Hermann Richard Heidrich was a German paratroop general during World War II.
12 Facts About Richard Heidrich
1.
2.
Richard Heidrich was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords of Nazi Germany.
3.
Richard Heidrich became an officer in 1915 and won the Iron Cross 1st Class.
4.
In 1938, Heidrich commanded the parachute infantry battalion of the Heer which he had formed as a Major in the infantry.
5.
Richard Heidrich was transferred to the staff of the 7th Air Division, but then left the Luftwaffe to lead the 514th Infantry Regiment in the Battle of France.
6.
Richard Heidrich then formed the 3rd Parachute Regiment which he led with great success in the Battle of Crete.
7.
In November 1942, Richard Heidrich commanded the 1st Parachute Division, which was deployed on the Eastern Front.
8.
Elements of the division under Richard Heidrich's command participated in the fighting at Anzio-Nettuno.
9.
On 23 January 1945, General Richard Heidrich was seriously wounded and taken to the field hospital.
10.
Richard Heidrich gave his last order on 1 May 1945 at the corps command post in Italy and gave up his command of the 1st Parachute Corps.
11.
Richard Heidrich was then transferred to the hospital at home.
12.
When he was released from captivity in the summer of 1945, General Richard Heidrich, who had never recovered from his wounds, did not have long to live and died on 22 December 1947 at the age of just 51 in the Hamburg-Bergedorf care hospital.