Heinrich Wiese

Heinrich Wiese
Birth date	27 February 1910
Place of birth	Kiel, Province of Schleswig-Holstein, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Death date	31 March 1987 (aged 77)
Place of death	Hamburg, West Germany
Place of burial	Friedhof Bergedorf (Hamburg)
Allegiance	Weimar Republic National Socialist Germany
Service/branch	Reichswehr Heer
Years of service	1929–1945
Rank	Major
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Iron Cross Honour Roll Clasp of the Army Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations	∞ Elsa Fabig (1912–2008)

Heinrich Wiese (27 February 1910 – 31 March 1987) was a German officer and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in World War II. He must not be confused with politician and equestrian SA-Oberführer Johann Heinrich Friedrich Wiese (1896–2000).

Life

Heinrich Wiese joined the Reichswehr on 1 April 1929, served with the infantry and eventually became an officer. In 1937, he was transferred to the new Infanterie-Regiment (motorisiert) 90 in Hamburg-Harburg, later in Hamburg-Wentorf. In October 1938, he participated in the liberation of the Sudetenland. On 1 February 1942, he was promoted to Hauptmann (captain).

In the second half of WWII, he served as commander of the III. Battalion/Grenadier-Regiment (motorisiert) 361 and later in the Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 361, which was established on 6 July 1943 in Corsica. The regiment was subordinated to the new 90th Panzer Grenadier Division under Carl Hans Lungershausen, as of December 1943 under Ernst-Günther Baade. In 1944, the regiment under Colonel Herbert Ziegler (⚔ 25 June 1944 in Massa Marittima, Italy) was temporarily, once again, referred to as Grenadier Regiment (motorized) 361. From 1 December 1944, the regiment was again called the 361th Panzer Grenadier Regiment.

After being awarded the Knight's Cross, Wiese was promoted to Major and received rank seniority (RDA) from 1 September 1944. On 4 March 1945, he was commanded to the Panzer Troop School Bergen c. 60 km northeast of Hannover, for training as a regimental Panzergrenadier commander.

Wiese made it back to Hamburg at the end of the war, possibly serving with the Panzergrenadier Replacement and Training Battalion 90, and was officially released from duty on 30 April 1945 by Kommandeur der Panzertruppen X. At the time, his family was living in Hamburg-Bergedorf. It is assumed that he was later taken prisoner of war by the British.

Awards und decorations

• Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung), 4th Class
• Sudetenland Medal with the Prague Castle Bar
• Iron Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class
• Infantry Assault Badge (Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen) in Silver
• Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal
• Crimea Shield (Krimschild)
• Wound Badge (1939) in Black, Silver and Gold
• Close Combat Clasp in Bronze
• Silver Rider's Pin (House Order of General Baade)
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (Ehrenblattspange des Heeres) on 14 August 1944
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 October 1944 as Captain and Commander of the III. Battalion/Grenadier-Regiment (motorisiert) 361/90. Panzergrenadier-Division

Gallery

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