Max von Viebahn

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class="fn" colspan="2" style="background-color: #B0C4DE; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Max von Viebahn
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Birth name Max Rudolf Fritz Gustav von Viebahn
Birth date 27 March 1888(1888-03-27)
Place of birth Detmold, Principality of Lippe, German Empire
Death date 7 November 1980 (aged 92)
Place of death Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
Allegiance File:Flag of the German Empire.svg German Empire
File:Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).png Weimar Republic
File:Flag of the NSDAP (1920–1945).svg National Socialist Germany
Service/branch File:War and service flag of Prussia (1895–1918).png Prussian Army
File:Iron Cross of the Luftstreitkräfte.png Imperial German Army
File:War Ensign of the Reichswehr, 1919 - 1935.png Reichswehr
File:Balkenkreuz.png Heer
Years of service 1906–1942
Rank General der Infanterie
Commands held World War I
World War II
Awards Iron Cross
House Order of Hohenzollern
Relations ∞ 1930 Eva Roemert

Max Rudolf Fritz Gustav von Viebahn (27 March 1888 – 7 November 1980) was a German officer of the Prussian Army, the Imperial German Army, the Reichswehr and the Wehrmacht, finally General der Infanterie during World War II. After the end of the war, Max von Viebahn became a prisoner of war of the Allies, in which he remained until 1948. During this time he was called as a witness of the Nuremberg Show Trials and others. In this time, he wrote the manuscript "Der Weg des deutschen Heeres von 1918-1939 (Erinnerungen, Gedanken, Zusammenhänge, Urteile, Folgerungen - persönlich gesehen)" as a testimony for the Interallied Court. After his release, he lived with his wife in a village at the northeast end of the Black Forest.

Chronology (military career)

File:Four von Viebahns serving in the Kaiser Alexander Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1 in Berlin, 1914.png
Four von Viebahns serving in the Kaiser Alexander Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1 in Berlin in 1914
File:Verkündung des Kriegszustands durch Leutnant von Viebahn vor dem Zeughaus.png
As was traditional in Prussia, a guards officer announced the start of mobilization in front of the Berlin armory (Zeughaus). Shortly after 4 p.m. on 31 July 1914, 2nd Lieutenant Max von Viebahn announced in front of the armory: “Today the message from the German ambassador came from St. Petersburg that the general mobilization of the Russian army and fleet had been ordered. Thereupon His Majesty the Emperor ordered the state of imminent danger of war. Based on Article 68 of the Imperial Constitution, His Majesty the Kaiser has declared the Reich territory excluding Bavaria to be in a state of war. The same order is issued for Bavaria.”
  • 14.2.1906 Joined the “Kaiser Alexander” Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1 in Berlin (Kupfergrabenkaserne)
  • 1.10.1912 Adjutant of the II. Bataillon/“Kaiser Alexander” Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1
  • 1915 Leader (Führer) of the 3rd Company/“Kaiser Alexander” Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1
    • 3.5.1915 Wounded (severe) during close combat near Görlitz (height 425), transferred to military hospital
  • October 1915 General Staff of the Guard Corps (Gardekorps)
  • 1916 Officer in Staff/21. Reserve-Division
  • 1917 Officer in General Staff of the Army Group “German Crown Prince” (Deutscher Kronprinz)
  • January 1919 Officer in General Staff of the General Command Walther Freiherr von Lüttwitz (de), the OB of the Provisional Reichswehr
  • 1.10.1919 Officer in General Staff of the Gruppenkommando 1, Berlin
  • 1.1.1921 Officer in Staff of the III. Bataillon/9. (Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment, Spandau
  • 1.3.1922 Commander of the 9 Company/III. Bataillon/9. (Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment, Spandau
  • 1.10.1923 Officer in Staff of the 2nd Division, Stettin
  • 1.10.1924 Officer in Army Training Department (Heeres-Ausbildungsabteilung; T 4), RWM, Berlin
  • 1.10.1929 Head of the Army Personnel Department (P 1) in the Army Personnel Office (PA)
    • Leiter der Heeres-Personalabteilung (P 1) im Heeres-Personalamt (PA)
  • 1.10.1932 Commander of the 5. (Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment, Stettin
  • 1.8.1934 Chief of Staff of the Gruppenkommando 2, Kassel
  • 1.10.1937 Commander of the 34. Infanterie-Division, Koblenz replacing Erich Lüdke)
  • 1.3.1938 Officer in OKW/Wehrmachtsführung
  • 1.4.1938 At the special disposal of the Chief of the Army General Staff (zur besonderen Verfügung des Chef des Generalstabes des Heeres)

