Heinrich Strack (General)

Heinrich Strack
The later Generalleutnant Heinrich Strack as commander of the Infanterie-Regiment 46
Birth date	13 September 1887(1887-09-13)
Place of birth	Leipzig, Kingdom of Saxony, German Empire
Death date	12 October 1943 (aged 56)
Place of death	Schwarzach im Pongau, Alpen- und Donau-Reichsgaue, German Reich
Resting place	Invalidenfriedhof Berlin (since 18 October 1943)
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic National Socialist Germany
Service/branch	Prussian Army Imperial German Army Reichswehr Heer
Years of service	1906–1943
Rank	Generalleutnant
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Iron Cross Pour le Mérite War Merit Cross

Heinrich Strack (13 September 1887 – 12 October 1943) was a German officer since 1906, finally Generalleutnant of the Heer of the Wehrmacht in World War II.

Military career (day, month, year)

• Cadet school in Naumburg and Berlin-Großlichterfelde
  • he finished as one of the best of his class and was therefore taken over as Leutnant and not officer candidate
• 22.3.1906 11. Kompanie/1. Ermländisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 150 in Allenstein/Ostpreußen
• 1.4.1912 Adjutant in the II. Bataillon/1. Ermländisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 150
• 15.11.1914 Wounded at the front, military hospital
• 1.5.1915 Regiments-Adjutant of the 2. Ermländisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 151 in Sensburg/Ostpreußen
• 1.1.1916 Company Commander in the 1. Ermländisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 150
• 1.5.1917 Leader (Führer) of the I. Bataillon/Infanterie-Regiment „General-Feldmarschall von Hindenburg“ (2. Masurisches) Nr. 147/37. Infanterie-Division
• 30.10.1918 Pour le Mérite as Hauptmann and Batailloskommandeur
  • The award was for the defensive battle in Champagne and on the Meuse. From 27 to 30 September 1918, Hauptmann Strack and his battalion were able to repel 12 tank attacks by far superior enemy forces, regain lost parts of his position in a dashing, powerful counterattack and throw the enemy back beyond his starting position.
• 1.2.1919 z. V. (zur Verfügung = at disposal)

Reichswehr

• 1.10.1919 Reichswehr-Infanterie-Regiment „General-Feldmarschall von Hindenburg“ Nr. 39 of the Reichswehr-Brigade 20 in Allenstein (Vorläufige Reichswehr)
• 1.10.1920 Kompaniechef im 2. (Preußischen) Infanterie-Regiment, Allenstein
• 1.10.1925 Staff officer/I. Bataillon/2. (Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment in Allenstein
• 1.4.1928 Staff officer/Kommandantur Berlin
• 1.11.1930 Commander of the I. Bataillon/8. (Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment
• 1.8.1933 Staff officer/8. (Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment
• 1.10.1934 Commander of the Infanterie-Regiment Neumünster

Wehrmacht

• 15.10.1935 Commander of the Infanterie-Regiment 46 (renamed) in Neumünster
• 1.4.1938 Commander of the Heeres-Waffenmeister-Schule I in Berlin-Treptow (other sources state since 1937)
• 1.9.1939 Kommandant of Danzig

Death

In the autumn of 1943, the unmarried Generalleutnant Strack fell severly ill and was transferred to a Lazarett (military hospital) in Schwarzach, which was in the Kardinal Schwarzenberg’sche Krankenhaus since 1942. It was here that he died. He was then trasferred to Berlin and buried with military honours on 18 December 1943 at the Invalids' Cemetery, the traditional resting place of the Prussian Army.

Family

Heinrich was the son of bank director Ernst Strack and his wife Auguste née Willeforth/Willesford. His younger brother was Generalmajor Ernst Martin Karl Strack (1891–1973).

Promotions

• 22.3.1906 Leutnant without Patent (2nt Lieutenant)
  • 22.6.1906 Patent received
• 8.11.1914 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
• 18.12.1915 Hauptmann (Captain)
• 1.2.1929 Major
• 1.4.1933 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 1.4.1935 Oberst (Colonel)
• 1.8.1938 Generalmajor
• 27.8.1939 Charakter als Generalleutnant (Honorary Lieutenant General)
• 1.9.1941 Generalleutnant

Awards and decorations

WWI

• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 28 September 1914
  • 1st Class on 9 August 1916
• Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg (Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz; HH)
• Prussian Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross with Swords on 26 August 1917
• Pour le Mérite on 30 October 1918
• Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen 1918) in Black

Between wars

• Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer on 9 January 1935
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung), 4th to 1st Class on 2 October 1936
• Hungarian World War Commemorative Medal (Ungarische Kriegs-Erinnerungs-Medaille) with Swords on 11 May 1937
• Austrian War Commemorative Medal (Österreichische Kriegserinnerungsmedaille) with Swords on 4 June 1937
• Bulgarian War Commemorative Medal 1915–1918 with Swords on 10 June 1938

WWII

• War Merit Cross, 2nd and 1st Class with Swords
  • 2nd Class on 30 July 1941
  • 1st Class on 1 September 1942