Rank Oberstleutnant Battles and wars World War II Unit 1st Panzer Division | Name Georg Feig Service/branch German Army | |
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Born 27 February 1899
Annaberg, Germany ( 1899-02-27 ) Allegiance German Empire (to 1918)
Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany Battles/wars World War I
World War II Died February 12, 1970, Wiesbaden, Germany Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross | ||
Oberstleutnant Georg Karl Feig (27 February 1899 – 12 February 1970) was a Lieutenant Colonel of the German Army in Nazi Germany and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
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Early life
Georg Feig was born on 27 February 1899, in the town of Annaberg in Saxony, Germany to Karl and Mina Feig. Feig completed an apprenticeship and business related studies in 1916. The following year found Feig working in a management capacity for a large toy manufacturing firm before joining the German Imperial Army to fight in the First World War as a member of Grenadier-Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm, Konig von Preusen (2. Koniglich Sachsisches) Nr. 101 on 21 June 1917. In September 1918 Feig earned his first award, the Iron Cross 2nd Class, in what would ultimately prove to be a highly decorated military career. Feig was discharged from active duty on April 1, 1919. Feig's rank upon discharge was that of Grenadier (Private).
Pre-War Nazi Germany
In 1934, a year before the official rearmament of Germany began, Feig took part in military exercises with local units, the 10th and 11th Infantry Regiments. A year later, and now a Gefreiter, Feig exercised with the 1st Schutzen-Regiment; a unit eventually incorporated into the 1st Panzer Division. Now attached to the 1st Schutzen-Regiment, Feig was promoted in relatively short succession from Gefreiter to Unteroffizier and then to Wachtmeister in March and August 1937, respectively. Feig received his second award, the Sudetenland Medal, for his regiment's participation in the German annexation of the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia.
Second World War
By the Invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, the newly promoted Leutnant Feig was leading a platoon in 8th Company of the 1st Schutzen-Regiment. During the campaigns in Belgium and France in May and June 1940, Feig, now an Oberleutnant, was in command of the 7th Company of the 1st Schutzen-Regiment.
Barbarossa
Feig led 3rd Company of the 113th Schutzen-Regiment as the 1st Panzer Division spearheaded the advance into Soviet territory. After convalescing from a wound received in June, Feig returned to his division in September as it prepared to assault the city of Leningrad. Feig's division, after the siege upon Leningrad subsided, was withdrawn, in order to participate in the planned assault upon Moscow. Feig's unit, again, spearheaded the division's advance. It was during these actions that Feig's service was recognized by the awarding of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.