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Springer, Heinrich Adolf Leopold (Waffen SS)

    Date of birth:
    November 3rd, 1914 (Kiel/Schleswig-Holstein, Germany)
    Date of death:
    October 27th, 2007 (Oelixdorf/Schleswig-Holstein,Germany)
    Service number:
    SS-Nr.: 291.007 // NSDAP-Nr.:
    Nationality:
    German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

    Biography

    Promotions:
    00.06.1936: SS-Mann
    00.00.1939: SS-Sturmmann
    01.06.1939: SS-Standarten-Junker
    01.09.1939: SS-Standarten-Oberjunker
    09.11.1939: SS-Untersturmführer
    09.11.1940: SS-Obersturmführer
    09.11.1941: SS-Hauptsturführer
    21.06.1943: SS-Sturmbannführer

    Career:
    00.00.1931: Gymnasium, Meldorf
    00.05.1931: Hitlerjugend
    01.10.1932: Ausbildung Maurer
    00.00.1932: Führer des Jungvolk-Fähnleins „Nord", Hitlerjugend
    00.00.1934: Bauingenieur, Staasbauschule Eckernförde
    00.06.1936: joined the SS
    00.07.1936: SS-Mann, 9. Sturm 9, SS-Standarte 50
    03.04.1937-00.10.1937: RAD, Flensburg
    01.11.1937: SS-Schütze, 3. Sturm, SS-Standarte 2 "Germania", SS-VT
    00.03.1938: campaign in Austria
    04.05.1938-00.10.1938: lMG-Schütze, 11. Sturm, III. Sturmbann, SS-Standarte 3 "Der Führer", SS-VT
    15.11.1938: SS-Junker, 7. Friedens-Junker-Lehrgang under SS-Hstuf Vinzenz Kaiser, Junkerschule Tölz
    16.08.1939-10.10.1939: Zugführerlehrgang Dachau
    23.10.1939: Zugführer, 2. Sturm, I. Sturmbann, Leibstandarte SS-"Adolf Hitler", Prague
    00.05.1940: SS-Ustuf, campaign in the West
    10.06.1940: WIA to his thigh near La Ferte-Milon, France
    20.06.1940: WIA to the left hand in the fighting around Clermont-Ferrand airfield and evacuated to SS-Lazarett in Mecklenburg
    09.09.1940: SS-Ustuf, Adjutant, I. Bataillon, SS-Infanterie-Regiment LSSAH, SS-VT, Metz
    26.12.1940: SS-Ostuf, Adolf Hitler's visit to the LAH for Christmas, Metz
    01.03.1941-00.04.1941: SS-Ostuf, Adjutant, I. Bataillon, SS-Infanterie-Regiment LSSAH, campaign in the Balkans - Klidi Pass
    21.06.1941: SS-Ostuf, Adjutant, I. Bataillon, SS-Infanterie-Regiment LSSAH - campaign in Russia
    00.06.1941: IIa, SS-Infanterie-Regiment LSSAH
    08.08.1941: SS-Ostuf, Führer, 3. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment LSSAH - Black Sea, Berdjansk, Mariupol and Taganrog
    12.10.1941: attack on the Mius river at Nikolajewka
    15.10.1941: WIA for the 3rd time to the left upper shoulder near Nikolajewka
    17.11.1941: SS-Hstuf, Führer, 3. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment LSSAH - Rostov, Don River
    19.11.1941: WIA fo the 4th time to the head
    21.11.1941: WIA for the 5th time by a Soviet sniper to the shoulder and evacuated by JU52 to theLazarett in Leignitz
    23.01.1942: received the RK from Sepp Dietrich at Berlin Lichterfelde
    00.02.1942: SS-Hstuf, Führer, 7. Kompanie, SS-Ausbildungs und Ersatz-Bataillon LAH
    01.06.1942: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 1. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment 1, SS-Division (motorisiert) LSSAH - Kharkov
    00.07.1942: refit in France
    00.01.1943: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 1. Kompanie, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division LSSAH - Battle of Kharkov
    12.02.1943: severely WIA near Rogan and evacuated
    20.03.1943: SS-Hstuf, SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Ausbildungs- und Ersatz-Bataillon I (Berlin)
    00.06.1943: SS-Stubaf, appointed IIa, Adjutant, 12. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Hitlerjugend"
    16.10.1943: joined the 12. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Hitlerjugend"
    11.05.1944: SS-Stubaf, appointed to the Stab, Reichsführer-SS
    01.06.1944: SS-Stubaf, Verbindungsoffizier Waffen-SS, Wehrmachtsführungsstab, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, Berghof, Obersalzberg then Rastenburg
    30.08.1944-05.02.1945: SS-Stubaf, Erster Ordonnanzoffizier (O1), Fieldmarschall Walter Model, Heeresgruppe B
    06.02.1945: SS-Stubaf, O1, RFSS Heinrich Himmler, Heeresgruppe Weichsel - Prenzlau
    27.03.1945: SS-Stubaf, O1, General Heinrici, Heeresgruppe Weichsel - Prenzlau
    27.05.1945: captured at Mariengaard near Felnsburg - British POW
    00.02.1946: escaped from POW camp Neuengamme
    01.09.1948: Hochbau-Ingenieur, Kiel
    15.11.1952: Bauingenieur, Itzehoe
    00.12.1977: Technischer Angestellter, Schleswig-Holstein

