Editing Arthur Greiser (section)

==Early life and career==
Greiser was born in [[Środa Wielkopolska|Schroda]] (Środa Wielkopolska), [[Province of Posen]], [[Imperial Germany]], the son of a minor local [[bailiff]] (''Gerichtsvollzieher''). He learned to speak [[Polish language|Polish]] fluently during his childhood. In 1903, he enrolled in elementary school, which was followed by two years of intermediate school and finally the Königlich-Humanistisches Gymnasium (Royal Humanities Secondary School) in [[Inowrocław|Hohensalza]]. He left the Gymnasium in 1914 without receiving a diploma, as in August that year he volunteered to join the [[Imperial German Navy]]. He served in the [[Kiel]] harbour naval forts at Korugen, Falckenstein, and in the fortress tower of [[Laboe]] from August 1914 to July 1915. He was then assigned as an artillery observer in [[Flanders]] as well as participating in [[Naval mine#Mine sweeping|minesweeping]] operations in Friedrichsort. In April 1917, Greiser volunteered for service in the Naval [[Luftstreitkräfte|Flying Corps]], where he initially served as an observer with SEE I and II and then with Küstenfliegerstaffel I and II. From August 1917 to August 1918, he was assigned as a naval aviator to Marine Schutzstaffel I. During this time, he was transferred to Seeflugstation Flandern II ([[Ostend]]) and he later flew with the Seefrontstaffel and MFJ IV. From December 1917 to January 1918, he was attached to the KE-Schule Langfuhr (near [[Danzig]], now [[Gdańsk]]). Whilst posted to combat duty, he flew missions over the [[North Sea]] between the southern English and Belgian coasts. He was later shot down and wounded by gunfire. On 30 September 1919, he was classified as 50% war-disabled and discharged from naval service.

Greiser earned the [[Iron Cross]] (First and Second Class), the [[Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918]] and a [[Wound Badge]] in Black in 1914. From 1919 to May 1921, he served in the [[Freikorps]] ''Grenzschutz Ost'' and fought in the [[Baltic states]].