Friedrich Wilhelm von Lindeiner-Wildau
| Friedrich Wilhelm von Lindeiner-Wildau | |
|---|---|
Friedrich Wilhelm von Lindeiner-Wildau c. 1940s
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| Born |
12 December 1880 Glatz, Province of Silesia, German Empire present-day Kłodzko, Poland |
| Died | 22 May 1963 (aged 82) Frankfurt am Main, Hessen, West Germany |
| Allegiance |
 German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany (to 1945) |
| Service/branch |
Prussian Army (1898–1902, 1908–19) Schutztruppe (1902–08) Luftwaffe (1937–45) |
| Years of service | 1898–1919 1937–1945 |
| Rank | Oberst |
| Commands held |
Stalag Luft III Fusilier Battalion, 1st Foot Guards 2nd Battalion, 1st Foot Guards |
| Battles/wars |
Maji Maji Rebellion |
| Awards |
Knight 1st Class with Swords of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order Honor Cross 3rd Class with Swords of the House Order of Hohenzollern Order of the Crown, 4th Class Iron Cross, 1st Class Iron Cross, 2nd Class |
Maji Maji Rebellion
World War I
Friedrich-Wilhelm Franz Max Erdmann Gustav von Lindeiner genannt von Wildau (12 December 1880 – 22 May 1963) was a German Staff Officer of the Luftwaffe during World War II best known today as the commandant of Stalag Luft III, famous for a prisoner escape depicted in the movie The Great Escape.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Lindeiner genannt von Wildau was born at Glatz (Kłodzko, Poland) in 1880. He entered the 3. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß as a second lieutenant on graduating from the Corps of Cadets on 15 March 1898. On 1 May 1902 he left the Prussian Army and the following day entered the Schutztruppe for German East Africa. Here, von Lindeiner-Wildau served as the Adjutant of Gustav Adolf von Götzen, the Governor of German East Africa, from 20 June to 13 September 1905 and as the Headquarters Adjutant of the Schutztruppe for German East Africa from 7 September to 11 October 1906. He took part in the Maji Maji Rebellion, for which he received the Prussian Order of the Crown 4th Class with Swords. He left Schutztruppe service on 31 July 1908 and rejoined the Prussian Army on 1 August 1908 with a simultaneous promotion to Oberleutnant and was assigned to the 4. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß.
On 20 July 1912, on promotion to captain, von Lindeiner-Wildau was assigned as the Commander of the 11th company of 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß. On 10 August 1914 he was assigned as the Commander of the Infanterie-Stabswache ("Infantry Staff Guard") at the Kaiser's General Field Headquarters. On 19 September he returned to his regiment as Commander of the 11th company, where he was wounded during the First Battle of Ypres on 17 November 1914. Returning to duty on 13 April 1915 he assumed command of the regiment's 5th company, and then of its second battalion on 27 May 1915. He was again wounded during the pursuit between the Bug River and Jasiolda on 29 August 1915. On returning to duty von Lindeiner-Wildau assumed command of the Füsilier battalion of 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß and was again severely wounded on 5 December 1915 in fighting around Roye-Noyon.
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