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Wehrmachtbericht

After the occupation of Denmark, 10th April 1940, and faced with the ongoing fights in Norway (Operation Weserübung) as well as the preparations for the big attack against France and BeNeLux the Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres Walter von Brauchitsch saw a need for a new honour for his soldiers.

He established a new prominent not wearable award "namentliche Nennung im Wehrmachtbericht" (in today´s German: Namensnennung im Wehrmachtsbericht), or in English "naming in the armed forces report", on 27th April 1940 (published in: HVBl. from 06.05.1940, part C, 27 edit., p. 189, no. 520).

Von Brauchitsch stated the following in his establishing decree: "In future the names of soldiers who excelled them at combat actions in an outstanding way will be named. This is a very special honour. Thus only deeds will be recognized wich call such a special attention from others that they justify a public mentioning in front of the German people.
The task of the generals in command is to judge if the deed does correspond to these high claims. In calm times an other criterion should be used then in times of important combat actions."

The awarding was registered in the Wehrpaß/Soldbuch and personal file.
This honour braught the mentioned soldier a special popularity, because he was mentioned by name and picture in newsletters and radio shows. But in reality it was less worth than the Knight´s Cross of the Iron Cross or the Honour Roll Clasp of the Army.
According to the explanatory notes of the OKH for the commanders the mentioning of the name in the armed forces report (Wehrmachtbericht) did not automatically lead to the naming in the Ehrenblatt des Deutschen Heeres (Honour Roll of the German Army). If the commanding general regarded the deed as so exceptional that the soldier should be named in the Honour Roll of the German Army, this had to be requested separately.

Of the round about 1,631 German soldiers from senior private to field-marshall named in the Wehrmachtbericht some 832 were members of the army and 47 members of the Waffen SS, or together 54 % of the awarded.

Adamowitsch, Felix (Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 904)* November 20th, 1919
† February 10th, 2013

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Grid List
Haase, Alfred* September 9th, 1898
† February 24th, 2000

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Hagen, Walter, Adolf, Christian (Generalmajor)* March 16th, 1897
† November 24th, 1963

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Hahm, Walther* December 21st, 1894
† August 11th, 1951

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Hardegen, Reinhard* March 18th, 1913
† June 9th, 2018

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Harlinghausen, Martin* January 17th, 1902
† March 23rd, 1986

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Harmel, Artur Heinrich "Heinz" (Waffen SS)* June 29th, 1906
† September 2nd, 2000

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Harpe, Josef (Generaloberst)* September 21st, 1887
† March 14th, 1968

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Hartenstein, Werner ("U 156")* February 27th, 1908
† March 8th, 1943

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Hartmann, Erich Alfred "Bubi" (Jagdgeschwader 52)* April 19th, 1922
† September 20th, 1993

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Hartmann, Werner (U-198)* December 11th, 1902
† April 26th, 1963

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Hauser, Eduard* June 22nd, 1895
† July 16th, 1961

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Hecht, Max Karl Friedrich* January 27th, 1898
† June 13th, 1980

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Hecker, Hans* February 26th, 1895
† May 1st, 1979

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Heidrich, Richard* July 28th, 1896
† December 22nd, 1947

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Heilmann, Ludwig (Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3)* August 9th, 1903
† October 26th, 1959

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Heinemann, Erwin* February 17th, 1918
† September 27th, 1942

Helbig, Joachim* September 10th, 1915
† October 5th, 1985

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Hell, Ernst-Eberhard (VII. Armee-Korps)* September 19th, 1887
† September 15th, 1973
Plot: A Row: 2 Grave: 11

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Henrici, Sigfrid (General der Panzertruppe)* May 10th, 1889
† November 8th, 1964

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Herr, Traugott* September 16th, 1890
† April 13th, 1976

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Hitter, Alfons* June 4th, 1892
† March 11th, 1968

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Hochbaum, Friedrich Wilhelm Hermann (34.ID)* August 7th, 1894
† January 28th, 1955

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Hohn, Hermann Dr. (Generalleutnant)* October 11th, 1897
† November 13th, 1968

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Hollidt, Karl-Adolf* April 25th, 1891
† May 22nd, 1985

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Holste, Rudolf (Generalleutnant)* April 9th, 1897
† December 4th, 1970

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Holzmann, Leopold* March 5th, 1916
† October 21st, 2002

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Hoppe, Harry* February 11th, 1894
† August 23rd, 1969

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Hoßbach, Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig* November 21st, 1894
† September 10th, 1980

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Hrabak, Dietrich "Dieter"* December 19th, 1915
† September 15th, 1995

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Hube, Hans-Valentin (Generaloberst)* October 29th, 1890
† April 21st, 1944

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Hufenbach, Helmut* February 27th, 1908
† March 27th, 1945

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Hundt, Gustav* September 27th, 1894
† April 21st, 1945

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Huth, Joachim-Friedrich (Generalleutnant)* July 31st, 1896
† March 27th, 1962

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Hünten, Maximilian (Grenadier Regiment 114)* September 3rd, 1894
† February 26th, 1965

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Höfle, Hermann (Waffen SS)* December 12th, 1898
† December 9th, 1947

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Sources