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Moritz von Drebber (12 February 1892 – 30 May 1968) was a general in the
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
of
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
who commanded the
297th Infantry Division. He was a recipient of the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Drebber surrendered the division on 25 January 1943 during the
Battle of Stalingrad. He then sent a letter to
Friedrich Paulus
Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus (23 September 1890 – 1 February 1957) was a German field marshal during World War II who is best known for commanding the 6th Army during the Battle of Stalingrad (August 1942 to February 1943). The battle ende ...
stating "he and his soldiers were well received by the Red army." Drebber also asked Paulus to "give up the useless resistance and to surrender with the whole army."
He joined the
National Committee for a Free Germany
The National Committee for a Free Germany (german: Nationalkomitee Freies Deutschland, or NKFD) was a German anti-Nazi organization that operated in the Soviet Union during World War II.The Russians in Germany: A History of the Soviet Zone of Occ ...
while in captivity. He was released in 1949.
Awards and decorations
*
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 June 1942 as ''
Oberst
''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedish ...
'' and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 523
[Fellgiebel 2000, p. 139.]
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drebber, Moritz Von
1892 births
1968 deaths
People from Oldenburg (city)
People from Oldenburg (state)
Major generals of the German Army (Wehrmacht)
German Army personnel of World War I
Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class
Recipients of the Gold German Cross
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
German prisoners of war in World War II held by the Soviet Union
German commanders at the Battle of Stalingrad
National Committee for a Free Germany members
Military personnel from Oldenburg (city)