Heinz Macher
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| Heinz Macher | |
|---|---|
| 31 December 1919 – 21 December 2001 (aged 81) | |
 Heinz Macher |
|
| Place of birth | Chemnitz |
| Place of death | Schenefeld, Pinneberg |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |  Waffen SS |
| Rank | Sturmbannführer |
| Unit | 16.(Pi.)/SS-PzGrenRgt 3 "Deutschland" |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Close Combat Clasp in Gold |
Heinz Macher (December 31, 1919 - December 21, 2001) was an SS-Hauptsturmführer and Nazi official. He was born in Chemnitz, Germany and joined the Nazi party in the early 1940s.
Macher led a group of 15 SS specialists who were ordered by Heinrich Himmler to blow up the SS castle Wewelsburg near Paderborn in order to ensure that the devotional objects and important files should not fall into the hands of the Allies. The demolition command arrived on March 31, 1945. The same day, after Macher had informed the local fire brigade, the south-east tower, the least important tower of the large castle, was blown up. Because of lack of explosives they could not blow up the rest of the complex. Macher ordered the firemen not to extinguish the fire so that most of the complex was nevertheless destroyed.
Macher was also charged with the task of burying the castle's treasures, including over 9,000 Death's Head rings held in a shrine to commemorate SS men killed in action. These treasures have never been found.
Macher joined Himmler during his last days. He was captured together with him and Werner Grothmann on May 21 or 22, 1945.
Macher died on December 21, 2001 in Schenefeld, Pinneberg, 10 days before his 82nd birthday.
[edit] Awards
- Wound Badge in Gold
- Infantry Assault Badge
- Tank Destruction Badge for Individual Combatants
- Iron Cross
- 2nd Class (24 September 1941)
- 1st Class (15 March 1942)
- German Cross in Gold (7 August 1944)
- Close Combat Clasp in Gold
- Bronze (12 April 1943)
- Silver (unknown)
- Gold (18 October 1944)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross (3 April 1943)
- 544. Oak Leaves (19 August 1944)
[edit] References
- Berger, Florian. Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold. Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2004. ISBN 3-9501307-3-X.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit. Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
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