Career
The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was captured in May 1945 and was released in 1947. Odebrecht entered the German navy as an officer cadet in 1909 and was commissioned in 1912.
After serving on flotilla craft and capital ships, he was assigned to East Africa.
He joined the German air force in 1935, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel at the end of that year.
His commands included the 1st battalion, 11th flak rgt. (1936), 71st flak battalion
(1937), 1st battalion, 34th flak rgt.
(1938), 25th flak rgt. (1938), 8th flak rgt. (1939), 5th Luftwaffe defense command (1940), 6th Luftwaffe Defense Command (1941), 6th flak division (1942), 21st Luftwaffe Field Division (1942), III Luftwaffe Field Corps (1943), II flak corps (1944-1945).
He was promoted to General der Flakartillerie on December 1, 1942.
Iron Cross (1914) (29 May 1940) (1 July 1940) Bibliography.