Heinrich Götz

Heinrich Götz
Born	1 January 1896 Hanover
Died	31 January 1960 (aged 64) Oberaudorf
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1925)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–25 1934–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	83. Infanterie-Division 21. Infanterie-Division Infanterie-Division Scharnhorst
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Annexation of the Sudetenland Invasion of Poland Operation Barbarossa Battle of Uman Battle of Kiev (1941) Lower Dnieper Offensive East Prussian Offensive Heiligenbeil Pocket Battle of Halbe
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Heinrich Götz (1 January 1896 – 31 January 1960) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Heinrich Götz was captured in 1945 and was held until 1948.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (25 October 1915)^[1]
  • 1st Class (19 March 1917)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Sudetenland Medal
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (30 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (6 October 1939)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 3 May 1942 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 466^[2][3]
  • 623rd Oak Leaves on 5 March 1945 as Generalmajor and commander of 21. Infanterie-Division^[2][4]
• Mentioned twiche in the Wehrmachtbericht (9 August 1944 and 28 September 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
9 August 1944 (addendum)	Im Nordabschnitt der Ostfront haben sich die norddeutsche 83. Infanteriedivision unter Oberst Götz mit unterstellten Teilen der ostpreußischen 61. Infanteriedivision und die 19. lettische SS-Division unter Führung von SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Streckenbach in Angriff und Abwehr besonders bewährt.[5]	In the northern sector of the Eastern Front, the north German 83rd Infantry Division under Colonel Götz with subordinate units of the East Prussian 61st Infantry Division and the 19th Latvian SS Division under the command of SS-Brigadeführer and Major General of the Waffen SS Streckenbach have particularly proven themselves in attack and defense.
28 September 1944 (addendum)	In den Kämpfen im baltischen Raum hat sich die ostpreußische 21. Infanteriedivision unter Führung von Generalmajor Götz in Angriff und Abwehr besonders ausgezeichnet.[6]	In combat in the Baltic region, the East Prussian 21st Infantry Division under the leadership of Major General Götz has particularly excelled in attack and defense.

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 205.
2. Scherzer 2007, p. 340.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 198.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 98.
5. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Volume 3, p. 196.
6. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Volume 3, p. 265.

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 [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Heinrich Götz @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived January 24, 2011)