Sebastian Fichtner
Sebastian Fichtner (born June 17, 1894 in Pflugdorf , † March 7, 1950 in Munich ) was a German officer , most recently lieutenant general in World War II .
Life
Youth and education
Fichtner came from a farming family near Landsberg am Lech . In 1910 he graduated from high school in Munich and in 1912, at the age of 18, joined the pioneer corps of the Bavarian army . In 1914 Fichtner was transferred to the Western Front, where he took part in the Battle of Verdun . He was promoted to first lieutenant on April 6, 1918 .
Interwar period
After the war he first joined a volunteer corps in Munich before he was accepted into the Reichswehr . There he worked in the motor vehicle troop and was promoted to captain on May 1, 1926 . He settled in Munich and began studying engineering alongside his work in the Reichswehr.
From 1933 to 1945
After the seizure of power by the Nazis Fichtner was Heinz Guderian as a consultant for armored vehicles for Berlin were added. Fichtner had a good relationship with Guderian all his life. He became lieutenant colonel on January 1, 1937 and was head of department from 1937 to 1942 at the Heereswaffenamt (HWA) from September 1, 1939 to September 15, 1942. He was instrumental in the development of the Tiger tank. As an engineer, he contradicted Hitler regarding a technical question of the tank " Tiger ". He was promoted to colonel on January 1, 1940 , major general on August 1, 1942 and lieutenant general on August 1, 1943 .
From November 1942 to November 1943 he commanded the 8th Panzer Division . According to Reich Minister Speer , Fichtner displayed a certain “Soviet friendliness”. The Gestapo was investigating him. Fichtner was badly wounded in the fight and did not return to his post as commandant. He was then from April 1944 armaments inspector in Nuremberg.
In connection with the assassination attempt on July 20, 1944 , he was arrested on July 27, 1944 and held and tortured until September 8. The passionate hunter was dismissed, presumably because of the intercession of his friend Heinz Guderian.
The general was suspicious of the regime because of his aversion to Hitler and his refusal to wage senseless skirmishes.
After the Second World War
He retired to his farm in Hofstetten near Landsberg, which he had bought together with his wife Klara Dannemann. He died in 1950 after a speech in the state parliament about the new hunting law. Fichtner found his final resting place in his homeland in Hofstetten.
Awards
- Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st class
- Bavarian Order of Military Merit IV class with swords and crown
- Bavarian rescue medal
- Austrian Military Merit Cross III. Class with the war decoration
- Clasp for the Iron Cross, 2nd and 1st class
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Fichtner, Sebastian |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German officer and lieutenant general in World War II |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 17, 1894 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Pflugdorf |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 7, 1950 |
| Place of death | Munich |