Niehoff, Hermann (General der Infanterie)

Date of birth:: April 3rd, 1897 (Papenburg/Lower Saxony, Germany)
Date of death:: November 5th, 1980 (Riegsee/Bavaria, Germany)
Nationality:: German

Biography

General der Infanterie Hermann Heinrich Johann Niehoff

Promotions:
27.01.1916: Leutnant - Patent 24.03.1915
01.07.1922: new RDA 01.07.1916 (8)
31.07.1925: Oberleutnant - RDA 01.04.1925 (409)
01.10.1932: Hauptmann (13)
01.08.1936: Major (14)
01.11.1939: Oberstleutnant (12)
17.12.1941: Oberst - RDA 01.04.1941 (21a)
01.06.1943: Generalmajor (15)
01.04.1944: Generalleutnant - RDA 01.04.1944 (8d)
01.04.1945: General der Infanterie - RDA 01.04.1945

Career:
12.06.1915: Freiwilliger
00.00.1916: Zugführer, 6. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 57
04.09.1916: Führer, 1. Rekruten-Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 57
01.10.1916: Kompanieoffizier, Infanterie-Regiment 57
20.10.1916: Lehr-Maschinen-Gewehr-Kompanie, VII. Armee-Korps
19.12.1916: stellvertretender Führer, 8. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 57
01.05.1918: Führer, 5. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 57
20.06.1919: Adjutant, I. Bataillon, Reichswehr-Infanterie-Regiment 62
01.10.1920: Kompanieoffizier, 10. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 17
14.02.1924: 1. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 16, Bremen
01.10.1925: 4. (MG) Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 16, Bremen
01.10.1927: Stab, 6. Division, Münster
01.10.1929: 8. (MG) Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 16, Hannover
01.05.1932: Stab, II. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 16, Hannover
01.04.1933: Chef, 5. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 16, Hannover
01.10.1934: Adjutant, Infanterie-Regiment 37, Osnabrück
07.03.1936: Stab, 26. Division, Köln
12.10.1937: Adjutant, 26. Division, Köln
01.05.1938: Kommandeur, I. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 39, Düsseldorf
26.08.1939: Kommandeur, Infanterie-Ersatz-Regiment 211
31.05.1940: Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 464, 253. Infanterie-Division
15.12.1942: stellvertretender Führer, 256. Infanterie-Division
15.03.1943: Führerreserve, OKH (HPA)
01.04.1943: Kommandeur, 371. Infanterie-Division
02.03.1945: Kommandant der Festung Breslau
06.05.1945: surrendered to Soviet troops - Soviet POW, NKVD-Camp Nr. 27, Krasnogorsk
16.06.1945: sentenced to 25 years force labourby a Soviet military court in Moscow
00.06.1945: NKVD-Camp Nr. 27, Krasnogorsk then Soviet POW camp Nr. 48, Černcy Ležnevo
00.00.1945: Soviet POW camp Nr. 476, Sverdlovsk
00.00.1950: Soviet POW camp Nr. 1 then Nr. 2, Moscow
08.10.1955: released

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Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: August 5th, 1916

Eisernes Kreuz 1.Klasse (1914)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: June 12th, 1918

Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: March 22nd, 1919

Sportabzeichen in Bronze

Awarded on:: July 1st, 1922

Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: January 8th, 1935

Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre

Awarded on:: 1936

Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 3.Klasse, 12 Jahre

Awarded on:: 1936

Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 2. Klasse, 18 Jahre

Awarded on:: 1936

Deutsches Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: May 31st, 1940

1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:: Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 464, 253. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: June 26th, 1940

Had already received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on August 5th 1916.

1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914

1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:: Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 464, 253. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: July 7th, 1941

Had already received the Iron Cross 1st Class on June 12th 1918.

1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914

Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:: Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 464, 253. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: July 31st, 1941

Ehrenblattspange des Heeres und Waffen-SS

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:: Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 464, 253. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: September 29th, 1941

Received for action on 29th July 1941.

366th Award.
Was written in the Ehrenblatt and received the clasp directly after the introduction of the clasp.

Ehrenblattspange des Heeres und Waffen-SS

Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:: Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 464, 253. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: January 6th, 1942

Award 46/11

Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberst (Colonel)
Unit:: Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 464, 253. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: May 15th, 1942

Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: July 20th, 1942

other sources give 15.07.1942

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:: Kommandeur, 371. Infanterie-Division, XXIV. Armee-Korps, 1. Panzer-Armee, Heeresgruppe Nordukraine
Awarded on:: June 15th, 1944

Awarded for the leadership of his Division during March 1944, beginning on 04.03.1944. In the time period 05-07.03.1944 his Division pulled back from its position on the line Masepinzy—Ignatewka—Lypjatin to the Bug river. Here they defended near Chmelnik, Kurilowka and Alexandriwka during the time period 08-16.03.1944. In all this time Niehoff’s energy and drive were crucial for the fighting of the Division.

3143rd Award.

Wehrmachtbericht

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:: Kommandeur, 371. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: August 11th, 1944

In the battles on the Eastern Front, the Westphalian 371 Infantry Division under the command of Lieutenant-General Niehoff and the 229 Infantry Regiment under Colonel Schury have proved themselves to be excellent.

Red Krune Kralja Zvonimira I.Stupnja Cross with Oak Wreath and Star

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Red Krune Kralja Zvonimira Grand Cross with Oak Wreath and Star

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:: Kommandeur, 371. Infanterie-Division, 17. Armee, Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:: March 5th, 1945

On 16.02.1945 the Soviets began a major offensive against the German line stretching from SE of Langlieben to Eichendorffmühl, with the 371. Infanterie-Division being the only German unit in its path. In the course of this attack Niehoff and his troops succeeded in warding off all Soviet attacks against the Reichsstraße 118 going north from Ratibor, some of these in close combat. Niehoff was awarded the Oakleaves for this action.

764th Award.

Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: General der Infanterie (Lieutenant-General of Infantry)
Unit:: Kommandant, Festung Breslau
Awarded on:: April 26th, 1945

Awarded for his outstanding defense of Breslau in early 1945. Marshal Zhukov would say the following about him, “Niehoff was a brave man. He is one of the few who I genuinely do admire. In my experience of the war Niehoff has a place of honour.”

147th Award.
Award numbering was based on the date of the awarding. Noevidence of the awarding in the Bundesarchiv.

Sources

Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer
Photo: Wilco Vermeer collection, the Netherlands
- FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
- PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
- THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
- Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
- Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
- GdI Hermann Niehoff - Axis History Forum