Sigfrid Henrici
Encyclopedia
General Sigfrid Henrici (10 May 1889 – 8 November 1964) was a Panzer
General
in the German
army during World War II
.
He joined the Imperial German Army as an officer cadet in the 11th Artillery Regiment in 1907 and was commissioned as a Leutnant in an artillery regiment in 1909. He became a flying observer in World War I
and was then the leader of a flying battalion.
He was not retained in the Reichswehr
and in 1920 he joined the police, reaching the rank of Colonel of Police (Oberst Polizei) on 1 October 1935. He then moved back to the Army in December of that year and commanded the 29th Artillery Regiment from 1936. He was promoted to Generalmajor on 1 June 1939.
With the start of World War II
, he was the commander of the 16th Infantry Division (motorised). He was promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 June 1941 and General der Panzertruppe
on 1 January 1943. He commanded the XXXX Panzer Corps until October 1943 when he became seriously ill and was moved to the leadership reserve. In November 1943 he returned to active service and the command of the XXXX Panzer Corps. He was taken prisoner by the Red Army
on 9 May 1945 and was released from Soviet captivity in 1955. He died on 8 November 1964.
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
General
General (Germany)
General is presently the highest rank of the German Army and Luftwaffe . It is the equivalent to the rank of Admiral in the German Navy .-Early history:...
in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
army during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He joined the Imperial German Army as an officer cadet in the 11th Artillery Regiment in 1907 and was commissioned as a Leutnant in an artillery regiment in 1909. He became a flying observer in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and was then the leader of a flying battalion.
He was not retained in the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
and in 1920 he joined the police, reaching the rank of Colonel of Police (Oberst Polizei) on 1 October 1935. He then moved back to the Army in December of that year and commanded the 29th Artillery Regiment from 1936. He was promoted to Generalmajor on 1 June 1939.
With the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was the commander of the 16th Infantry Division (motorised). He was promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 June 1941 and General der Panzertruppe
General der Panzertruppe
General der Panzertruppe was a rank of German Army General introduced by the Wehrmacht in 1935. As the commander of a Panzer Corp this rank corresponds to a US Army Lieutenant-General...
on 1 January 1943. He commanded the XXXX Panzer Corps until October 1943 when he became seriously ill and was moved to the leadership reserve. In November 1943 he returned to active service and the command of the XXXX Panzer Corps. He was taken prisoner by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
on 9 May 1945 and was released from Soviet captivity in 1955. He died on 8 November 1964.
Awards
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1914)- 2nd Class (14 September 1914)
- 1st Class (24 December 1915)
- Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with SwordsHouse Order of HohenzollernThe House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
(12 February 1918) - Cross of HonorCross of HonorThe Cross of Honor, also known as the Honor Cross or, popularly, the Hindenburg Cross, was a commemorative medal inaugurated on July 13, 1934 by Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg for those soldiers of Imperial Germany who fought in World War I...
- Sudetenland MedalSudetenland MedalThe The Sudetenland Commemorative Medal was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded in the interwar period.-Description:...
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939)- 2nd Class (20 September 1939)
- 1st Class (20 May 1940)
- Eastern Front MedalEastern Front MedalThe Eastern Front Medal, , more commonly known as the Ostmedaille was instituted on May 26, 1942 to mark service on the German Eastern Front during the period November 15, 1941 to April 15, 1942...
- German Cross in Gold (13 August 1943)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross on 13 October 1941 as Generalleutnant and commander of 16 Infanterie-Division (mot)
- 350th Oak Leaves on 9 December 1943 as General der Panzertruppe and commander of XL. Panzerkorps
- Mentioned in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
(1 September 1943)