Albert Bach Albert Bach ( November 29 , 1910 – July 22 , 2003 ) was an Austrian soldier , at last in the rank of a Generalmajor , and skier . In 1936 he was also leader of the national Olympic military patrol team , which finished fourth at the 1936 Winter Olympics . Biography . Bach was born in Treffen , a son of a farmer . After visiting the Realgymnasium in Villach , he joined the former Bundesheer on September 1 , 1931 . On October 26 , 1931 he became a member of the NSDAP ( No . 612 , 639 ) . He also was a member of the NS - Soldatenring . On September 30 , 1932 he passed his officer training in Enns and at the Theresian Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt . For his deployment during the Austrian Civil War he was awarded with the Bronze Medal for Service to the Republic of Austria . On September 1 , 1935 he was advanced to the rank of a Leutnant , and transferred to the Infanterieregiment Nr . 7 ( " infantry regiment " ) in Klagenfurt . Service in the German Wehrmacht during World War II . On March 13 , 1938 he was assumed by the German Wehrmacht , got the rank of an Oberleutnant and was company commander in the Gebirgsjäger regiment 139 in Villach . In the beginning of 1939 he was chosen for the general staff officer training at the Kriegsakademie , but he could not take part because of the beginning of World War II . During the Invasion of Poland he served as an ordnance officer in the Gebirgsjägerregiment 139 . In January 1940 he was transferred to the staff of the 3rd Mountain Division for the general staff officer pre - training . For his engagement during the Battles of Narvik he was awarded with the Iron Cross , both classes . From autumn of 1940 to 1041 in the rank of a Hauptmann he visited the general staff officer training at the Kriegsakademie in Berlin . During the Balkans Campaign he served as liaison officer of the 12th Army , and took part in the preparation for the Battle of Crete , which he later observed in order of Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm List . During the campaign against the Soviet Union in 1941 he was 2nd general staff officer of the 30th Infanteriedivision . He held this position until August 1942 , and was involved in the Demyansk Pocket , although he became 1st general staff officer of an army corps in spring of 1942 formally , he was made Major i . G . in November of the same year , and took part in the defence battles in Demyansk . In May 1943 he became 1st general staff officer of the 30th Infanterie - Division , was advanced to the rank of an Oberstleutnant i . G . and also awarded with the Golden German Cross , and was deployed in separate battles in north - western Russia . After September 1944 he served as 1st general staff officer of the 16th Army in the battles of Riga and in Courland , before he was captured by the Soviets on May 9 , 1945 . Shortly before and after the declaration of German independence of the provisional Austrian government ( April 27 , 1945 ) , he became Oberst and Commander in Chief of the 16th Army . Service in the Bundesheer of the second Austrian Republic . In the end of July 1948 he was released and worked at his brother - in - law ' s firm in Sankt Johann im Pongau . He joined today ' s Bundesheer on July 26 , 1956 , where he served primarily as leader of the organization department of the BMLV ( Federal Ministry of Defence ) in the rank of Oberstleutnant ( VB ) , after March 14 , 1957 Oberstleutnant ( dhmD ) . On May 1 , 1958 he became deputy leader of the Section II under General Erwin Fussenegger , and was advanced to the rank of Oberst ( dhmD ) on January 1 , 1959 . On July 1 , 1961 he became commander of the new Staff Academy ( today Landesverteidigungsakademie ) in Vienna . On July 15 , 1963 he was made Commander in Chief of the Group II ( Styria and Carinthia ) , became Generalmajor on January 1 , 1964 and General der Infanterie on January 1 , 1969 . Bach could not agree with the planned 1970 Federal Army Reform and asked for his retirement in 1972 . He was awarded for his services with the Gold Decoration for Service to the Republic of Austria , and was retired on January 1 , 1973 . He died in Graz .