Kling, Heinrich 'Heinz' (Waffen SS)
- Date of birth:
- September 10th, 1913 (Kassel/Hesse-Nassau, Germany)
- Date of death:
- September 30th, 1951 (Bodensee, Germany)
- Service number:
- SS-Nr.: 39.402 // NSDAP-Nr.: 1.254.524
- Nationality:
- German
Biography
Promotions:
01.08.1932: SS-Anwärter
16.11.1932: SS-Mann
09.11.1933: SS-Unterscharführer
20.04.1935: SS-Scharführer
09.11.1935: SS-Untersturmführer
04.10.1937: SS-Junker
01.04.1938: SS-Standartenjunker
01.08.1938: SS-Standartenoberjunker
09.11.1938: SS-Untersturmführer der Verfügungstruppe
01.06.1940: SS-Obersturmführer der Waffen-SS
09.11.1941: SS-Hauptsturmführer der Waffen-SS
21.06.1944: SS-Sturmbannführer der Waffen-SS
Career:
00.00.1937-00.00.1938: SS-Junker, SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz
00.09.1939-00.11.1939: SS-Ustuf, Zugführer, 9. Sturm, SS-Standarte "Germania", SS-VT
00.11.1939: SS-Ustuf, 6. Sturm, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 12
15.08.1940: SS-Ostuf, 3. Sturm, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 12
00.08.1940: SS-Ostuf, 10. Sturm, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 15
00.12.1940: SS-Ostuf, Chef, 1. Sturm, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 5
00.07.1941: SS-Ostuf, Chef, 18. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment "LSSAH" after renaming
00.06.1942: WIA
00.06.1942: SS-Panzer-Ersatz-Bataillon
00.11.1942: SS-Hstuf, II. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Panzer-Division LSSAH
24.12.1942: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 4. Schwadron, SS-Panzer-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Panzer-Division LSSAH
25.05.1943-30.12.1943: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 13. Schwadron, SS-Panzer-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Panzer-Division LSSAH after unit renaming
00.00.1943: WIA in Kursk
00.01.1944-00.12.1944: SS-Hstuf, Kdr, II. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Panzer-Division LSSAH
00.07.1944: severely WIA in Normandy
19.03.1945: SS-Stubaf, Kdr, s.SS-Panzer-Abteilung 501
Tank ace credited with 51 tank kills
Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!
- Awarded on:
- February 1934
- Awarded on:
- December 1935
- Rank:
- SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)
- Awarded on:
- April 1st, 1942
Kling’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…
“SS-Hauptsturmführer has performed excellently in all of his battles as commander of the Tiger-Kompanie. He is responsible to a major extent for the successes of the SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 ‘LSSAH’ and has already been awarded the German Cross in Gold for his bravery. In the winter fighting around Korosten-Zhitomir-Berdichev he also was able to lead his Kompanie to victory.
With only a few operational vehicles at a time, Kling was always to be found at the centre of the fighting (having the desire to drive forward as the lead vehicle). In this time he was achieved great successes in many hard battles. On the 20.12.1943 he personally destroyed his 46th tank.
In fourteen weeks of operational fighting, Kling and his Kompanie can proudly report the following successes…
- 343 tanks
- 8 assault guns
- 255 heavy anti-tank guns
- 20 guns of heavy and medium caliber
in addition to much other war materiel destroyed.
These unique feats will be forever associated with SS-Hauptsturmführer Kling, who always had the will to press onward with his troops despite already being wounded five times.
Kling is a proven, crisis-proof, natural fighter and he is fully worthy of this proposed award.”
based on a recommendation dated 17.01.1944 and signed by Rgt. Kdr. Joachim Peiper; endorsed by Div. Kdr. Theodor Wisch; approved by Korps Kom. Gen. “Sepp” Dietrich
Sources
- Photo 1:
- - MOONEY, PETER, Waffen-SS Knights and their Battles, Schiffer Military History, 2016.
- Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
- Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
- Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
- Scheibert H., Die Träger des Deutschen Kreuzes in Gold (Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe, Waffen-SS) und Deutschen Kreuzes in Silber (Heer, Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe, Waffen-SS)
- Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945