Erich Erdmann

Erich Fitzau, born 31-05-1896 in Köthen, Anhalt, volunteered in the Army on 12-08-1914, age 18, in the 74^th Infantry Regiment as a platoon leader. He participated in the first war, succeeded in a pilot training and ended the war as a pilot in the 261^st Flying Battalion. Fitzau retired from the Army Service and joined the Police Service on 30-09-1920. He was reactivated in the Luftwaffe Service (see Hermann Goering) (did you know) on 01-08-1935, as an instructor in the Army War School Courses, in Eiche. At the beginning of World War II he was in disposal of the 21^st Flying Supply Battalion. As an Oberst with the Staff of the 1^st Flying Corps, until 04-08-1940. Fitzau was the commander of the Acceptance Office 4, for Officers Applicant of the Luftwaffe to 28-11-1941. He is badly wounded in a motor vehicle accident and in the Luftwaffe hospital in Vienna. Recovered assigned as advisor in the RLM, L in 10, until 1942. Commander of the Air War school to 01-11-1943 and in the meanwhile promoted to Major General, Airport Area Commander in Finland, to 1-03-1945. Fitzau becomes Commander of Directing Office of Catch Command West with Air Region in Command V, to 08-05-1945. He lands in US captivity until his release on 01-03-1947 and lives in Baden Baden. He died at the age of 57, on 07-10-1953 and is buried on the Hauptfriedhof of Baden Baden, in the family grave of Gaus. Two famous WW II Generals are buried close by, Stalingrad Field Marshal Friedrich von Paulus (see Paulus) and Dietrich von Choltitz (see Choltitz), who didn’t follow the orders of Hitler, to destroy Paris. Also buried there are the Generals Eugen Bilharz (see Bilharz), Erich Fitzau (see Fitzau), Rudolf Holste (see Holste) and war movie actor, Wolfgang Preiss (see Preiss).