Heino von Rantzau

Heino von Rantzau
Born	8 March 1894 Karlsruhe
Died	2 November 1946(1946-11-02) (aged 52) Allendorf
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1920) Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Deutsches Heer (1913–18) Reichswehr (1918–33)Heer (1933–35) Luftwaffe (1935–45)
Years of service	1913–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands	2. Flak-Division (mot.) III. Flakkorps
Battles / wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Siege of Leningrad Defense of the Reich Ruhr Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Heino von Rantzau (8 March 1894 – 2 November 1946) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Heino von Rantzau was captured by American troops in April 1945, and died in captivity on 2 November 1946.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
• Military Merit Cross, 1st and 2nd class (Mecklenburg-Schwerin)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (17 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (28 July 1940)
• Eastern Front Medal
• Anti-Aircraft Flak Battle Badge
• German Cross in Gold (24 December 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 August 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 2. Flak-Division (mot.)

References

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

External links

• Heino von Rantzau @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived November 17, 2010)
• World War 2 Awards.com