Martin Fiebig was a German Luftwaffe general who commanded several air corps and equivalent-sized formations during World War II.
19 Facts About Martin Fiebig
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Martin Fiebig was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
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Martin Fiebig was born on 7 May 1891 in Rosnitz, Upper Silesia.
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Martin Fiebig served in World War I, and was promoted to Oberleutnant on 18 June 1915.
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Martin Fiebig was seconded to the command staff of the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy.
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Martin Fiebig's position did enable him to draw conclusions about Soviet air training, doctrine and strategy.
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Martin Fiebig observed that Soviet air training was too focused on the quantity of pilots produced, and that there were significant deficiencies in theoretical instruction.
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Further, Fiebig concluded that Soviet air doctrine was confused, largely due to the limited experience of the Soviet Union in air operations during World War I He recognised that Soviet air strategy was reactive, in sharp contrast to that of other European powers, especially Germany.
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At the outbreak of war, Martin Fiebig was an Oberst commanding the 4th Bomber Wing which flew Heinkel He 111 medium bombers, which first saw operational service during the invasion of Poland.
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Martin Fiebig had led the attack by II Gruppe of KG 4 and his was one of the first planes shot down.
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Martin Fiebig was released following the German victory and conquest of the Netherlands.
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Martin Fiebig then commanded KG4 during the Battle of Belgium, the Battle of France, and the Battle of Britain.
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Martin Fiebig appealed to the commander of the Luftwaffe 4th Air Fleet, Generaloberst Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen, who was responsible for all Luftwaffe operations in the southern Soviet Union.
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On 23 December 1942, Martin Fiebig was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
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Ultimately, Martin Fiebig's assessment regarding Stalingrad was proven correct; the necessary tonnages could not be flown in by the available transport aircraft, and the 6th Army ran out of ammunition and food in early February 1943, after which it surrendered.
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In January 1943, Richthofen realised that elements of the German 17th Army were in danger of being encircled on the Taman Peninsula on the Black Sea, and tasked Martin Fiebig with establishing an ad hoc airlift command to protect and supply the 17th Army while it was evacuated back to the Crimea.
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In late 1943, Martin Fiebig was commanding Luftwaffe Command South-East, headquartered in Salonika in Axis-occupied Greece.
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From 1 September 1944 to 31 January 1945 Martin Fiebig was in the reserve at the Air Force High Command.
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On 8 May 1945 Martin Fiebig was initially captured by the British, but was transferred to Yugoslavia on 6 February 1946, where he was found guilty in a war crime trial on 10 September and sentenced to death.