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Heinrich "Heinz" Greiner
Date of Birth: 12.08.1895 - Amberg, Oberpfalz, Bayern (German Empire)
Date of Death: 19.11.1977 - Rottach-Egern, Bayern (West Germany)
Nickname: Heinz "The Lion of Yelnya"
Battles/wars: World War I, Siege of Antwerp, First Battle of Ypres, Second Battle of Ypres, Second Battle of the Aisne, Battle of Arras, German Revolution of 1918-1919, World War II, Invasion of Poland, Battle of France, Operation Barbarossa, Battle of Bialystok–Minsk, Battle of Smolensk (1941), Yelnya Offensive, Battle of Moscow, Battle of Smolensk (1943), Italian Campaign, Operation Diadem, Battle of Monte Cassino, Battle of Garfagnana, Gothic Line Offensive, Operation Grapeshot.
Promotions:
20.10.1914 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier
15.02.1915 Fähnrich
12.06.1915 Leutnant
01.10.1923 Oberleutnant
01.06.1928 Hauptmann
01.03.1935 Major
01.01.1938 Oberstleutnant
01.11.1940 Oberst
01.03.1942 Generalmajor
01.01.1943 Generalleutnant
Career:
Entered Army Service (03 Aug 1914)
Fahnenjunker in the 13th Bavarian Infantry-Regiment (03 Aug 1914-06 Oct 1914)
With the Regiment in the Field (06 Oct 1914-11 Dec 1916)
Detached to the Gun Factory in Amberg (11 Dec 1916-01 Feb 1917)
Transferred to the I. Replacement-Battalion of the 13th Bavarian Infantry-Regiment (01 Feb 1917-06 Aug 1917)
Detached to the 4th Replacement-MG-Company (05 Feb 1917-30 Apr 1917)
Detached to Training-Course for Weapons-Officers in Stettin (30 Apr 1917-10 Jun 1917)
Detached to MG-Training-Course in Camp Hammelburg (10 Jun 1917-06 Aug 1917)
Transferred to the 13th Bavarian Infantry-Regiment in the Field (06 Aug 1917-08 Sep 1917)
Leader of the 1st MG-Company of the 13th Bavarian Infantry-Regiment (08 Sep 1917-04 Oct 1917)
Wounded, in Hospital (04 Oct 1917-16 Jun 1918)
Temporary-MG-Officer with the Staff of the 13th Bavarian Infantry-Regiment (16 Jun 1918-13 Nov 1918)
Leader of the 2nd MG-Company of the 13th Bavarian Infantry-Regiment (13 Nov 1918-07 Feb 1919)
Adjutant of the I. Battalion of the 13th Bavarian Infantry-Regiment (07 Feb 1919-14 Apr 1919)
Regiments-Adjutant of the 13th Bavarian Infantry-Regiment (14 Apr 1919-26 Aug 1919)
Auxiliary-Officer with the Staff of the 42nd Reichswehr-Rifle-Regiment (26 Aug 1919-10 Oct 1919)
MG-Platoon-Leader in the 8th Company of the 42nd Reichswehr-Rifle-Regiment (10 Oct 1919-01 Oct 1920)
MG-Platoon-Leader in the 19th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1920-01 Oct 1926)
Detached to Weapons School Course on the Troop-Exercise-Grounds Ohrdruf (01 May 1924-15 Aug 1924)
Detached to Subsidiary-Leadership-Course with the Staff of the 7th Division (01 Oct 1924-01 Jul 1926)
Detached to the 2nd Pioneer-Battalion (01 Jul 1926-31 Jul 1926)
Detached to the 2nd Motor-Transport-Battalion (01 Aug 1926-31 Aug 1926)
Detached to the 2nd Signals-Battalion (01 Sep 1926-30 Sep 1926)
Transferred into the 7th Company of the 19th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1926-01 Apr 1928)
Chief of the 14th Company of the 19th Infantry-Regiment (01 Apr 1928-01 Apr 1932)
Transferred into the 17th Mounted-Regiment and Detached as Instructor to the Infantry-School in Munich (01 Apr 1932-01 Oct 1934)
Transferred as Instructor to the Infantry-School in Munich (01 Oct 1934-01 Jan 1935)
Instructor at the War School in Munich (01 Jan 1935-10 Nov 1938)
Commander of the III. Battalion of the 63rd Infantry-Regiment (10 Nov 1938-06 Feb 1940)
Detached to Staff-Officers-Course of the 7th and 27th Divisions (10 Nov 1938-14 Dec 1938)
Commander of the 63rd Infantry-Regiment (06 Feb 1940-25 Sep 1940)
Leader of the MIA-Office with the Staff of the General Of Infantry with the Commander-in-Chief of the Army (25 Sep 1940-20 Apr 1941)
Commander of the 499th Infantry-Regiment (20 Apr 1941-06 Jan 1942)
Delegated with the Leadership of the 268th Infantry-Division (06 Jan 1942-20 Apr 1942)
Commander of the 268th Infantry-Division (20 Apr 1942-08 Sep 1943)
Commander of the 362nd Infantry-Division (20 Nov 1943-01 Jan 1945)
Führer-Reserve OKH, Detached to Course for Commanding Generals (01 Jan 1945-12 Apr 1945)
Commanding General of the Replacement VII. Army-Corps and Commander in Military-District VII (12 Apr 1945-06 May 1945)
In US Captivity (06 May 1945-27 Jun 1947)
Released (27 Jun 1947)
Awards and Decorations:
04.12.1914 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.191_ Königlich Bayerische Militär-Verdienstorden IV.Klasse mit Schwertern
00.00.191_ Königlich und Kaiserlich Österreischische Militär-Verdienstkreuz III.Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration
00.00.1918 Verwundetenabzeichen 1918 in Schwarz
25.11.1918 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.193_ Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914-1918
00.00.19__ Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 1.Klasse, 25 Jahre
04.10.1939 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
20.10.1939 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
22.09.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberst and Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 499 / 268.Infanterie-Division. Awarded for distinguishing himself during the defensive battles in the Yelnya pocket in 1941
00.00.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
