Sigfrid Henrici

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Sigfrid Henrici (born May 10, 1889 in Soest ; † September 8, 1964 in Bad Nauheim ) was a German officer, most recently a general of the armored forces in World War II .

Life

Henrici joined the 1st Kurhessische Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 11 on September 2, 1907 as a flag junior . From April 2 to December 29, 1908, he was sent to the war school in Metz , where he was made an ensign on April 23, 1908 . After his return to his regular regiment, he was promoted to lieutenant on January 27, 1909 . As such, Henrici acted as an adjutant of the riding department stationed in Fritzlar from January 7, 1913 .

First World War

When the First World War broke out , Henrici and his regiment were initially deployed on the Western Front , where on December 24, 1914, he became first lieutenant . At the beginning of May 1915 he received a command as a teacher at the war school course in Hann. Münden until he was transferred to Flieger-Ersatz -teilung 7 on May 15, 1915. He then trained as an observer at Flieger-Ersatz -teilung 5 in Hanover and subsequently served as a pilot observer at Feldflieger -teilung 5. In March 1916, Henrici was transferred to Flieger -teilung 72, and from October 6, 1916 he was the leader of the aviation department 245. Henrici was the first general staff officer from May 27 to June 28, 1918 in the staff of the commander of the aviators of the 18th Army and then as an aviator advisor to the staff of the German Crown Prince Army Group . There he received his promotion to captain on August 18, 1918 . For his services he was awarded the Iron Cross II. And I. Class and on February 12, 1918 with the Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords.

Interwar period

After the end of the war, Henrici was initially deputy liaison officer of the Commanding General of the Air Force at the Supreme Army Command from November 20, 1918, and took over this position a month later. From January 29 to August 19, 1919, he was assigned to the Border Guard Command East or the Kolberg command post and then made available to the 11th Artillery Regiment. He was transferred there on September 6, 1919. On January 31, 1920 he was officially discharged from the army.

In the meantime, Henrici had transferred to the police on September 19, 1919 as deputy commander of the protection police in Kassel . This was followed by promotions to major in the police (1921), lieutenant colonel in the police (1933) and colonel in the police (1935). From April 1925 to April 1930 he was a teacher at the Oak Police School, then until 1932 commander of the Düsseldorf police station. On July 1, 1933, he was transferred to the Reich Ministry of the Interior as a consultant for the state police . There he was from February 3, 1934 in the state police headquarters and from January 30, 1935 as head of the state police central office.

On October 15, 1935, with the incorporation of the barracked state police into the Wehrmacht , Henrici was assigned to the staff of the 19th Artillery Regiment as a colonel in the army . On October 6, 1936 he was appointed commander of the 29 artillery regiment. On November 10, 1938, he was appointed artillery commander 16 ("Arko 16") and promoted to major general on June 1, 1939 . During the mobilization before the beginning of the Second World War , he was appointed Artillery Commander 30 ("Arko 30") in the XVI. Army Corps appointed.

Second World War

In this position he took part in the Polish and Western campaigns at the beginning of the Second World War . In November and December 1940 he was briefly charged with the command of the 60th Infantry Division (motorized). He has since been awarded the clasps for both Iron Crosses. He then served again as Arko 30.

On March 16, 1941 he became commander of the 16th motorized infantry division , with which he participated in the Balkan campaign in April and in the attack on the Soviet Union from June . His promotion to lieutenant general carried his division came after the breakthrough by June 1, 1941. Stalin Line at Lubar in July and heavy fighting in Novo Arkhangelsk, Swerdlikowo and Dobrowodje in August about Nikolayev and Krivoi Rog in the Ukraine to the Dnepr forward, took participated in the Kesselschlacht bei Uman (3rd to 8th August 1941) and in September in the Battle of Kiev , and then remained in winter position near Kursk . Henrici was awarded the Knight's Cross on October 13, 1941 for the successes of his division during the Kesselschlacht near Uman .

In the summer of 1942 his division took part in the attack on Voronezh . In August 1942, it was one of the first German associations to cross the border into Asia on the march to the Caucasus . As part of the 1st Panzer Army and Army Group A , which was newly formed in August , the 16th Infantry Division had the task of securing the left flank of the front with fortified bases in the Kalmyk steppe . At the end of August / beginning of September 1942, Henrici sent tank reconnaissance planes to scout Astrakhan , and on September 16, 1942, they penetrated to the Sadowska tank trenches on the lower reaches of the Volga . The division was nicknamed "Greyhound Division" for this fast and long advance.

On November 13, 1942, Henrici became the leader of the XXXX. Panzer Corps commissioned. With his promotion to General of the Panzer Troops on January 1, 1943, he also became the commanding general of this corps . He was seriously wounded in the fighting for Uman and Zaporizhia in Ukraine and was transferred to the Führer Reserve to recover in October 1943 . On August 13, 1943, he received the German Cross in Gold, and on December 9, 1943, he was awarded the Knight's Cross for the achievements of his corps . In the spring of 1944 he took over the mainland staff of Crimea , and on September 3, 1944 he was again commanding general of the XXXX. Panzer Corps, which he led until the end of the war.

post war period

On May 9, 1945, Henrici was taken prisoner by the Soviets , from which he was released on October 6, 1955.

literature

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personal data
SURNAME Henrici, Sigfrid
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Henrici, Siegfried
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German officer, most recently General of the Armored Force in World War II
DATE OF BIRTH May 10, 1889
PLACE OF BIRTH Soest
DATE OF DEATH September 8, 1964
Place of death Bad Nauheim