Heinz Hellmich
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Heinz Hellmich | |
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Born | Karlsruhe | 9 June 1890
Died | 17 June 1944 Cherbourg, France | (aged 54)
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Service/ | Heer |
Years of service | 1908 – 1944 |
Rank | Generalleutnant |
Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Heinz Hellmich (9 June 1890 – 17 June 1944) was a German Generalleutnant during World War II. Awarded with a posthumous Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 September 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 243. Infanterie-Division.[1]
Born in Karlsruhe, Hellmuch joined the military service in 1908. On 22 March 1910, while serving in 136th Infantry Regiment, he became Leutnant. After World War I he served in various units and kept various commanding positions. His service was followed with the promotions: Oberstleutnant (1 February 1934), Oberst (1 January 1936), Generalmajor (1 October 1939) and Generalleutnant (1 September 1941).
When World War II begun he was on a duty as a supply Officer in German 7th Army. From 25 October 1939 he managed supplies in the Army Group B. As a commander of the 23rd Infantry Division (from 1 June 1940 to 17 January 1942) he took part in the French campaign, invasion of the Soviet Union (operation Barbarossa) and in the bloody battles for Bialystok-Minsk, Brest, Smolensk, Vyazma and finally in the Battle of Moscow. After several months, on 1 April 1942, he became a commander of 141st Reserve Division. On 10 January 1944, he was moved to France and put in a command of 243rd Infantry Division, stationed in the Cotentin Peninsula. This coastal defense division protected the western coast of the Cotentin Peninsula when the Allied invasion begun on 6 June 1944.
Hellmich was killed while defending Cherbourg during the Allied invasion of Normandy on 17 June 1944.
References
- Citations
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 221.
- Bibliography
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- 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.