Heinz Werner (1917)

Heinz Werner
Birth date	2 December 1917
Place of birth	Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Death date	8 August 1978(1978-08-08) (aged 60)
Place of death	Essen, West Germany
Allegiance	National Socialist Germany
Service/branch	SS-VT Waffen SS
Years of service	1937–1945
Rank	SS-Sturmbannführer
Unit	2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross with Oakleaves German Cross in Gold Close Combat Clasp in Gold

Heinz Werner (b. 2 December 1917 in in Berlin-Friedenau; d. 8 August 1978 in Essen) was a German officer of the SS and Waffen-SS, at last SS-Sturmbannführer (Major) and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves in World War II.

Life

Ernst Schweiger (left) and SS-Sturmbannführer Heinz Werner on 9 May 1945 in Bohemia preparing to surrender to the US-Americans.

Werner, son of a wealthy factory, served, after his Abitur at the Gymnasium, his mandatory time with the Reichsarbeitsdient (RAD) and joined the SS 1937, serving in the SS-Standarte Germania of the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-Nr.: 351.243). His first deployments were to Austria and to the Sudetenland. From November 1938 until Oktober 1939, he was commanded to a SS-Junkerschule to become an officer.

WWII

In WWII he was wounded many times, at least once very severly, has the left side of his face was ripped open by shrapnel.

The Knight's Cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by National socialist Germany during World War II. The Oakleaves was a second award, presented by SS-Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich. The date is taken from the announcement made by the 6. SS-Panzerarmee.

The sequential number "864" was assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR). Werner was awarded his Knight's Cross while in command of the 3rd Battalion, 4th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment The Führer, 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich.

After the war

Werner survived the war as a prisoner of the French Government (illegally handed over by the US-Americans 1947), released in June 1951. He was a member of the AKCR.

Death

Waffen-SS Major (ret.) Werner died on the 8 August 1978 in Essen.

SS-Promotions

SS

• 1937: SS-Schütze
• 1937: SS-Junker
• 1938: SS-Oberjunker
• 9. November 1939: SS-Untersturmführer

Waffen-SS

• 21. Juni 1941: SS-Obersturmführer
• 20. April 1943: SS-Hauptsturmführer
• 9. November 1944: SS-Sturmbannführer

Awards and decorations

Pre-WWII

• SS-Ehrendegen
• Anschluss Medal
• Sudetenland Medal with the Prague Castle Bar

WWII

• Iron Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 28 May 1940
  • 1st Class on 22 October 1941
• Infantry Assault Badge (Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen) in Silver
• Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal
• Panzer Badge (Panzerkampfabzeichen des Heeres) in Bronze
• Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen 1939) in Black, Silver and Gold
• Close Combat Clasp (Nahkampfspange des Heeres) in Bronze, Silver and Gold
  • Bronze in Summer 1943
  • Silver on 9 November 1943
  • Gold in April 1945
• German Cross in Gold on 29 May 1943 as SS-Obersturmführer and commander (Chef) of the 10. Kompanie/III. Bataillon (motorisiert)/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 4 „Der Führer“/SS-Panzergrenadier-Division „Das Reich“
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 14 May 1941 as SS-Hauptsturmführer and chief of the 2./SS-Kradschützen-Bataillon/SS-Division "Reich"/XXXXI. Armeekorps/12. Armee
  • Oak Leaves on 6 May 1945 (864th award) as SS-Sturmbannführer and commander (Kommandeur) of the III. (gepanzerten) Bataillons/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 4 „Der Führer“/SS-Panzergrenadier-Division „Das Reich“

See also

• Brandenburgers

Further reading

• Berger, Florian. Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold. Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2004. ISBN 3-9501307-3-X. (German)
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5. (German)
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.