(Photo courtesy of J.N. Houterman)
Generaloberst Gotthard Heinrici
Born: 25 Dec 1886 in Gumbinnen, East Prussia (Ostpreußen)
Died: 13 Dec 1971 in Waiblingen
Promotions:
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (19 Jul 1905); Fähnrich (19 Dec 1905); Leutnant (18 Aug 1906); Oberleutnant (17 Feb 1914); Hauptmann (18 Jun 1915); Major (01 Feb 1926); Oberstleutnant (01 Aug 1930); Oberst (01 Mar 1933); Generalmajor (01 Jan 1936); Generalleutnant (01 Mar 1938); General der Infanterie (01 Jun 1940); Generaloberst (30 Jan 1943)
Career:
Entered Army Service (08 Mar 1905)
Fahnenjunker in the 6th Thuringian 95th Infantry-Regiment (08 Mar 1905-10 May 1910)
Detached to the War-School Hannover (1905-1906)
Adjutant of II. Battalion of the 95th Infantry-Regiment (10 May 1910-00 Nov 1914)
Regiments-Adjutant of the 95th Infantry-Regiment, Gotha (00 Nov 1914-1915)
Company-Leader and also Battalion-Leader in the II. Battalion of the 95th Infantry-Regiment (1915-00 May 1916)
Adjutant of the 83rd Infantry-Brigade (00 May 1916-27 Aug 1916)
Transferred into a General-Staff Position of the General-Command of XXIV. Reserve-Corps (27 Aug 1916-07 Dec 1916)
Transferred into the General-Staff of the 115th Infantry-Division (07 Dec 1916-13 Mar 1917)
While retaining previous post, Transferred into the Army General Staff (13 Mar 1917-28 Mar 1917)
Transferred into the General-Staff of Staging-Inspection 15 (28 Mar 1917-00 Sep 1917)
General-Staff-Course in Sedan (00 Sep 1917-09 Oct 1917)
Officer of the Army and Assigned yo the General-Command of VII. Army-Corps as 2nd General-Staff-Officer for Special Duties (09 Oct 1917-04 Dec 1917)
Assigned with the High Command of Army-Detachment B for Special Duties (with VIII. Army-Corps) (04 Dec 1917-28 Feb 1918)
Chief of Operations (Ia) in the General-Staff of the 203rd Infantry-Division (28 Feb 1918-19 Jan 1919)
Transferred back into the 95th Infantry-Regiment (19 Jan 1919-18 Feb 1919)
Transferred to the General-Staff of I. Army-Corps, In Border-Protection in East Prussia, and Chief of Operations (Ia) of Volunteer-Division von Tschischwitz (18 Feb 1919-01 Oct 1919)
Transferred into the Staff of Military-District-Command I (01 Oct 1919-01 Oct 1920)
Tactics-Instructor with the Subsidiary-Leadership-Training with the Staff of 1st Division (01 Oct 1920-01 Sep 1924)
Chief of 14th Company of the 13th Infantry-Regiment, Schwäbisch-Gmünd (01 Sep 1924-01 Oct 1927)
Transferred into the RWM, Group-Director, Army Organisation Department (T2) Troop Office (01 Oct 1927-01 Oct 1930)
Transferred into the 3rd Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1930-01 Nov 1930)
Commander of III. Battalion of the 3rd Infantry-Regiment, Osterode (01 Nov 1930-01 Oct 1932)
Detached to Firing Course for heavy infantry weapons in Döberitz (07 Oct 1930-30 Oct 1930)
Detached to the Lithuanian (10 Sep 1931-01 Oct 1931)
Chief of Operations (Ia) in the Staff of Group-Command 1, Berlin (01 Oct 1932-01 Feb 1933)
Chief of the General Department of the Defence-Office, RWM (01 Feb 1933-01 Mar 1933)
Department-Chief in the RWM (01 Mar 1933-21 May 1935)
Department-Chief in the RKM (21 May 1935-01 Jun 1937)
Chief of Office-Group Replacement & Army Matters in RKr/Min./AHA (01 Jun 1937-12 Oct 1937)
Commander of the 16th Infantry-Division, Münster (12 Oct 1937-31 Jan 1940)
Führer-Reserve OKH (31 Jan 1940-08 Apr 1940)
At the same time, Delegated with the Leadership of VII. Army-Corps (31 Jan 1940-12 Feb 1940)
Delegated with the Leadership of XII. Army-Corps (08 Apr 1940-18 Jun 1940)
Commanding General of XXXXIII. Army-Corps (18 Jun 1940-20 Jan 1942)
Commander-in-Chief of the 4th Army (20 Jan 1942-06 Jun 1942)
On Leave (06 Jun 1942-13 Jul 1942)
Commander-in-Chief of the 4th Army (13 Jul 1942-01 Jun 1943)
On Leave (01 Jun 1943-31 Jul 1943)
Commander-in-Chief of the 4th Army (31 Jul 1943-00 May 1944)
Contracted Hepatitis, 4 week hospital stay in Karlsbad (00 May 1944-04 Jun 1944)
Führer-Reserve OKH (04 Jun 1944-16 Aug 1944)
Commander-in-Chief of the 1st Panzer-Army (16 Aug 1944-20 Mar 1945)
Commander-in-Chief of Army-Group Vistula (20 Mar 1945-29 Apr 1945)
Recalled from his Position because of differences with Keitel & Jodl (Personally dismissed by Keitel after conducting an unauthorised withdrawal, Generaloberst Kurt Student was named as his replacement, but he was unable to reach his command until 01 May 1945, therefore his command was relinquished to the most senior Army commander, General der Infanterie Kurt von Tippelskirch) (29 Apr 1945)
Surrendered to British Troops in Flensburg, in British Captivity (28 May 1945-19 May 1948)
Released (19 May 1948)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz (510): am 18.09.1941 als General der Infanterie und Kommandierender General des XLIII. Armee-Korps
- Eichenlaub (333): am 24.11.1943 als Generaloberst und Oberbefehlshaber der 4. Armee
- Schwerter (136): am 03.03.1945 als Generaloberst und Oberbefehlshaber der 1. Panzerarmee
- RK des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern: 09.08.1918
- 1914 EK I: 24.07.1915
- 1914 EK II: 27.09.1914
- Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz
- RK II. Klasse des Grossherzoglich Sachsen-Weimarischen Hausordens der Wachsamkeit oder von weissen Falken mit Schwertern
- RK II. Klasse des Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischen Hausordens mit Schwertern
- Grossherzoglich Sachsen-Coburg-Gothaisches Karl Eduard-Kriegskreuz
- Grossherzoglich Sachsen-Coburg-Gothaische Karl Eduard-Medaille II. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Reussisches Ehrenkreuz III. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Fürstl. Schwarzburgisches Ehrenkreuz III. Klasse mit Schwertern
- k.u.k. Österr. Militär-Verdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Spange zum EK I: 16.06.1940
- Spange zum EK II: 13.05.1940
- Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942"


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