Hinrich Ahrens

Hinrich Ahrens
Born	21 March 1921 Eickedorf
Died	31 December 2009 (aged 88) Grasberg
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1940–45
Rank	Feldwebel
Unit	Grenadier-Regiment 1141
Battles/wars	World War II Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battles of Rzhev East Prussian Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hinrich Ahrens (21 March 1921 – 31 December 2009) was a highly decorated Feldwebel in the Wehrmacht 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. Hinrich Ahrens was captured by Belgian forces in April 1945 and was held until September 1945.

Awards and decorations

• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver (7 November 1941)^[1]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (10 August 1942)^[1]
  • 1st Class (29 November 1942)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (24 March 1942)^[1]
  • in Silver (2 August 1942)^[1]
  • in Gold (23 August 1943)^[1]
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze (10 August 1944)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal (23 July 1942)^[1]
• 4 Tank Destruction Badge for Individual Combatants
  • One on 7 February 1943^[1]
  • Two on 19 November 1943^[1]
  • One on 18 November 1944^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 7 April 1944 as Unteroffizier in 14./Grenadier-Regiment 301^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 January 1945 as Unteroffizier and Geschützführer in the 13./Grenadier-Regiment 1141^[3][4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1987, p. 25.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 12.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 114.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 189.

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; Wegmann, Günter (1987). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 1: A–Be [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 1: A–Be] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1153-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945