Heinrich Kling

Heinrich Kling (10 September 1913 – 30 September 1951) was a German Waffen-SS commander during the Nazi era, who served with the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH).

Heinrich Kling
Nickname(s)Heinz[1]
Born(1913-09-10)10 September 1913
Died30 September 1951(1951-09-30) (aged 38)
Drowned in Lake Constance
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen-SS
Years of service1933–45
RankSturmbannführer
UnitSS Division Leibstandarte
Commands held501st Heavy SS Panzer Battalion
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Biography

Kling graduated from the SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz in 1938. On November 14, 1939 he joined the 12th SS Totenkopf Standarte in Łódź, which shot a thousand residents of the psychiatric hospital in Owinsk near Poznań.[2] He participated in so called operations against "partisans", which meant the execution of Polish intellectuals and Jews.[2] For his service he was awarded with the Iron Cross 2nd Class and the War Merit Cross with swords.[2] Prior to Operation Barbarossa he came to the Leibstandarte, and commanded its 13th (heavy) company of Tiger I tanks.[2] As an ardent Nazi, Kling was popular among his fellow Waffen-SS soldiers.[3]

Since late November 1943 the SS Panzer Regiment 1 was commanded by Joachim Peiper, of whom Kling was a personal favorite. Peiper consequently made Kling leader of the 2nd Battalion,[4] and nominated him for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.[3] Kling received the award on 23 February 1944.[5]

Kling was heavily wounded during Operation Overlord.[6] On 19 March 1945, he was appointed commander of the 501st Heavy SS Panzer Battalion.[7]

References
  1. Westemeier (2014), p. 315.
  2. Westemeier (2014), p. 279.
  3. Westemeier (2014), p. 292.
  4. Westemeier (2014), pp. 279, 292.
  5. @ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 613; 28 September 1941
  6. Westemeier (2014), pp. 315, 874.
  7. Westemeier (2014), pp. 361, 362.

Bibliography
  • Westemeier, Jens (2014). Himmlers Krieger: Joachim Peiper und die Waffen-SS in Krieg und Nachkriegszeit (Krieg in der Geschichte ed.). Paderborn: Verlag Ferd.Schöningh. ISBN 978-3-506-77241-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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