Bio of General der Infanterie Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller (1897-1947)

General der Infanterie Friedrich Wilhelm Müller

Born: 29.08.1897 in Barmen / Preussen.
Executed: 20.05.1947 in Athens (shot by firing squad).

Promotions:
26.11.1915 Leutnant d. R.
Oberleutnant
Hauptmann
16.03.1936 Major
01.05.1939 Oberstleutnant
01.01.1942 Oberst (mit RDA vom 01.10.1941)
01.08.1942 Generalmajor (mit RDA vom 01.09.1942)
01.04.1943 Generalleutnant
01.07.1944 General der Infanterie

Commands & Assignments:
29.08.1897 geboren in Barmen/Westfalen
1914 im Grenadier-Regiment 2
1915 Beförderung zum Leutnant im Infanterie-Regiment 266
1918 Übernahme in die Schutzpolizei
1936 Major in der Wehrmacht
10.11.1938 Kommandeur des III. Bataillons des Infanterie-Regiments 105
01.05.1939 Beförderung zum Oberstleutnant
01.10.1940 Kommandeur des Infanterie-Regiments 105
Januar 1941 Lehrtruppe nach Rumänien
01.01.1942 Beförderung zum Oberst
01.08.1942 Generalmajor und Kommandeur der 22. Infanterie-Division in Griechenland
04.05.1944 Generalleutnant und Führer des V. Armeekorps
01.07.1944 Beförderung zum General der Infanterie und Kommandeur Festung Kreta
30.09.1944 ?
13.11.1944 Führer des XXXIV. Armeekorps
08.12.1944 Kommandierender General des LXVIII. Armeekorps
29.01.1945 Oberbefehlshaber der 4. Armee in Ostpreußen
April 1945 Britische Gefangenschaft und Auslieferung an Griechenland, mit Haft im Averoff-Gefängnis. Wegen Kriegsverbrechen auf der Insel Kreta in Athen zum Tode verurteilt und am 20. Mai 1947 erschossen.

Decorations & Awards:
27.01.1945 Schwertern zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (128.) as General der Infanterie and Kom. Gen. LXVIII.Armee-Korps, Balkan Front
08.04.1942 Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (86.) as Oberst and Kdr. Infanterie-Regiment 105 / 72.Infanterie-Division / XXX.Armee-Korps / 11.Armee, Eastern Front
22.09.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as Oberstleutnant and Kdr. Infanterie-Regiment 105 / 72.Infanterie-Division / LIV.Armee-Korps / 11.Armee / Heeresgruppe Süd, Eastern Front
00.00.191_ Ritterkreuz des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
18.06.1943 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold as Generalleutnant and Kdr. 22.(Luftlande)Infanterie-Division
08.02.1942 Anerkennungsurkunde
12.06.1940 1939 Spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
22.12.1939 1939 Spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
29.08.1916 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
25.05.1916 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
ca. 1934 Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
19.01.1942; 18.11.1943; 10.03.1945; 30.03.1945 Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
00.00.193_ Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung

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Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller (29 August 1897 – 20 May 1947) was born in Barmen, Prussia. When World War I began, Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller served as an infantryman with the 2nd Infantry Regiment. In 1915, he was promoted to second lieutenant and transferred to the 266th Regiment. After the war, Müller remained in the army and continued to rise through the ranks, attaining the rank of major in 1936. Shortly after World War II commenced, Müller was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

As the commanding officer of 105th Infantry Regiment, he saw action against the Soviet Army, for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in 1941 and Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross in 1942. In August 1942, Müller was appointed commanding officer of 22nd Air Landing Infantry Division. Müller became notorious as a brutal commander responsible for several atrocities against Greek civilians.

The attacks on civilians included the massacres at Viannos, Anogia, Amari, Damasta, Skourvoula and Malathyros. During the autumn of 1943, Müller led the German forces in their victory over the Italian-British forces in the Dodecanese Campaign. On 6 October 1943, on the island of Kos, under his orders, German forces killed and buried in mass graves over one hundred Italian army officers captured at the end of the battle for the island, who would not side with their former allies. On 1 July 1944, he replaced Bruno Bräuer as commander of occupied Crete. His infamy earned him the nickname of "The Butcher of Crete."

Müller was also responsible for the Holocaust of Kedros on 22 August 1944. Under his orders, German infantry killed 164 Greek civilians which was followed in the coming days by the razing of most villages, looting, and the destruction of livestock and harvests. By 1945, Müller commanded the German 4th Army on the Eastern Front. Müller ended the war in East Prussia where he surrendered to the Red Army.

After the war, he was tried by a Greek military court for war crimes. In 1946, Müller was convicted by a Greek court in Athens for the massacres of hostages for reprisals. He was sentenced to death on 9 December 1946 and executed by firing squad on 20 May 1947, along with former General Bruno Bräuer, on the anniversary of the Axis invasion of Crete.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich-Wilhelm_M%C3%BCller
https://www.historic.de/Militar/Personen/Mueller/Mueller.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20091027112647fw_/http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/WEHRMACHT/HEER/General2/MUELLER_FRIEDRICH.html