Robert Alber

Robert Alber
Birth date	13 October 1906(1906-10-13)
Place of birth	Baienfurt near Ravensburg, Kingdom of Württemberg, German Empire
Death date	7 June 1988 (aged 81)
Place of death	Böblingen near Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
Allegiance	Weimar Republic National Socialist Germany
Service/branch	Sturmabteilung NSKK Reichswehr Heer
Years of service	1930–1934 1934–1945 1934–1935 1935–1945
Rank	SA-Obersturmbannführer NSKK-Brigadeführer Hauptmann d. R. (Captain)
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work	Merchant

Robert Alber (13 October 1906 – 7 June 1988) was a German officer and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in World War Two.

Life

NSKK-Oberführer Alber

Appointed leader of the NSKK-Motorgruppe Hessen

Early life

After attending elementary school (Volksschule) and secondary school (Realschule until graduation in April 1922) in Zuffenhausen and Feuerbach (now both a part of Stuttgart), Alber completed a three-year apprenticeship until 31 March 1925 in Stuttgart as a retail merchant. As a young apprentice, like his brother Kurt as student, he became a member of the youth organizations of the patriotic and paramilitary associations "Bund Wiking" (Viking League) and "Wehrwolf".

SA, NSKK and military

Like so many, he became unemployed during the global economic crisis in 1930. Together with his brother Kurt, he joined NSDAP and SA in 1930. Robert stayed with the SA while his brother joined the SS in the same year (October 1930). In 1931, Robert Alber was promoted to SA-Sturmführer and attended a leadership course at the SA-Führerschule (SA leadership school) in Dresden in the same year.

He was very capable and dedicated and rose quickly in rank. He became SA-Sturmhauptführer and SA-Sturmbannführer, in 1933 he became a full-time employee of the Motor-SA (hauptamtlicher SA-Führer) and was promoted to SA-Obersturmbannführer in 1934. In August 1934, after the Motor-SA was incorporated into the National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK), Alber received the rank NSKK-Obersturmbannführer.

At this time, since 4 April 1934, Alber had been serving in the Kraftfahr-Abteilung 5 (Motor Vehicle Battalion 5) of the Reichswehr in Stuttgart-Cannstatt (staff and 1st Company) as a reserve officer candidate. He was trained to be a reconnaissance tank driver in the 2nd (Württemberg) Company, which was stationed in Ulm. He completed his voluntary 18 months succesfully and was released in October 1935 as NCO (Unteroffizier) of the Reserves. Two Weeks later, the Kraftfahr-Abteilung was renamed Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 (Reconnaissance Battalion 5)

He now reported to the Motorstandarte 54 (responsible for the vast area of Upper Baden and southern Black Forest) in Freiburg. On 20 April 1936, he was promoted to NSKK-Standartenführer and appointed commander of the Motorstandarte 54 in 1937. In 1936 and 1937, he completed some reserve exercises and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant of the Reserves in July 1937. On 12 May 1939, Alber was transferred to the Machine Gun Battalion in Müllheim. On 26 August 1939, as part of the general mobilization, he was called up and appointed adjutant of Reconnaissance Battalion 260 in Baienfurt.

WWII

In September 1939, he was transferred to the 7th Panzer Regiment in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, with which he took part in the Poland Campaign and the Battle of France. On 9 November 1939, he had been promoted to NSKK-Oberführer. After France, he returned to the NSKK, having been promoted to 1st Lieutenant in August 1940. In April 1941, he was ordered to report to his regiment in the Neuhammer military training area. His regiment had now received Panzer III and Panzer IV. While deployed in Operation Barbarossa, he was wounded near Dorogobusch and remained in the home military hospital in Freiburg until the end of 1941.

In January 1942, he took over a company in the 7th Panzer Replacement Battalion in Böblingen and in June 1942, he was transferred to the 1st Battalion of the 201st Panzer Regiment as head of the staff company, where a short time later he was appointed commander of the 2nd Company. As such, he was promoted to Captain of the Reserves in March 1943. On 25 July 1943, Alber was appointed leader of the I. Battalion/Panzer-Regiment 201 after the commander was out. The enemy advanced far to the west on the Mius Front. Here, Alber, together with other tank units, including the "Schägger" reconnaissance battalion, was given the task of pushing from the north into the enemy's flank.

