Maximilian Fretter-Pico

Maximilian Fretter-Pico
Born	6 February 1892 Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, German Empire
Died	4 April 1984 (1984-04-05) (aged 92) Kreuth, Bavaria, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1910–45
Rank	General der Artillerie
Commands held	XXX. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Relations	Otto Fretter-Pico (brother)

Maximilian Ludwig Julius Franz Fretter-Pico (6 February 1892 – 4 April 1984) was a German general during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Early life

Maximilian Fretter-Pico was born in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Military career

Fretter-Pico entered service on 20 September 1910 with the Imperial German Army's artillery units. He was a junior officer at the start of World War I. By the end of the war, he had been promoted to the rank of captain. During the inter-war years, he remained in the German military, reaching the rank of major by the time the Nazi Party came to power. In 1938, as a colonel, he was sent to Turkey as a military attaché. Although he was recalled to Germany for the outbreak of World War II in Europe, he missed the campaigns in Poland and France. In Mar 1941, he was promoted to the rank of major general.

At the start of Operation Barbarossa, Fretter-Pico was given command of the 97th Jäger Division in Army Group South. On 27 December 1941, he was given command of XXX Corps, which participated in the Battle of Sevastopol in southern Ukraine. He was known as a by-the-book general who lacked imagination, and thus his commanding officer Erich von Manstein did not rely upon him during the battle at Sevastopol. To prove himself, he launched an offensive at the southern end of the Russian defenses at Sevastopol. Although he made some minor advances, his attack caused too many casualties, and it was frowned upon by Manstein as Fretter-Pico engaged his forces in a piecemeal fashion instead of attempting to overwhelm the Russian defenses.

Fretter-Pico was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general on 15 January 1942, and a full general by June 1942. He remained the commanding officer of XXX Corps until mid-1944, and then commanded the 6th Army for the remainder of the year. On 30 March 1945, he was given command of IX Corps, an under-strength reserve unit. He was captured by American forces on 22 April 1945 and remained a prisoner until 1947.

Later life

Family grave at the Cemetery IV of the Jerusalem and New Church at Bergmannstraße No. 45-47 in Berlin-Kreuzberg.

Fretter-Pico died at Bad Wiessee in Bavaria, Germany.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (12 October 1914)
  • 1st Class (23 December 1916)
• Knight's Cross 2nd Class of the Order of the Zähringer Lion with Swords (10 October 1914)
• Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg (20 January 1918)
• Wound Badge in Black (June 1918)
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (31 October 1939)
  • 1st Class (16 June 1940)
• West Wall Medal (22 November 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 19 September 1942 as General der Artillerie and commanding general of the XXX. Armeekorps
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 26 December 1941 as Generalmajor and commander of the 97. Infanterie-Division
  • 368th Oak leaves on 16 January 1944 as General der Artillerie and commanding general of the XXX. Armeekorps
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 30 October 1944

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
30 October 1944	Im Raum von Debrecen haben deutsche und ungarische Truppen unter dem Oberbefehl des Generals der Infanterie Wöhler und des Generals der Artillerie Fretter-Pico in dreiwöchigen Kämpfen starke feindliche Kräfte vernichtend geschlagen und damit die vom Gegner angestrebte Umfassung der im Südostteil Ungarns stehenden deutschen und ungarischen Verbände vereitelt.	In the area of Debrecen, German and Hungarian troops under the command of General of Infantry Wöhler and the General of Artillery Fretter-Pico in three weeks of fighting defeated strong enemy forces and hindered the enemy intended intended encirclement of the in South Eastern part of Hungary standing German and Hungarian units.

External links

• Maximilian Fretter-Pico in the German National Library catalogue

Military offices
Preceded by General der Infanterie Sigismund von Förster	Commander of 97. Infanterie-Division 15 April 1941 – 27 December 1941	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Ernst Rupp
Preceded by Generaloberst Hans von Salmuth	Commander of XXX. Armeekorps 27 December 1941 – 4 July 1944	Succeeded by General der Kavallerie Philipp Kleffel
Preceded by General Maximilian de Angelis	Commander of 6. Armee 17 July 1944 – 22 December 1944	Succeeded by General Hermann Balck