Heinrich Kirchheim


Heinrich Kirchheim was a German generalleutnant who served in both World War I and World War II. He is also one of few German officers who were awarded the Pour le Mérite and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He also served as a deputy member on the "Court of Military Honour," a drumhead court-martial that expelled many of the officers involved in the 20 July Plot from the Army before handing them over to the People's Court.

Summary of his military career

1 May 1899: Entered the Army as a Fahnenjunker in the Infanterie-Regiment Prinz Friedrich der Niederlande Nr.15.
1 October 1904: Transferred to the Protection Troops in German Southwest Africa.
1 March 1941: As leader of Special Staff Libya, he was delegated with the leadership of elements of the Italian 27th Brescia Infantry Division. Arriving in Libya on 24 February 1941, Kirchheim and his special staff consisted of officers with military experience in Africa prior to and during World War I. Kirchheim was charged with studying the varied conditions in North Africa, however Generalleutnant Erwin Rommel, recently arrived and the commanding general of the newly formed German Afrika Korps chose to use Kirchheim's staff to reinforce his understrength field formations. During Rommel's first offensive in Cyrenaica, Generalmajor Kirchheim led the northern group that pushed up the Via Balbia coast road from Agedabia. Upon reaching Benghazi on 4 April 1941, Kirchheim's force split into two columns. The northernmost column, a reinforced regimental sized detachment of one infantry and one artillery battalion of the Italian 27th Brescia Infantry Division and one infantry battalion of the Italian 25th Bologna Infantry Division, commanded by Kirchheim, continued advancing up the Via Balbia to clear Australian rearguards. The German Reconnaissance Battalion 3, commanded by Oberstleutnant Irnfried Freiherr von Wechmar, hooked east and crossed the desert south of the Jebel el Akdar hills to Mechili. Securing northern Cyrenaica, Kirchheim's Brescia column linked up with the German Machinegun Battalion 8, commanded by Oberstleutnant Gustav Ponath, at Derna on 8 April 1941. Following his advance up the Via Balbia, Generalmajor Kirchheim next saw action during Rommel's attempt to seize the critical coastal fortress of Tobruk. On 16 May 1941, Rommel placed Kirchheim in command of a battle group formed from the bulk of Generalmajor Johannes Streich's 5th Light Division for an assault against the Ras el Madauer high ground on the Tobruk defensive perimeter. Though the group did seize the high ground, the attempt to capture Tobruk failed after suffering the loss of almost 1,400 German and Italian dead, wounded and missing. Rommel was dissatisfied with Kirchheim, and replaced him with Johann von Ravenstein on 30 May.
15 June 1941: Leader of Special Staff Tropics in the Army High Command.
15 March 1943: Leader of Special Staff C under the Chief of Army Armaments and Commander of the Replacement Army/Army High Command.
2 August 1944: At the same time, appointed a member of the Army Court of Honor, established by Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel under Hitler's orders, the court investigated all army officers suspected of involvement in the conspiracy that culminated with the 20 July 1944 assassination attempt on Hitler. The court members consisted of Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt, Generaloberst Heinz Guderian, General der Infanterie Walter Schroth and Generalleutnant Karl-Wilhelm Specht. Additionally, General der Infanterie Karl Kriebel and Generalleutnant Kirchheim were designated standing representatives for members who could not attend a court sitting. Generalmajor Ernst Maisel, Chief of the Office Group for Officers’ Education and Welfare of the Army Personnel Office, served as the court protocol officer. Based on evidence provided by the Gestapo, the court decided whether a suspect was “expelled” or “discharged” from the Army. The former verdict would result in a suspect's release from military jurisdiction to face trial before the infamous People's Court and subsequent execution. In a special meeting on 4 October 1944, the court heard the evidence implicating Generalleutnant Dr. phil. Hans Speidel in the conspiracy. The court refused to expel Speidel from the Army opting instead for his discharge. Although he spent the rest of the war in prison, the verdict insured Speidel did not appear before the People's Court.
15 October 1944 – 31 March 1945: Berlin Military Recruitment Inspector.
1 April 1945: Army High Command Leader Reserve.
12 April 1945 – 6 October 1947: Prisoner of war.
4 May 1945 transferred to Trent Park Camp 11 sorting camp.
24 January 1946 to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from Camp 1
11 January 1947 transferred to Camp 99 from Island Farm Special Camp 11
21 March 1947 to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from Camp 99
1 April 1947 transferred to LDC from Island Farm Special Camp 11
30 September 1947 transferred to US custody for discharge.

Dates of rank