02.06.1944 Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht: "In diesem Frontabschnitt haben sich die 65. Infanteriedivison unter Generalleutnant Pfeiffer, die durch Teile der 4. Fallschirmjägerdivision verstärkte 3. Panzergrenadierdivision unter Generalmajor Hecker und eine aus Einheiten des Heeres und der Fallschirmtruppe zusammengestellte Kampfgruppe unter Generalleutnant Greiner, hervorragend unterstützt durch Artillerie und durch Flakartillerie der Luftwaffe, besonders ausgezeichnet." (In this section of the front have the 65th Infantry Division under Lieutenant General Pfeiffer, augmented by parts of the 4th Airborne Division which reinforced the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division under Major General Hecker and units from the Army and the parachute troops assembled combat group under Lieutenant General Greiner, well supported by artillery and anti-aircraft artillery of the Luftwaffe, particularly distinguished themselves)
05.09.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #572, as Generalleutnant and Kommandeur 362. Infanterie-Division. Awarded for his outstanding command of a Kampfgruppe composed of Heer and Fallschirmjäger troops in the area Velletri—Valmontone (on the Anzio front). His unit repelled a total of 38 Allied attacks on both sides of Velletri through either a successful initial defense or via immediate counterthrusts against hostile penetrations
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Greiner was born 12 August 1895 in Amberg, Bavaria. Upon graduating from Amberg Gymnasium, Greiner joined the Bavarian Army as an Officer Cadet and was assigned to the 13th Infantry Regiment in March 1914. Less than five months later Greiner's unit was mobilized and the young officer saw action with the German Army on the Western Front. Eventually taking command of a Machine Gun Company he saw fierce combat in Belgium and was wounded outside Flanders leading to a brief period of convalescence before returning to his unit for the remainder of the War.
With the conclusion of the First World War Greiner returned to Bavaria and served in the 19th Infantry Regiment. He later became a respected instructor and tactical theorist at the Military Academy of Munich, saw assignments to both Augsburg and Landshut and served as an adviser in the suppression of the Bavarian Spartacist uprising.
At the opening of the Second World War, Heinrich Greiner had reached the rank of Oberst and was Commander of the 268th Infantry Regiment. His unit, leaning heavily upon its engineer elements, was one of the first German Army units to see action in Poland. He went on to a short staff position during the Battle of France and returned to the Eastern Front just prior to Operation Barbarossa and led the 499th Regiment. Greiner and the 499th were responsible for preventing a complete Soviet encirclement in the Yelnya Offensive, during which Greiner, for his stiff, hold-out defense of Wehrmacht forces evacuating the salient, earned the nickname the "Lion of Yelnya" from his soldiers. His leadership qualities were swiftly recognized and he was subsequently awarded command of the 268th Infantry Division. That command was to last until 1944 when the Division, along with much of Army Group Centre was nearly obliterated by the Soviet Army as the tide of the war began to turn. Greiner was then transferred to Italy where he took command of the 362nd Infantry Division in the defense of the peninsula against invading Allied forces. He led a series of decisive counterattacks on Allied forces outside of Rome that slowed enemy progress up the peninsula and earned Greiner his final promotion to Generalleutnant in addition to a lengthy stay in a Bavarian Hospital due to wounds sustained in combat.
Greiner was released from medical care in early April 1945 and finding the war all but lost began preparations for an orderly surrender of German forces throughout Italy and Southern Germany. In his final action as a Wehrmacht General, Greiner deposed Nazi officials who stubbornly attempted a final defense of Munich. Following his capitulation Greiner was held as an Allied Prisoner of War until his release and subsequent retirement in 1947.
Greiner died 19 November 1977.
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* During Operation Barbarossa Greiner reached divisional level command. The division was destroyed in the Soviet Operation Bagration in the summer of 1944, along with much of Army Group Centre. Greiner was transferred to Italy where he took command of the 362nd Infantry Division. Losses were so heavy in the division in Italy that a bit of doggerel made the rounds:
The division of Greiner
Gets chopped ever finer
Until roll call's a one liner
That simply says: Greiner.
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Source :
Jim Haley photo collection
https://alchetron.com/Heinz-Greiner#heinz-greiner-3a1100b2-ba5d-4af1-8907-6c76b8d61d4-resize-750.jpeg
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https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Heinz_Greiner
http://www.sjsmilitaria.com/photos-autographs/generalleut-heinz-greiner-autograph/
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/35945/Greiner-Heinrich-Heinz.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20091027112745fw_/http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/WEHRMACHT/HEER/Generalleutnant/GREINER_HEINRICH.html
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