Bayer, Friedrich, born 01-11-1887 in Krotoschin, joined the Army School on 28-02-1907, age 19, as a Fähnrich in the Prussian Army, with the 4th Brandenburgische Infantry Regiment, Grossherzog Friedrich Franz II von Mecklenburg-Schwerin Nr 24.
Promoted to Leutnant on 27-01-1908, Friedrich served for years in this regiment. Transferred as Oberleutnant, to the 7th Lothringisches Infantry Regiment and on the battlefields of the first war with this regiment. He was then promoted to Leutenant on 08-11-1914. In the summer of 1915 he then left the 7th Lorraine Infantry Regiment No. 158th. On 18-12-1915, he was promoted to Hauptman. At the beginning of autumn 1916 he was then appointed battalion commander of the 6th Westphalian Infantry Regiment “Count Bülow von Dennewitz” No. 55. In late 1916, he then moved to the 1st Westphalian Infantry Regiment “Herwarth von Bittenfeld” No. 13. In the fall of 1917, he then came as a battalion commander of the 1st Westphalian Infantry Regiment “Herwarth von Bittenfeld” No. 13 in French captivity. During the war, he was awarded various awards. Promoted to Hauptmann he ended the war as battalion commander of the 1st Westfälisches Infantry Regiment “Herwarth von Bittenfeld” Nr 12. Bayer retired from the Army in August 1919 as a Major and joined the Security Police force as a Hauptmann. After 13 years of serving at several Police Schools he as an Oberstleutnant in 1933, was transferred to the Police Service in Dortmund. End 1933 he was assigned as commander of the Police in Cologne and from 20-04-1934 promoted to Oberst der Polizei. He was accepted in the new Wehrmacht as an Oberst in the spring of 1936 and from 06-10-1936 commander of the 78th Infantry Regiment. Assigned as commander of the 77th Infantry Regiment from 06-10-1936 in Cologne and promoted to Generalmajor on 01-10-1938 he came to the Regiment Staff in Bonn. Mid October 1939 he lost his command and became the Replacement Troops 2/XII. He landed in the Führer Reserve from end April 1940, but from June 1940 he became the commander of Oberfeldkommandantur 669, OFK 669. On 01-07-1940 he lost this command again and in the Führer Reserve for the second time. Now commander of Strassburg and Elsass and in September 1940 promoted to Generalleutnant. From mid March 1941 commander of the 281th Sicherungs-Division and again in the Reserve from 01-10-1941. The 281st Security Division was a rear-security division in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany. Established in 1941, the unit was deployed in German-occupied areas of the Soviet Union, in the Army Group North Rear Area undercommand of General of the Cavalry, Edwin Graf Rothkirch und Trach . The unit was converted to an infantry division in 1945, while stationed in Courland. It was destroyed in mid-1944. and it was reconstituted in Courland in January 1945 as the 281st Infantry Division. It retreated to the Oder River, where in May it surrendered with the rest of the 3rd Panzer Army, under cmmand of General der Panzertruppe Hasso Eric von Manteuffel. Edwin Graf Rothkirch und Trach survived the war and died 29-07-1980, aged 91.
Bayer from December 1941 assigned as commander of the 122th Infanterie-Division on the north front until February 1942 and again in the Reserve. From April 1942 as commander of the 217th Infantry Division, where he succeeded Generalleutnant der Infanterie, Richard Baltzer on the Eastern Front until September 1942. Baltzer was killed in action on 10-05-1945 in Prague, age 58. Again in the Reserve and assigned now as commander of the new 347th Infantry Division and transferred with his division to the Netherlands. This division was then involved in the defense of Saarbrücken. In March 1945, a new divisional commander, Generalleutnant Maximilian “Max” Siry took over from General Wolf Günther Trierenberg but his time in command was brief. General trierenberg survived the war and died 25-07-1981 (aged 90). On 10 April Bayer became trapped and surrendered to Allied troops. Trierenberg returned to command the division, which was now in Thuringia. It was designated a Volksgrenadier Division on 07-05-1945 and surrendered to Allied forces the following day. Max Siry died age 76 on 06-12-1967 in Fulda. Mid October 1943 Bayer landed again in the Reserve, but one month later he became the commander of the Division z.b. V. 408. He lost this command in June 1944 and detached as commander 153rd Field Training Division and landed in this position in Russian captivity.
Death and burial ground of Bayer, Friedrich.
Friedrich Bayer died a natural death, on 05-05-1953, age 65, in the camp 5110/42 in Woikowo, near Iwanowo and is buried on the General Cemetery of Tscherny with the next Generals, Generalleutnant der Infanterie, Kommandeur of Warschau, Rainer Stahel, General der Infanterie, Kommandeur 145th Infanterie Regiment, Karl Specht, Generalmajor der Wehrmacht, Grenadier Regiment 70, Louis Tronnier, Generalleutnant and Commander of the 431st Landesschützen Division Heinrich “Heinz” Thoma, Generalmajor, Commander 290th Infantery Division, Hans-Joachim Baurmeister, General der Artillerie, Kommandeur IV Heeresgruppe, Max Pfeffer, Generalmajor der Infanterie, Kommandeur der XVIII Gebirgstruppe, Friedrich Hochbaum, General der Infanterie, Commander 32nd Infantry Division and L Army Corps, Hans Boeckh-Behrens, Generalmajor and commander of the 70th Infantry Regiment. Erwin Hans Barends, Generalleutnant der Infanterie, Commander of the 44th Infanterie Division, Heinrich Deboi, and Generalmajor der Wehrmacht, Pioneer Commander, Wilhelm Runge.
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