General Müller
| Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller | |
|---|---|
Müller in 1944
|
|
| Nickname(s) | The Butcher of Crete |
| Born |
29 August 1897 Barmen, Prussia |
| Died | 20 May 1947 (aged 49) Athens, Greece |
| Allegiance |
 German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
|
| Service/branch |
 Wehrmacht Heer
|
| Years of service | 1915–45 |
| Rank | General of the Infantry |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller (29 August 1897 – 20 May 1947) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. Müller born in Barmen, Prussia. When the Great War began, Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller served as an infantryman with German 2nd Infantry Regiment. In 1915, he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant of the 266th Regiment. After WWI, Müller remained in the German Army and continued to rise through the ranks, obtaining the rank of major in 1936. Shortly after WWII began, Müller was made a Lieutenant Colonel.
As the commanding officer of 105th Infantry Regiment, he saw action with the Soviets, 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 Aug 1942, Müller was made the commanding officer of 22nd Air Landing Infantry Division. Müller became notorious as a most brutal commander responsible for several atrocities again Greek civilians.
The attacks on civilians included the massacres at Viannos, Anogia, Amari, and Damasta, as well as for the execution of prisoners of war against over 100 Italian officers on the island of Kos. During the autumn of 1943, Müller led the German forces in their victory over the Italian-British forces in the Dodecanese Campaign. On the 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 the former allies. On 1 July 1944, he replaced Bruno Brauer 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, the Wehrmacht 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.
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