Willy Hein

Willi Hein
File:WILLYHEIN1.jpg
Born	26 April 1917 Hohenwestedt, Germany
Died	Lauenburg, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1940–45
Rank	Hauptsturmführer
Unit	5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross German Cross in Gold Honour Roll Clasp of the Army Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class Panzer Badge in Silver "75" Wound Badge

Willi Hein (26 April 1917 – 25 October 2000) was a Hauptsturmführer (Captain) in the Waffen-SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Early life

Willi Hein was born in Hohenwestedt. He attended the local elementary and secondary schools and left in March 1933.

He obtained a position as a trainee salesperson from April 1933 to March 1936, then worked as a businessman from April 1939 to October 1939 on the island of Sylt.

World War II

After the outbreak of World War II, Hein volunteered to join the SS-VT in September 1939 and was posted to the SS Regiment Germania and in May 1940 to the SS Regiment Nordland.

He was selected to become an officer and posted to the SS-Junkerschule in Bad Tölz from 1 November 1941 to 31 January 1942. After graduation he was promoted to Untersturmführer (Second Lieutenant) and posted to the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking on the Eastern Front, as a platoon commander in the 5th SS Panzer Regiment.

In October 1943, Hein was complimented by Adolf Hitler for his outstanding defensive performance in the Battle of Kharkov. He was given command of the 2nd Company, 5th SS Panzer Regiment in November 1943, entered on the Honour Role of the German Army, and, in January 1944, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold.

Hein was involved in the Battle of Cherkassy in the area of Olschana. The division was surprised by a Soviet attack; he gathered two hastily repaired Sturmgeschütz and 25 Grenadiers and launched a counterattack which resulted in the destruction of three T-34 tanks, fifteen anti-tank guns and taking 200 prisoners. The unit held out against further Soviet attacks and maintained the German line until reinforcements arrived. For these actions he was awarded the Knight's Cross in May 1944.

In September 1944 Hein was given command of the I.Battalion, 5th SS Panzer Regiment, shortly afterward on 5 January 1945 Hein was severely wounded in his lower leg in the fighting for Budapest and spent the rest of the war in hospital at Bad Aussee in Austria. His promotion to Hauptsturmführer was on 30 January 1945.

Willi Hein survived the war and died on 25 October 2000, in Lauenburg.

Awards

• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (4 May 1944)
• German Cross in Gold (30 December 1943)
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (15 November 1943)
• Iron Cross 1st class (30 January 1943)
• Iron Cross 2nd class (26 July 1942)
• Panzer Badge in Silver "75" (9 November 1944)
• Panzer Badge in Silver "25" (9 November 1943)
• Panzer Badge in Silver (March 1943)
• Panzer Badge in Bronze (14 September 1942)
• Wound Badge in Silver
• Wound Badge in Black (21 February 1944)
• Goldenes HJ Ehrenzeichen
• Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen (Bronze)
• SA-Sportabzeichen (Bronze)
• Ehrenwinkel der Alte Kämpfer

Further reading

• Hamilton Charles Leaders and Personalities of the Third Reich, R James Bender Pub 1997, ISBN 0-912138-27-0
• Kurowski Franz Panzer Aces II Stackpole Books, 2004, ISBN 0-8117-3175-8