Heinrich Nickel

Heinrich Georg Nickel
Born	5 December 1894 Wesel
Died	2 January 1979 (aged 84) Lingen
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–18 1935–46
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	342nd Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Smolensk (1941) Siege of Leningrad Demyansk Pocket Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive Vistula–Oder Offensive Battle of the Seelow Heights Battle of Halbe
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Other work	Police Officer

Heinrich Georg Nickel (5 December 1894 – 2 January 1979) was a German general who commanded the 342nd Infantry Division 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 Nickel was captured by Allied troops in May 1945 and was released in 1948.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (29 July 1916)^[1]
  • 1st Class (18 August 1918)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 in 1934
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (19 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (13 November 1939)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
• Eastern Front Medal
• Demyansk Shield
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Silver
  • in Gold
• German Cross in Gold on 29 March 1943 as Oberst in Grenadier-Regiment 502^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 16 June 1940 as Oberst and commander of III./Infanterie-Regiment 26^[3]
  • 543rd Oak Leaves on 8 August 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 342. Infanterie-Division^[4]
• Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (30 April 1944 and 11 July 1944)

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 117.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 330.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 154.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 68.

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.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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 (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com