Willi Hein
Encyclopedia
Willi Hein was a Hauptsturmführer
(Captain) in the Waffen SS during World War II
who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
during World War II.
. He attended the local elementary and secondary schools and left in March 1933.
He obtained a position as a trainee salesperson from April 1933 to March 1936, then worked as a businessman from April 1939 to October 1939 on the island of Sylt
.
, Hein volunteered to join the SS-VT in September 1939 and was posted to the SS Regiment Germania
and in May 1940 to the SS Regiment Nordland
.
He was selected to become an officer and posted to the SS-Junkerschule in Bad Tölz
from 1 November 1941 to 31 January 1942. After graduation he was promoted to Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant) and posted to the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking on the Eastern Front
, as a platoon commander in the 5th SS Panzer Regiment.
In October 1943, Hein was complemented by Adolf Hitler
for his outstanding defensive performance in the Battle of Kharkov
.
He was given command of the 2nd Company, 5th SS Panzer Regiment in November 1943, entered on the Honour Role of the German Army and in January 1944 awarded the German Cross
in Gold.
Hein was involved in the Battle of Cherkassy
in the area of Olschana. The division was surprised by a Soviet attack;
he gathered two hastily repaired Sturmgeschütze and 25 Grenadiers and launched a counterattack which resulted in the destruction of three T-34
tanks, fifteen anti-tank guns and taking 200 prisoners. The unit held out against further Soviet attacks and maintained the German line until reinforcements arrived.
For these actions he was awarded the Knight's Cross in May 1944.
In September 1944 Hein was given command of the I.Battalion, 5th SS Panzer Regiment , shortly afterward on 5 January 1945 Hein was severely wounded in his lower leg in the fighting for Budapest
and spent the rest of the war in hospital at Bad Aussee
in Austria
. His promotion to Hauptsturmführer
was on 30 January 1945.
Willi Hein survived the war and died on 25 October 2000, in Lauenburg.
Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...
(Captain) in the Waffen SS during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II.
Early life
Willi Hein was born in HohenwestedtHohenwestedt
Hohenwestedt is a municipality in the district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated approx. 23 km south of Rendsburg, 25 km west of Neumünster and 40 km southwest of Kiel....
. He attended the local elementary and secondary schools and left in March 1933.
He obtained a position as a trainee salesperson from April 1933 to March 1936, then worked as a businessman from April 1939 to October 1939 on the island of Sylt
Sylt
Sylt is an island in northern Germany, part of Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein, and well known for the distinctive shape of its shoreline. It belongs to the North Frisian Islands and is the largest island in North Frisia...
.
World War II
After the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Hein volunteered to join the SS-VT in September 1939 and was posted to the SS Regiment Germania
Germania
Germania was the Greek and Roman geographical term for the geographical regions inhabited by mainly by peoples considered to be Germani. It was most often used to refer especially to the east of the Rhine and north of the Danube...
and in May 1940 to the SS Regiment Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
.
He was selected to become an officer and posted to the SS-Junkerschule in Bad Tölz
Bad Tölz
Bad Tölz is a town in Bavaria, Germany, and administrative center of the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen.- History :Since the retreat of the glaciers at the end of the Ice Age, archaeology has shown continuous occupation of the site of Bad Tölz...
from 1 November 1941 to 31 January 1942. After graduation he was promoted to Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(Second Lieutenant) and posted to the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, as a platoon commander in the 5th SS Panzer Regiment.
In October 1943, Hein was complemented by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
for his outstanding defensive performance in the Battle of Kharkov
Battle of Kharkov
Battle of Kharkov may refer to:* First Battle of Kharkov, a 1941 battle in which German troops captured the city* Second Battle of Kharkov, a 1942 battle in which Soviet forces attempted to retake the city...
.
He was given command of the 2nd Company, 5th SS Panzer Regiment in November 1943, entered on the Honour Role of the German Army and in January 1944 awarded the German Cross
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold.
Hein was involved in the Battle of Cherkassy
Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket
The Korsun–Shevchenkovsky Offensive led to the Battle of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket which took place from 24 January to 16 February 1944. The offensive was part of the Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive...
in the area of Olschana. The division was surprised by a Soviet attack;
he gathered two hastily repaired Sturmgeschütze and 25 Grenadiers and launched a counterattack which resulted in the destruction of three T-34
T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
tanks, fifteen anti-tank guns and taking 200 prisoners. The unit held out against further Soviet attacks and maintained the German line until reinforcements arrived.
For these actions he was awarded the Knight's Cross in May 1944.
In September 1944 Hein was given command of the I.Battalion, 5th SS Panzer Regiment , shortly afterward on 5 January 1945 Hein was severely wounded in his lower leg in the fighting for Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
and spent the rest of the war in hospital at Bad Aussee
Bad Aussee
-Tracht:Bad Aussee is unique within Austria as its inhabitants wear Tracht, or traditional dress, on a daily basis. Within other regions of Austria, it could almost be taken as a political statement if one were to wear Tracht. For women, this consists of a Dirndl, a type of dress with a fitted...
in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. His promotion to Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...
was on 30 January 1945.
Willi Hein survived the war and died on 25 October 2000, in Lauenburg.
Awards
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (4 May 1944)
- German Cross in Gold (30 December 1943)
- Honour Roll Clasp (15 November 1943)
- Iron Cross 1st class (30 January 1943)
- Iron Cross 2nd class (26 July 1942)
- Panzer Badge in Silver "75" (9 November 1944)
- Panzer Badge in Silver "25" (9 November 1943)
- Panzer Badge in Silver (March 1943)
- Panzer Badge in Bronze (14 September 1942)
- Wound Badge in Silver
- Wound Badge in Black (21 February 1944)
- Goldenes HJ Ehrenzeichen
- Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen (Bronze)
- SA-Sportabzeichen (Bronze)
- Ehrenwinkel der Alte Kämpfer