Fritz Lindemann

Fritz Lindemann
Born 11 April 1894(1894-04-11)
Berlin-Charlottenburg
Died 22 September 1944(1944-09-22) (aged 50)
Berlin
Allegiance German Empire (to 1918)
Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer
Rank General der Artillerie
Commands held Artilleriekommandeur 138
Battles/wars World War I
World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross[Note 1]

General Fritz Lindemann (11 April 1894 – 22 September 1944) was a German Artillery officer and member of the resistance to Adolf Hitler.

He was born in Charlottenburg, Berlin. After service in the World War I he was a temporary member of the German peace delegation in Versailles. He then served in the Reichswehr and trained staff officers.

In World War II he served in Poland, France and on the Eastern Front. Lindemann also served at the Division Commander of the German 132nd Infantry Division from January 1942 to August 1943, before appointment as Chief of Staff of the Artillery Oberkommando des Heeres. He also developed contacts with conspirators against Adolf Hitler including General Helmuth Stieff and following the assassination of Hitler it was proposed that he would read the conspirators proclamation to the German people over the radio, but he did not appear at the Bendlerblock on 20 July 1944 in order to do so.[2] After the failure of the 20 July plot coup attempt he went into hiding in Dresden and Berlin. He was found and seriously wounded during his arrest by the Gestapo in September 1944 and died in hospital from his injuries. A family who sheltered him received death sentences.

Notes

  1. ^ In absence from the proceedings, the fleeing Fritz Lindemann was deprived of all honors, ranks and orders and dishonourably discharged from the Heer on 4 August 1944, in connection with the 20 July plot, the failed attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler. He died before his case was brought before the Volksgerichtshof (People's Court).[1]

References

Citations
  1. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 155.
  2. ^ Joachim Fest (1994). Plotting Hitler's Death: The German Resistance to Hitler, 1933-1945. Weidenfield & Nicholson. ISBN 0-297-81774-4. 
Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Rudolf Sintzenich		 Commander of 132. Infanterie-Division
11 January 1942 – 12 August 1943		 Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Herbert Wagner