Baur de Betaz, Wilhelm, born 17-02-1883 in Metz, France Originally called Wilhelm Bauer. He changed his name on 17-05-1920 to Wilhelm Bauer de Betaz. His grandfather was the theologian and folk writer Friedrich Wilhelm Baur. who died age 71 on 18-4-1897 in Koblenz .
The Baur family shaped events in Lindenfels between the middle of the 19th and the middle of the 20th century. The family put down roots in the city with the chief forester Ludwig Baur, who was transferred to Lindenfels in 1821 and took over the forest. Baur was the pastor’s son; a memorial plaque on the Olga Path in Schenkenberg commemorates him. The forester’s house, which became home for eleven children, stood on the former Fürther Weg. All of them received a solid education and became tax officials, pastors, professors or doctors. Wilhelm’s grandfather was also called Wilhelm Baur (born 1826). After graduating from high school, he became a theology student in Giessen, attended a seminary for preachers and became a private tutor to a count. In 1853 he got engaged to Meta de Betaz, whom he had met in Arheilgen. Meta came from Bückeburg and was a teacher in a girls’ boarding school and lady-in-waiting. After the marriage, stations in the Wetterau and Hamburg followed, after which Wilhelm Baur became cathedral preacher in Berlin. There the couple got involved, among other things, in the Magdalenenstift, which tried to recruit so-called fallen girls. He was an honorary citizen of Lindenfels, the University of Berlin awarded him an honorary doctorate and Baur received other prestigious awards. In 1887, Baur set up the Salem house on Schlierbacher Weg. In 1891 the Bethesda house was built with an infirmary and school for children. His son Gustav, who was called Baur de Betaz, was also charitable in Lindenfels. He was a co-founder of the tourist association and was also made an honorary citizen. Wilhelm Baur died on Easter Sunday 1897. A large funeral procession accompanied the body from the Bensheim train station to Lindenfels. Meta de Betaz died in 1909, she is also buried in Lindenfels. From Gustav’s marriage to Auguste Lambert – she was relaxing in Lindenfels and met her future husband here – the wedding cupboard from 1882 has been preserved. Gustav de Betaz became chamber director in Schönberg Castle. A historical picture of him has been preserved, showing him at a demonstration for the construction of a railway from Bensheim to Lindenfels. The project was discontinued because of the First World War .Gustav Baur de Betaz, Wilhelm’s father, had two sons, one died in World War I, the other, future Generalleutnant Wilhelm Baur de Betaz, was in his second marriage to Carla Freiin von Kittlitz and Ottendorf a.d. H. Klein-Tinz married. She lived in Lindenfels until her death in 1991. The marriage was childless, with Carla’s death the family died out and the name Baur de Betaz became extinct.
Baur de Betaz, served in the 61st Artillery Regiment, from 1903 until 1914. With the outbreak of the First World War, he served until 18-06-1915 in field aviation department 27 of the air force. During this time he was promoted to Hauptmann on 08-11-1914. From 19-06-1915 to 22-12-1915 he headed the military aviation school in Nieder Neuendorf and from 23-12-1915 to 02-08-1916 the artillery observation schools in Jüterbog and Groß-Auz. Baur was then until 11-09-1917 commander of the Württemberg Aviation Department 242 (artillery), which the XV. Corps was assigned to the Ottoman Armed Forces. From 12-09-1917 to 0-04-1918 he commanded Aviation Division 275 (artillery) and was then Head of Air Group 23 until January 23. Until 04–02-1919 he was briefly the commander of the aircraft in the command of the XI. Army corps..
Wilhelm was awarded the Iron Cross . He left the Army on 09-04-1920 being the leader of the Inspection der Fliegertruppe, as a Major. On 17-05-1920 he changed his name from Wilhelm Baur in Wilhelm Baur de Betaz. Short before the beginning of World War II, he entranced in the Army on, 01-08-1939, in the rank of Oberst. Wilhelm Baur de Betaz was appointed Chief of Staff of the Higher Flying-Training-Commander. Baur was promoted to the rank of Hermann Göring ‘s
(did you know) Luftwaffe, Generalleutnant, on July 1941. Until 1942 he was busy on in the Reichsluftfahrtministeriums, Luftwaffe Headquarters.
In 1942 he was commanded to the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht. From 1942 until 1944 he was Chef des Wehrwirtschaftsstabdes in Norway. On September 1944, Wilhelm Baur was eventually placed in Führer Reserve Luftwaffe (see Hitler) (did you know), until the end of the war. Baur de Betaz was from 08-05-1945 until 17-05-1948, British prisoner of war. 09-01-1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from Camp 1
and on 12-05-1948 transferred to Camp 186 for repatriation.
Death and burial ground of Baur de Betaz, Wilhelm
Living in Lindenfels-Odenwald, Wilhelm Baur de Betaz died in the old age of 81, on 26-05-1964 and is buried on the small village cemetery of Lindefels-Odenwald.
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