Albert Praun

Albert Praun (11 December 1894 – 3 March 1975) was a German general who became the Chief Signals Officer of the Wehrmacht during World War II.

Biography Praun served during World War I. He was retained in the Reichswehr and then served in the Wehrmacht; between 1935 and 1940 he commanded signals units. In 1940 he was then appointed Chief Signals Officer of Panzer Group Hoth and Panzer Group Guderian in France. He was then posted to the Eastern Front where he served as Chief Signals Officer of the 2nd Panzer Group. He later was the commanding officer of the 4th Panzer Grenadier Brigade and then of the 18th Panzer Division, and the 129th and the 277th Divisions.

When General Erich Fellgiebel and then his deputy Fritz Thiele were arrested and subsequently executed for their roles in the 20 July plot, Praun was appointed to succeed them on 1 November 1944 as Chief Signals Officer at the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht and Oberkommando des Heeres and was promoted to General der Nachrichtentruppe.

Awards Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class 1st Class Wound Badge (1914) in Black Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung 4th to 1st Class Anschluss Medal Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle Bar Iron Cross 2nd Class 1st Class Eastern Front Medal German Cross in Gold (7 February 1943) Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 October 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 129. Infanterie-Division