Morzik, Friedrich Wilhelm “Fritz”, born 10-12-1891 in Passenheim, the son of a mill leader. He was one of the very few Wehrmacht Generals whose father was from the working class. Friedrich joined the Army, age 15, on the NCO Army School in Treptow. He started a pilot training on 20-02-1915 and trained as an aircraft pilot and became a member of the “300 ‘Pasha'” aviation division of the “Asia Corps”, which operated in the Middle East in support of the Turkish government. After the war he worked briefly for the police aviation squadron in Breslau, from 1921 to 1922 for the “Deutscher Aero-Lloyd” in Berlin and from 1923 to 1928 at the Junkers aircraft factory in Dessau. He then worked as a flight instructor at the German Commercial Aviation School (DVS) in Braunschweig. In 1928 he became deputy director of the commercial pilot school in Staaken near Berlin, and ultimately its director.
Friedrich was married with Johanna, born Wigland, Morzik and they had one son, Detlev Morzik (1923–1943). Detlev was Leutnant and Flugzeugführer [pilot] with 9 Staffel Kampfgeschwader 6, he died on a mission against London when his aircraft (Ju88A-14; wn:144569; 3E+BT) was attacked by fighters and crashed near Sadlers Farm, Bowers Gifford, Essex. The Beobachter [observer] Feldwebel Kurt Lebeda
and the Beomechaniker [flight engineer] Obergefreiter Paul Steinmann were also killed.
After the war, Friedrich retired from the Army on 21-03-1921, and was an instructor in Communication Pilots School in Brunswick. In 1928 he became a vice director of Communication Pilots School in Berlin, Josef Goebbels
(did you know) was the Gauleiter of Berlin, then its director. He was connected with Lufthansa, the German national airline at that time. Fritz Morzik was also an active sports pilot. He was a winner in the first International Tourist Plane Contest Challenge
and the second Challenge in 1930. In the third Challenge in 1932 he was second. He took part in the fourth Challenge in 1934, but did not finish it due to engine breakdown. He was the only pilot to participate in all challenges. In 1935 he started service in the Luftwaffe
, as a commandant of pilot’s’ school. With the outbreak of World War II he as an Oberst was commander of Special Purpose Combat Group I, until 30-04-1940. Commander of the Regional Transport Glider Group ME 321 to 30-09-1941.
Air Transport Leader with the General Quartermaster of the Luftwaffe and commander of Blind Flight Schools until 14-05-1943, as a Generalmajor now. Transport Flying Leader 2 to 14-07-1944 and Flying Leader of the Parachute Army to 30-09-1944. General with Special Duties with Air Region Command VII to 31-01-1945 and Air Transport Chief of the Wehrmacht OKL
until his US captivity, on 14-05-1945.
Death and burial ground of Morzik, Friedrich Wilhelm “Fritz”.
Detlev Morzik’s son, also an a pilot, was killed, age 20, in 1943. Released from prison on 30-06-1947, Morzik lived in in Freudenstadt, where he at the very old age of 93 died, on 17-06-1985. He is buried with his wife Johanna, born Niemand, who died also old age 87 in 1983, on the Stadtfriedhof of Freudenstadt. A close neighbour is
Generaloberst der Kavallerie, Higher Command 18th Armee, Georg Lindemann .


Leave a Reply