Operation Roland

Operation Roland commenced at 0810 hours on 30 July. [...] General Hollidt’s counter-offensive might have collapsed against a wall of Soviet mines and anti-tank guns, had not Nehring’s XXIV Panzerkorps supporting attack achieved some measure of success southwest of Stepanovka. Von Vormann’s 23. Panzer-Division attacked with Kampfgruppe Schägger at 0810 hours. The composition of this Kampfgruppe demonstrates the growing poverty of German Panzer-Divisionen after Zitadelle: Major Peter Schägger’s Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 23, Hauptmann Robert Alber’s I./Pz.Rgt. 201, the II./Pz.Gren.Rgt. 126 and the Feld-Lehr-Bataillon 128 (the division’s replacement battalion). Despite lacking Tigers like Hausser’s Waffen-SS divisions, both Schägger and Alber were experienced reserve officers who knew how to handle their limited resources. Avoiding high ground, Alber manoeuvred his tanks through lightly-wooded, low-lying ground and managed to overrun the town of Saurivka (Saur-Mogilsky in 1943). Soviet mines and anti-tank guns were a problem in this sector as well, but the 315th Rifle Division’s defences were not as well-prepared. After breaking through the crust, Alber’s panzers boldly advanced cross-country and seized the village of Garany, behind the 315 RD’s main positions. At 1000 hours, the 16. Panzergrenadier-Division joined the attack and sent Kampfgruppe Sander (Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 116 and III./Grenadier-Regiment 50 from 111.Infanterie-Division) to link-up with Alber’s Panzers, which was achieved at 1145 hours. A force of just five battalions had surrounded the 315 RD and succeeded in taking over 3,000 Soviet prisoners on the first day of Roland, as well as destabilizing the left flank of the Mius bridgehead. During the night of 30–31 July, Totenkopf’s pioniers were able to remove about 2,000 mines and cleared a narrow lane through the outer minefields, but pionier casualties for this effort were excessive. On the second day of the offensive, Hausser’s II. SS-Panzerkorps began their attack at 0915 hours with a 45-minute artillery preparation and received some Stuka close air support sorties, but their assault units were substantially weaker. Totenkopf attacked into the teeth of the Soviet defence with only 15 tanks (including two Tigers) and was again repulsed with heavy losses. [...] Hollidt assembled all available artillery and put it at Hausser’s disposal for an all-out attack on 1 August. By this time, the Germans knew where most of the Soviet artillery and anti-tank guns were located and thus the artillery preparation that started before dawn was far more effective. Prior to the ground assault, Nebelwerfer batteries created a thick smoke screen to conceal the advancing German infantry and tanks, thereby reducing the effectiveness of Soviet defensive fire. After much heavy fighting, Das Reich finally captured Stepanovka and then its panzers swept eastward, overrunning some of the anti-tank units blocking Totenkopf ’s path. By 1600 hours, the centre of the Soviet defensive line was near collapse. [...] In the south, the XXIV Panzerkorps achieved a major breakthrough and advanced toward the Mius. By evening, the Soviet defence crumbled and the remaining units began retreating across the Mius. On 2 August, Hollidt’s forces advanced to the river and crushed the last resistance in the bridgehead. Tolbukhin’s forces had suffered a major defeat, leaving behind 17,895 prisoners, but the remnants of 2 GMC and 4 GMC escaped across the river. Although a tactical success, the Mius River fighting was extremely costly for the Germans. Overall, AOK 6 suffered 21,369 casualties in the 17-day battle. Hausser’s II.SS-Panzerkorps was virtually burnt-out: Totenkopf suffered 1,458 casualties in its four-day attack and was reduced to just 23 operational tanks, while Das Reich suffered nearly 1,000 casualties and was left with 22 tanks. While many damaged tanks would be repaired in time, losses in Panzergrenadiers and pioniers were particularly crippling and not easy to replace. The 3. and 23. Panzer-Divisionen were also reduced to a very depleted condition and 16. Panzergrenadier-Division was wrecked (3,957 casualties between 17–31 July) by the Battle for the Mius Bridgehead. Tolbukhin’s short-lived Mius bridgehead succeeded in causing von Manstein to disperse his armour after Zitadelle and then crippling his strongest formation, II. SS-Panzerkorps.

