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Karl Henke

January 01, 1970

Karl Henke (22 July 1896 in Berlin – 27 April 1945 in Neutief) was an engineer officer in the Reichsheer during World War I, in the German inter-war army, the Reichswehr, and in the Wehrmacht.

Karl Henke
Born(1896-07-22)22 July 1896
Berlin
Died27 April 1945(1945-04-27) (aged 48)
near Pillau/Neutief, East Prussia
Allegiance German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany
Service/branchArmy
Years of service1914–45
RankGeneralmajor
Commands heldPiLandungsRgt 770 (mot.)
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Military service, World War I edit

Henke's military service began in 1914 as a cadet with a pioneer battalion. He was promoted to officer in 1915, but in 1916 was seriously wounded and unable to return to frontline service. Posted to Libau, he became involved in developing landing operations, an area in which he specialised for the remainder of his career.

Continuing to serve with the Reichswehr and then the Wehrmacht, by 1939 Henke had been promoted to lieutenant-colonel.

Military service, World War II edit

On September 1, 1939, Henke was involved in the first major battle of Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland, the Battle of Westerplatte, where he led the assault engineer company.

Henke was intended to lead Operation Nordlicht, the attempt to take Leningrad in 1942, but when this was cancelled was transferred to the Crimea, where the Seventeenth Army was eventually trapped by Soviet forces. Here, Henke organised the evacuation of troops across the Strait of Kerch, an action for which he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and from the Kuban bridgehead. Promoted to major-general, and appointed the senior commander of Wehrmacht landing operations, Henke oversaw the evacuation of German troops from islands in the Baltic Sea and from Estonia late in 1944.

From January 1945 Henke became responsible for the supply of Fourth Army, trapped in the Heiligenbeil pocket in East Prussia. In this role he was in part responsible for the evacuation of up to a million civilians from East Prussia and through the port of Pillau, which was retained as long as possible; on 24 April, he was placed in command of the 290th Infantry Division, which had been transported by sea from the Courland Pocket. Henke and his unit finally abandoned Pillau on 25 April for the nearby Batterie Lehmberg fortifications at Neutief (Noytif was Russian correspondence of Neutef before 1946) [1][2] on the Frische Nehrung. After a failed breakout attempt around 200 men continued to resist the besieging Soviet forces to the last round at 15:30 on 27 April; Henke, refusing to surrender, then shot himself. It is said that the opposing Soviet commander praised Henke's bravery and treated Henke's surviving men well - unusual conduct for either side on the Eastern Front.

Awards and decorations edit

See also edit

References edit

  • Lexikon der Wehrmacht - Karl Henke at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de German-language article at Lexicon der Wehrmacht
  • 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.

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ Baltijskas Neutief village's present name is found in Lithuanian article of Baltiysk
  2. ^ http://vddb.library.lt/fedora/get/LT-eLABa-0001:J.04~2005~ISSN_1392-3137.N_1_30.PG_69-76/DS.002.1.01.ARTIC An article about tourism aim at Russian part of Vistula Spit

January 01, 1970
karl, henke, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, october, 2012,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Karl Henke news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2012 Learn how and when to remove this message Karl Henke 22 July 1896 in Berlin 27 April 1945 in Neutief was an engineer officer in the Reichsheer during World War I in the German inter war army the Reichswehr and in the Wehrmacht Karl HenkeBorn 1896 07 22 22 July 1896BerlinDied27 April 1945 1945 04 27 aged 48 near Pillau Neutief East PrussiaAllegiance German Empire to 1918 Weimar Republic to 1933 Nazi GermanyService wbr branchArmyYears of service1914 45RankGeneralmajorCommands heldPiLandungsRgt 770 mot Battles warsWorld War I World War IIAwardsKnight s Cross of the Iron Cross Contents 1 Military service World War I 2 Military service World War II 3 Awards and decorations 4 See also 5 References 6 FootnotesMilitary service World War I editHenke s military service began in 1914 as a cadet with a pioneer battalion He was promoted to officer in 1915 but in 1916 was seriously wounded and unable to return to frontline service Posted to Libau he became involved in developing landing operations an area in which he specialised for the remainder of his career Continuing to serve with the Reichswehr and then the Wehrmacht by 1939 Henke had been promoted to lieutenant colonel Military service World War II editOn September 1 1939 Henke was involved in the first major battle of Nazi Germany s invasion of Poland the Battle of Westerplatte where he led the assault engineer company Henke was intended to lead Operation Nordlicht the attempt to take Leningrad in 1942 but when this was cancelled was transferred to the Crimea where the Seventeenth Army was eventually trapped by Soviet forces Here Henke organised the evacuation of troops across the Strait of Kerch an action for which he received the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross and from the Kuban bridgehead Promoted to major general and appointed the senior commander of Wehrmacht landing operations Henke oversaw the evacuation of German troops from islands in the Baltic Sea and from Estonia late in 1944 From January 1945 Henke became responsible for the supply of Fourth Army trapped in the Heiligenbeil pocket in East Prussia In this role he was in part responsible for the evacuation of up to a million civilians from East Prussia and through the port of Pillau which was retained as long as possible on 24 April he was placed in command of the 290th Infantry Division which had been transported by sea from the Courland Pocket Henke and his unit finally abandoned Pillau on 25 April for the nearby Batterie Lehmberg fortifications at Neutief Noytif was Russian correspondence of Neutef before 1946 1 2 on the Frische Nehrung After a failed breakout attempt around 200 men continued to resist the besieging Soviet forces to the last round at 15 30 on 27 April Henke refusing to surrender then shot himself It is said that the opposing Soviet commander praised Henke s bravery and treated Henke s surviving men well unusual conduct for either side on the Eastern Front Awards and decorations editIron Cross 1914 2nd Class 1st Class Wound Badge 1914 in Black Cross of Honor Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 1st Class Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle Bar War Merit Cross with Swords 2nd Class Iron Cross 1939 2nd Class 1st Class Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 August 1943 as Oberst and commander of Pionier Landungs Regiment 770 motorized See also editList of Knight s Cross RecipientsReferences editLexikon der Wehrmacht Karl Henke at www lexikon der wehrmacht de German language article at Lexicon der Wehrmacht Fellgiebel Walther Peer 2000 1986 Die Trager des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 1945 Die Inhaber der hochsten 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 Footnotes edit Baltijskas Neutief village s present name is found in Lithuanian article of Baltiysk http vddb library lt fedora get LT eLABa 0001 J 04 2005 ISSN 1392 3137 N 1 30 PG 69 76 DS 002 1 01 ARTIC An article about tourism aim at Russian part of Vistula Spit Portal nbsp Biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Karl Henke amp oldid 1211751501, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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