Fritz Henke
Encyclopedia
Fritz Henke was a Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant) in the Waffen SS who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
.
Henke was born on the 21 June 1921 in Oldendorf
, in Lower Saxony
. After school he had planned on being a Master craftsman
, then on the 4 September 1939 he volunteered to join the SS.
He was posted to the 2nd Reserve Company of the SS Regiment Germania
stationed at Langenhorn, Hamburg
where he received training as a basic infantryman.
In May 1940 he started training as a Radio Operator and upon completion was posted to the Sturmgeschütz
(StuG) Battery of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Regiment
and participated in Operation Marita the Balkans Campaign.
In 1942 now in command of his own Sturmgeschütz, during heavy fighting around Shitomir he covered the withdrawal of the grenadiers during darkness after his own withdrawal had been prevented by Russian Infantry during which he destroyed 21 tanks and 11 anti tank guns.
For these actions Henke was awarded the Knight's Cross promoted to Oberscharführer
(Staff Sergeant) and given command of a platoon in the 3rd Battery, 1st SS Sturmgeschütz Battalion.
In September 1943 he was sent to the SS officers training school and promoted to Untersturmführer
. During the war he was wounded only once on 20 April 1945, just prior to surrendering to the Allies.
Henke died on 15 November 1999 and is buried at Moisburg
.
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(Second Lieutenant) in the Waffen SS who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
.
Henke was born on the 21 June 1921 in Oldendorf
Oldendorf
Oldendorf can refer to several places in Germany:*in Lower Saxony:**Oldendorf , a village in the district of Celle, part of the municipality Hermannsburg**Oldendorf, Stade, a municipality and a Samtgemeinde in the district of Stade...
, in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
. After school he had planned on being a Master craftsman
Master craftsman
A master craftsman or master tradesman was a member of a guild. In the European guild system, only masters were allowed to be members of the guild....
, then on the 4 September 1939 he volunteered to join the SS.
He was posted to the 2nd Reserve Company of the SS Regiment Germania
Das Reich
Das Reich is the name of:* a German SS-division, see 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich* a national socialist newspaper, see Das Reich * the main work of German right-wing intellectual Friedrich Hielscher...
stationed at Langenhorn, Hamburg
Langenhorn, Hamburg
Langenhorn is a quarter in the borough Hamburg-Nord of Hamburg, Germany. In 2006 the population was 40,425.-History:On January 25, 1332, Langenhorn was sold to Hamburg by the Count of Holstein...
where he received training as a basic infantryman.
In May 1940 he started training as a Radio Operator and upon completion was posted to the Sturmgeschütz
Sturmgeschütz
Sturmgeschütz is a German word for "assault gun", usually abbreviated StuG. The vehicle was a leading weapon of the Sturmartillerie, a branch of the German artillery tasked with close fire support of infantry in infantry, panzer, and panzergrenadier units...
(StuG) Battery of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Regiment
1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard. Initially the size of a regiment, the LSSAH eventually grew into a divisional-sized unit...
and participated in Operation Marita the Balkans Campaign.
In 1942 now in command of his own Sturmgeschütz, during heavy fighting around Shitomir he covered the withdrawal of the grenadiers during darkness after his own withdrawal had been prevented by Russian Infantry during which he destroyed 21 tanks and 11 anti tank guns.
For these actions Henke was awarded the Knight's Cross promoted to Oberscharführer
Oberscharführer
Oberscharführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that existed between the years of 1932 and 1945. Translated as “Senior Squad Leader”, Oberscharführer was first used as a rank of the Sturmabteilung and was created due to an expansion of the enlisted positions required by growing SA membership...
(Staff Sergeant) and given command of a platoon in the 3rd Battery, 1st SS Sturmgeschütz Battalion.
In September 1943 he was sent to the SS officers training school and promoted to Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
. During the war he was wounded only once on 20 April 1945, just prior to surrendering to the Allies.
Henke died on 15 November 1999 and is buried at Moisburg
Moisburg
Moisburg is a municipality in the district of Harburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
.