von Epp

Requin Marteau · Post by **Requin Marteau** » 20 Sep 2002 15:30

Von Epp was a big combatant during the WWI,
ordering Freikorps "von Epp".
Research his biography, like all decorations which it received.

In advance Thank you.

Karl da Kraut · Post by **Karl da Kraut** » 20 Sep 2002 17:33

Ritter v. Epp surely didn't command a Freikorps in WWI. The Freikorps were formed AFTER the war.

Glenn2438 · Post by **Glenn2438** » 20 Sep 2002 18:54

Franz von Epp was born on the 16th of October 1868 in Munich and died on the 31st of December 1946 also in Munich. He joined the Royal Bavarian army as a Fahnenjunker in the 9th Bavarian Infantry Regiment on the 16th of August 1887. He commanded the premier infantry regiment of the Bavrian army for much of the first world war seeing action in France, Italy, Serbia and Romania. With his award of the Bavarian Military Max Joseph order he was enobled with the title "Ritter von" Epp. His promotions were as follows:

30 Oct 1889: Sekondeleutnant
13 Oct 1896: Premierleutnant with seniority from 07 Nov 1896
11 Jul 1904: Hauptmann
14 Dec 1906 seniority as Hauptmann from 15 Sep 1902 granted
30 Oct 1909: Major
07 Mar 1910: Majors' patent granted
30 Nov 1914: Oberstleutnant
14 Dec 1917: Oberst
02 Oct 1921: Generalmajor with seniority from 01 Jul 1921
31 Oct 1923: Charakter Generalleutnant
25 Jul 1935: CHarakter General der Infanterie

Military Appointments

16 Aug 1887: Fahnenjunker in 9th Bavarian Infantry Regiment
13 Oct 1896-30 Sep 1899: At the war acedemy
10 Jul 1900: Assigned to the 4th East Asian Infantry Regiment
17 Aug 1901: Return voyage to Germany
01 Sep 1901: Assigned to the 19th Bavarian Infantry Regiment
11 Dec 1901: Adjutant, 5th Bavarian Infantry Brigade
02 Feb 1904: Assigned to the Southwest African Protection Troops
11 Jul 1904: Company Commander in the 1st Field Regiment of the Southwest African Protection Troops
30 Nov 1906: Company Commander in the Bavarian Leib-Infanterie-Regiment
16 Oct 1908: Adjutant, 3rd Bavarian Infantry Division
22 Jun 1912: Commander, 2nd Battalion Bavarian Leib-Infanterie-Regiment
18 Aug 1914: Acting Commander Bavarian Leib-Infanterie-Regiment
26 Dec 1914: Commander Bavarian Leib-Infanterie-Regiment
17 Apr 1917: Commander 1st Bavarian Jäger Brigade
08 Feb 1919: Commander Freikorps Epp, later Bavarian Rifle (Schützen) Brigade
01 Oct 1920: Infantry Leader VII
31 Oct 1923: Retired
1928-1945: Member of the Reichstag
Mar 1933: Reichskommissar in Bavaria
10 Apr 1933: Reichstatthalter in Bavaria
16 Oct 1938: Chief of Infantry Regiment 61

Principal Decorations (there are others!):

Pour le Mérite: 29 May 1918
Military Max Joseph Order: 23 Jun 1916 - granted personal nobility with the predicate "Ritter von"
Knights Cross of the Prussian House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords: 05 May 1917
Austrian Order of the Iron Crown 3rd Class with War Decoration
Austrian Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with War Decoration
Officers'Cross of the Bavarian Military Merit Order 3rd Class with Crown and Swords
Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class
Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross with Swords

Regards
Glenn

Requin Marteau · Post by **Requin Marteau** » 21 Sep 2002 08:42

Thanks Glenn for information.

You know his career after 1938 ?

Glenn2438 · Post by **Glenn2438** » 21 Sep 2002 10:32

I believe he was in the main employed as the Reichstatthalter (governor) of Bavaria until April 1945. He held the rank of Reichsleiter in the NSDAP.

Regards
Glenn

Karl da Kraut · Post by **Karl da Kraut** » 21 Sep 2002 12:50

@ Glenn 2348

Do you know if he was born as F. VON Epp? I wonder if a "real" aristocrat would have been offered the "fantasy" title "Ritter von".

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » 21 Sep 2002 13:03

Karl da Kraut wrote:Do you know if he was born as F. VON Epp? I wonder if a "real" aristocrat would have been offered the "fantasy" title "Ritter von".

Glenn answered that earlier in the thread: "With his award of the Bavarian Military Max Joseph order he was enobled with the title "Ritter von" Epp.", so he was not born "von" nor was it a fantasy title.

/Marcus

Karl da Kraut · Post by **Karl da Kraut** » 21 Sep 2002 20:42

Glenn wrote:

Franz von Epp was born on the 16th of October 1868 in Munich

I wasn't sure since he wrote "Franz von Epp" and not "Franz Ritter von Epp" in connection with Epp's birth.

Glenn2438 · Post by **Glenn2438** » 21 Sep 2002 21:09

To clear up any confusion: He was born plain Franz Epp

Best regards
Glenn

sylvieK4 · Post by **sylvieK4** » 21 Sep 2002 22:01

Here is a German-language site that offers a bit of info about von Epp:

http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/EppFranz/

von Epp in uniform:

From: http://www.skalman.nu/third-reich/galle ... ersons.htm

and.....

From: http://www.info-regenten.de/regent/regent-e/ger_bav.htm

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » 22 Sep 2002 11:54

Here is another photo I have of him.

/Marcus

Gwynn Compton · Post by **Gwynn Compton** » 22 Sep 2002 12:06

Is it just me, or does he look a little like John Cleese?

Gwynn

R.M. Schultz · Post by **R.M. Schultz** » 11 Feb 2003 07:56

Machtan (Lothar Machtan, “The Hidden Hitler,” translated by John Brownjohn, Basic Books, N.Y.C., ad 2001) claims that von Epp was an homosexual. Anything to this or is it the usual calumny?

R.M. Schultz · Post by **R.M. Schultz** » 07 Mar 2003 04:20

Evidently, von Epp had quite a sense of humor:

“I know three people who, when they’re together, never stop laughing. They’re (Heinrich) Hoffmann, (Max) Amann and Göbbels. When (Franz Ritter von) Epp joins them, the whole thing becomes a madhouse. As a matter of fact, Epp is not particularly quick. When the others are laughing at the third joke, Epp is beginning to catch on to the first, and starts to let out a huge laugh, which goes on and on.”

— Adolf Hitler, conversation of 24 February 1942, in “Hitler's table talk, 1941-1944 : his private conversations,” Translated by Norman Cameron and R.H. Stevens, Enigma Books, N.Y.C., 2000, p. 334.

Gwynn Compton · Post by **Gwynn Compton** » 07 Mar 2003 08:13

R.M. Schultz wrote:Machtan (Lothar Machtan, “The Hidden Hitler,” translated by John Brownjohn, Basic Books, N.Y.C., ad 2001) claims that von Epp was an homosexual. Anything to this or is it the usual calumny?

I give that book little credit, it seems to be made up of gossip rather than historical fact.

Gwynn