Richard Heidrich

Background

Richard was born on July 27, 1896, in Lawalde, Germany.

Career

The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. After the war he was accepted by the Reichswehr, where he served in a number of posts in the infantry. In 1938 Heidrich commanded the parachute battalion which he had formed as a Major in the infantry.

Heidrich and his unit were transferred into the Luftwaffe on 1 January 1939.

The Fallschirmjäger, while still in an early stage of formation, were thus augmented by a 2nd Battalion for the 1st Parachute Regiment. Heidrich was transferred to the staff of the 7th Air Division, but then left the Luftwaffe to lead the 514th Infantry Regiment in the Battle of France.

In June 1940 General Kurt Student was able to persuade Heidrich to transfer back to the Luftwaffe. He then formed the 3rd Parachute Regiment which he led with great success in the Battle of Crete.

In November 1942 Heidrich commanded the 1st Parachute Division, which was deployed on the Eastern Front.

Starting 12 July 1943, the 1st Parachute Division was deployed to Sicily to counter the Allied invasion of the island. The division was directly involved in fighting around the Primosole Bridge. The 1st Parachute Divisions toughest fighting came after the Allied landings on the Italian mainland, particularly in the three battles of Monte Cassino.

Elements of the division under Heidrich"s command also participated in the fighting at Anzio-Nettuno.

As commanding general of the I Parachute Corps, Heidrich oversaw the corps’ withdrawal up the entire length of Italy. Richard Heidrich was captured by the Americans on 2 May 1945 and was later handed over to the British.

He died in a hospital in Hamburg-Bergedorf on 22 December 1947. Wehrmachtbericht references Bibliography.

Achievements

• Wound Badge (1914) in Black
  
  Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st class
  
  Knight 2nd class of the Civil Order of Saxony, with Swords
  
  Knight"s Cross Second Class of the Albert Order with Swords
  
  Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
  
  Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle Bar
  
  Fallschirmschützenabzeichen
  
  Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  
  2nd Class (25 May 1941)
  
  1st Class (25 May 1941)
  
  German Cross in Gold on 31 March 1942 as Oberst in Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3
  
  Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  
  Knight"s Cross on 14 June 1941 as Oberst and commander of the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3
  
  382nd Oak Leaves on 5 February 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division
  
  55th Swords on 25 March 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division
  
  Mentioned four times in the Wehrmachtbericht (9 June 1941, 24 December 1943, 25 March 1944, 29 June 1944)
  
  Ärmelband Crete.

References

• Hitler's Hangman: The Life of Heydrich
• The Assassination of Reinhard Heydrich: The True Story Behind Operation Anthropoid