1916 he switched to the air force . There he was trained as an observer and then served as such until March 1918. After intermediate pilot training , which he completed at the beginning of April 1918, he became a pilot in the bomb squadron of the Supreme Army Command No. 8 (Bogohl 8). From July to the end of October 1918 he was a trainer in Frankfurt (Oder) . After that he was leader of Bomber Squadron 25 (Bosta 25) until the end of the war. On December 17, 1918, he was released from military service as a lieutenant in the reserve.

Wehrmacht and World War II

On October 1, 1934 he was appointed as an officer z. b. V. with the rank of captain (with seniority from February 1, 1933) in the newly formed air force of the Wehrmacht . After further training in various courses including general staff course, he was promoted to major on January 1, 1936 , and on October 1, 1936, squadron captain of the reconnaissance group 22. On July 1, 1938, he was transferred to the Reich Aviation Ministry (RLM). On October 1, 1938, he became a lieutenant colonel , then on November 1, 1938, a teacher at the reconnaissance school in Braunschweig . On November 1, 1939, he was appointed commander of the training group at the reconnaissance school, which was moved to Grossenhain in September 1939 , and which he commanded until June 20, 1940. After being used again in the RLM, in September 1940 he joined the staff of the Higher Aviator Training Commander 4. On June 1, 1941, he was promoted to colonel . In December 1942 he was appointed commander of the newly established 18th Air Force Field Division, which was an occupation force in southwest France in January 1943 in the Salies-de-Béarn area and from February in the Libourne area and which he commanded until April 5, 1943. Then he was transferred to the Air Force Leader Reserve . It was not until September 1, 1944 that he was given a new assignment as a stage manager for drill and combat training with the General for Military Training of the Air Force in the RLM. On January 1, 1945 he was promoted to major general, but then again transferred to the Führerreserve on March 1, 1945.

On May 8, 1945, he was taken prisoner by the Soviets and taken to an asbestos camp, where he died on March 1, 1953.

literature

• Dermot Bradley (ed.), Karl-Friedrich Hildebrand: The Generals of the German Air Force 1935-1945. The military careers of the aviator, anti-aircraft cartillery, paratrooper, air intelligence and engineer officers, including doctors, judges, intendants and ministerial officials with the rank of general. Volume 3: Odebrecht – Zoch. Osnabrück 1992. ISBN 3-7648-2209-0 .

Web links

• Image and biography (Engl.)