Heinrich Gaedcke

Ludwig Heinrich Gaedcke
Born	16 January 1905 Guben
Died	21 December 1992 (aged 87) Waldesch
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1924–45 1956–65
Rank	Generalmajor (Wehrmacht) Generalleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Commands held	11. Panzergrenadier-Division III. Corps
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Uman Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of Moscow Cherkassy Pocket Jassy–Kishinev Offensive (August 1944) Operation Frühlingserwachen Vienna Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Ludwig Heinrich Gaedcke (16 January 1905 – 21 December 1992) was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II and a Generalleutnant in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Heinrich Gaedcke was captured by American forces in May 1945 and was held until 1947.

He commanded the new Bundeswehr's 11th Panzergrenadier Division from 1959 to 1960.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 7 March 1942 as Major im Generalstab in the 25. Infanterie-Division (motorized)^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 7 April 1944 as Oberst im Generalstab and Chief of the Generalstab of XI. Armeekorps^[2]

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 128.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 158.

Bibliography

• 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.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Heinrich Gaedcke @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived October 28, 2009)