On 30 July 1943, Alber led this attack from the front. Right on this first day, Alber's panzer battalion and Schägger's recon battalion managed to encircle a powerful enemy group in the so-called Garany pocket and destroyed it on the next day. For his extraordinary action, Alber was recommended for the Knight's Cross. NCO Kurt Bade and Major Peter Schägger also received this high award for the actions of 30 July 1943.

Robert Alber commanded the I./Panzer-Regiment 201 during the summer of 1943. During the first part of the battle for the Mius, on the 30.7.1943, Alber was ordered to take a Kampfgruppe (combat group) with both Panzers and reconnaissance units and launch a counterattack towards the north. His burning Panzer was soon knocked out, but he boarded another one and continued the attack. Disregarding the threats to his exposed battlegroup from the flanks and rear, they reached the village of Garany. Here, his Panzer received two anti-tank gun hits and Alber was wounded in the right hand, but he remained in the fight and even managed to defeat 3 Soviet anti-tank gun positions with his damaged vehicle. By 11:30, the village was secured, and Alber launched an attack back towards the south in order to encircle the enemies they’d bypassed. Thus, a mere 10 minutes later, contact was made with the 16th Panzer Grenadier Division at Hill 196.0 (1 km south of Garany), and the ring was secured. Elements from 6 Soviet rifle divisions were trapped, and by the time of the battle’s conclusion, the Soviets had lost 4,193 prisoners, 52 anti-tank guns and 35 other artillery pieces. Alber was presented with the Knight’s Cross shortly afterwards for this major tactical achievement. 2089th Heeres- and Waffen-SS award.

NSKK-Motorgruppe Hessen

On 9 November 1943, Alber had been promoted to NSKK-Brigadeführer. In January 1944, Alber left his battalion and was commanded from 7 February to 4 March 1944 to the battalion leader school (Abteilungsführerschule für Schnelle Truppen) in Putlos (near Oldenburg) or Paris. He then returned to the NSKK-Motorstandarte 54 and was appointed leader of the NSKK-Motorgruppe Hessen. In May 1944, he was bid farewell by NSKK-Obergruppenführer Georg Wagener (1898–1985), leader of the NSKK-Motorobergruppe Südwest. NSKK-Standartenführer Klemm took over the Motorstandarte 54 in Freiburg. Alber took up his new duties at his headquarters in Frankfurt am Main. Frankfurt and surrounding areas fell to the Americans in April and May 1945.

Post-WWII

From April/May 1945 until 31 December 1949, Alber was an American POW. In his post-war denazification proceedings, he was assigned to category II (offenders). His brother Kurt refused to undergo such a humiliating trial.

Family

Robert was the son of merchant Josef Alber and his wife Anna Victoria Berta, née Schlatter. He had several siblings. Among them was Kurt Alber (1908–1961), member of the NSDAP (NSDAP number 233,070), SA, SS (SS number 3,791) and Waffen-SS, who became a photographer and later a war reporter (Kriegsberichter) with the SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers as well as combat officer in 1944 in Italy. SS-Sturmmann Hermann Alber (b. 12 October 1925; ⚔ 2 August 1944), also from Württemberg, was possibly a nephew.

Promotions

Army

• October 1935: Unteroffizier der Reserve (NCO of the Reserves)
• 26 July 1937: Leutnant der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of the Reserves) with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 August 1937
• 12 August 1940: Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of the Reserves) with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 July 1940
• 21 March 1943: Hauptmann der Reserve (Captain of the Reserves) with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 February 1943

Awards and decorations

Pre-war

• NSKK Honour Chevron for the Old Guard (Ehrenwinkel für Alte Kämpfer)
• Anschluss Medal (Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938)
• NSDAP Long Service Award (Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP) in Bronze for 10 years

Wehrmacht

• Iron Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 5 August 1941
  • 1st Class on 28 September 1941
• Panzer Badge (Panzerkampfabzeichen) in Silver
• Wound Badge (1939) in Black
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 7 September 1943 as Hauptmann der Reserve and Leader (Führer) of the I. Abteilung/Panzer-Regiment 201/23. Panzer-Division