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    Rank:
    SS-Schütze (Private)
    Unit:
    3. Sturm, SS-Standarte 'Germania', SS-VT
    Awarded on:
    March 2nd, 1939
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
    Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)
    Unit:
    Zugführer, 2. Sturm, I. Sturmbann, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, Waffen-SS
    Awarded on:
    November 9th, 1939
    SS-Ehrenring
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)
    Unit:
    Zugführer, 1. Sturm, I. Sturmbann, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, Waffen-SS
    Awarded on:
    June 8th, 1940
    awarded for his action near Dunkirk
    Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)
    Unit:
    Zugführer, 2. Sturm, I. Sturmbann, LAH
    Awarded on:
    June 1940
    Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Untersturmführer (2nd Lieutenant)
    Unit:
    Adjutant, I. Bataillon, LAH, SS-VT
    Awarded on:
    October 3rd, 1940
    Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Bronze
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)
    Unit:
    Adjutant, I. Bataillon, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, Waffen-SS
    Awarded on:
    July 12th, 1941
    awarded for having led a small action to link up with the then cut-off III. Panzer-Korps, returning back to the LSSAH with key information
    Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)
    Unit:
    Führer, 3. Kompanie, LAH
    Awarded on:
    October 1941
    Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Silber
    WIA 10.06.1940 + 20.06.1940 + 15.10.1941
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
    Unit:
    Führer, 3. Kompanie, I. Bataillon, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, Waffen-SS
    Awarded on:
    November 26th, 1941
    WIA 10.06.1940 + 20.06.1940 + 15.10.1941 + 19.11.1941 + 21.11.1941
    Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Gold
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
    Unit:
    Führer, 3. Kompanie, I. Bataillon, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, Waffen-SS
    Awarded on:
    January 12th, 1942
    Heinrich Springer was a captain and commander commander in the LSSAH during the first battle of Rostov in late 1941. His company, with attached pioneers and signals men, was ordered to infiltrate the city in captured Russian uniforms and capture the railway bridge over the Don intact. With this they entered the city on the 20th, and managed to navigate the mayhem until they reached the bridge itself that evening. Springer ordered his men to open fire on a Russian locomotive that was coming out of the city towards the bridge and brought it to a halt. In the ensuring confusion, his men dashed across the bridge. The pioneers cut the detcords and his company overpowered the Russian guards, establishing a bridgehead on the far side (without suffering any losses!). His men were able to hold the bridgehead against increasing Russian pressure over the course of the night, all while being cut off from the rest of the division. Finally, on the morning of the next day, he was ordered to retreat from his bridgehead (exactly why is unknown). The Russians promptly destroyed the bridge once the Germans had left, and Springer was wounded the same day.

    Nonetheless his actions at the bridge, though ultimately in vain, in themselves were impressive enough and Springer was given the Knight’s Cross while in the hospital.
    Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
    Unit:
    LAH
    Awarded on:
    May 1942
    Medaille
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
    Awarded on:
    September 3rd, 1942
    Voenen Orden
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)
    Awarded on:
    September 1942
    with swords
    Ordinul Coroana Romaniei Cavaler

    Sources

    Photo