Gottfried Frölich

Gottfried Frölich
Born	3 June 1894 Dresden
Died	30 July 1959(1959-07-30) (aged 65) Heidenheim
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	Generalmajor
Commands	36th Infantry Division 8th Panzer Division
Battles / wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Gottfried Frölich (3 June 1894 – 30 July 1959) was a German Generalmajor (major general) in the Wehrmacht during World War II. A recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, he briefly commanded the 36th Infantry Division and then later led the 8th Panzer Division.

Biography

Born in Dresden in 1894, Frölich joined the army of Imperial Germany in 1914, upon the outbreak of World War I. He served in the artillery and was commissioned a leutnant (second lieutenant) the following year. He was retained in the postwar Reichswehr (Imperial Defence) and by 1938 was commander of the 78th Panzer Artillery Regiment, 6th Panzer Division.

Frölich surrendered to the British forces in May 1945 and was released in May 1948. He later lived in Heidenheim where he died on 30 July 1958.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class & 1st Class
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class & 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold (2 January 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 December 1943 as Oberst and commander of 8th Panzer Division

References

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of WWII and Their Commanders. Mechanicsburg, PA, United States: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3353-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)