Wilhelm Heye


August Wilhelm Heye was a German officer who rose to the rank of Generaloberst and became head of the Army Command within the Ministry of the Reichswehr in the Weimar Republic. One of his sons was admiral Hellmuth Heye.

Biography

The son of a Prussian officer, Heye joined the Army in 1888 and subsequently became a member of the German General Staff. During the First World War, he served on both the East and Western fronts, eventually becoming the last chief of the operations department at the Oberste Heeresleitung. After the end of the war, he assisted Hans von Seeckt in organising the new Reichswehr, serving as the second Chief of the Truppenamt and later commander of the Wehrkreis I. In 1926, he replaced Seeckt as Chief of Army Command and held that position until retiring in 1930.

Decorations and awards