WWII

  • 26.8.1939 to 28.2.1941 Commander of the 257. Infanterie-Division
  • 1.3.1941 Delegated with the leadership of the Special Purpose Higher Command LX (mit der Führung des Höheren Kommandos z. b. V. LX beauftragt)
  • 1.3.1941 to 15.12.1941 Commanding General (Kommandierender General) of the Höheres Kommando z. b. V. LX
  • 15.12.1941 Führerreserve
  • 30.9.1942 Retired

Family

Max was the son of Generalleutnant (Charakter) Hermann Konrad Klemens Ferdinand von Viebahn (1847–1919) and his wife (a distant cousin; ∞ 24 April 1884 in Soest) Luise Elisabeth Henriette, née von Viebahn (b. 7. April 1864 in Saarbrücken). His grandfather was Johann Georg Hermann Wilhelm von Viebahn (1802–1871), District President of Upper Silesia (his wife Auguste received the War Commemorative Medal of 1870-1871 or Kaiserliche Kriegsdenkmünze 1870/71 in steel for non-combatants on 18 August 1872). General der Infanterie Karl Ernst Ludwig Lucian Rudolf von Viebahn (1838–1928), Generalleutnant z. D. Friedrich Karl Hermann Georg von Viebahn (1840–1915) and Generalleutnant Hermann Conrad Clemens Ferdinand von Viebahn (1847–1919) were his uncles.

Siblings

  • Heinrich August Albert Georg (1885–1915), Oberleutnant, ⚔ on 1 June 1915 near Jaroslau
  • Georg Ludwig Wilhelm Friedrich (1887–1948), preußischer Hauptmann a. D. ⚭ 29 October 1912 in Altona Dorothea Natalie Gertrud Carolina Alexandrine Ursula Gräfin von der Goltz (1887–1966); daughter: Edelgard Ursula Gertrud Helene Marie Luise (b. 25 July 1913 in Berlin)[1]
  • Johann "Hans" Albert Hermann Gotthilf (1889–1977), Generalmajor ⚭ 12 February 1916 in Meiningen Viktoria-Luise Riebel; four children
  • Rudolf Gerhard Christian (1891–1914), Leutnant in the “Kaiser Alexander” Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1, ⚔ on 28/29 August 1914 near Haution
  • Helene Elisabeth Sophie (b. 5 December 1892 in Sondershausen)
  • Alexander Otto Friedrich (b. 14 September 1896 in Oppeln; ⚔ 24 June 1941 in Dembowo), Oberleutnant a. D., stud. rer. pol., Hauptmann of the Wehrmacht ⚭ 28 May 1921 in Rheinfels Hedwig Noll (b. 30 May 1896 in Bonn)
  • Christine Pauline Anna (1898–1899)[2]

Marriage

On 7 October 1930 in Berlin-Wilmersdorf, Oberstleutnant von Viebahn married his young fiancée Eva Charlotte Anna Liese Roemert (b. 25 August 1905 in Berlin; d. 1987). They had four children:

  • Dietrich (b. 5 August 1931 in Berlin)
  • Sabine (b. 12 May 1935 in Kassel), interpreter and member of the Turn- und Sportverein (TSV) Georgii-Allianz e. V. in Stuttgart
  • Christine (b. 14 February 1939 in Berlin), pharmacist
  • Brigitte (b. 28 October 1941)

Promotions

  • 14.2.1906 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate)
  • 17.11.1906 Fähnrich (Officer cadet)
  • 16.8.1907 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) with Patent from 14.2.1906
  • 8.10.1914 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
  • 18.10.1915 Hauptmann (Captain)
  • 1.10.1926 Major
  • 1.10.1929 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) wthout Rank Seniority (RDA)
    • 1.4.1930 Rank Seniority (RDA) received
  • 1.2.1933 Oberst (Colonel)
  • 1.11.1935 Generalmajor
  • 1.1.1938 Generalleutnant
  • 1.4.1941 General der Infanterie with effect from 15.3.1941 and RDA from 1.3.1941

Awards and decorations

File:Max von Viebahn (ribbon bar).png
Ribbon bar

Gallery

  • Max von Viebahn Ia.png

    Max von Viebahn as a young officer

  • Max von Viebahn Ib.png

    Hauptmann von Viebahn with facial scars

  • Max von Viebahn II.png

    Pictures as a Grenadier

  • Max von Viebahn (center).png

    Max von Viebahn (center) with officers during WWII

References

  1. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Adeligen Häuser. Alter Adel und Briefadel. 1922. Sechzehnter Jahrgang, Justus Perthes, Gotha 1921, p. 934.
  2. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Briefadeligen Häuser. 1909. Dritter Jahrgang, Justus Perthes, Gotha 1908, p. 851.
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