Date of birth:

April 28th, 1918 (Unsen/Hannover, Duitsland)

Date of death:

May 27th, 2006 (Bad Pyrmont, Germany)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Heinrich Keese did his military service in Pioneer Battalion 20 from November 1, 1938. As a reporter to the battalion headquarters, he took part in the Polish campaign and was then promoted to private. With the 3rd company of the battalion he took part in the western campaign, where he was wounded at Arras. From June 1941 he took part in the Russian campaign. From June 20 to October 1, 1942, he attended an officers' course and was promoted to lieutenant in the reserve on October 1, 1942. He was then placed in the replacement battalion of the Pioneer Battalion and returned to Pioneer Battalion 20 on February 1, 1943, and became a battalion adjutant. Promoted to first lieutenant in the reserve on January 1, 1944, he was appointed chief of the 2nd Company and on January 3, 1944 was awarded the German Cross in Gold for bravery. On July 27, 1944, he received the Army Honorary Leaf Clasp and was promoted to captain on August 1, 1944. In autumn 1944 he proved himself in the heavy defensive battles in the Vistula bridgehead near Baranow, for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross on October 20, 1944. From November 20 to December 16, 1944 he took part in a battalion leader course at the Pioneer School in Dessau and then became commander of the Pioneer Battalion 20. With this he proved himself in the heavy defensive battles in the Sprottau / Sagan area and was on Awarded the Oak Leaves as Major of the Reserve on March 28, 1945. On April 22, 1945 he was seriously wounded in the battle for the Berlin-Köpenick train station. He escaped Russian captivity by transporting the wounded on a fishing boat and ended up wounded in British captivity.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 13th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 6th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Zugführer, Pionier-Bataillon 20, 20. Infanterie-Division

Awarded on:

January 3rd, 1944

Award 570/5.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 27th, 1944

3624th Award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Chef, 2. Kompanie, Pionier-Bataillon 20 (motorisiert), 20. Panzer-Grenadier-Division / XXXXVI.Panzer-Korps / 4.Panzer-Armee / Heeresgruppe A

Awarded on:

October 20th, 1944

After strong Soviet forces had broken through NE of Lemberg, Oberleutnant Keese received the order to create and secure a bridgehead encompassing two key road bridges. He was to hold it at all costs against any Soviet forces that broke through to allow German formations further east to retreat across the bridges if necessary.

Following its construction, the bridgehead suddenly came under attack in the middle of the night by hostile tanks. Soon no less than 21 enemy tanks had penetrated into the small bridgehead with mounted infantry. In this critical situation Oberleutnant Keese went from Pionier to Pionier in order to inspire his men to fight. They engaged the opposing armour with hand grenades and Panzerfausts, crushed the escorting infantry and inflicted heavy losses on the Soviets.

When the Soviet infantry were preparing for a new attack later on, Oberleutnant Keese conducted his own spoiling attacks that inflicted great losses on them and disordered the Soviets to such a degree that they fled to a nearby forest.

Keese would be awarded the Knight’s Cross for his role in securing this small bridgehead despite the great forces set against him.

3863rd Award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major der Reserve (Major of Reserves)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Pionier-Bataillon 20 (motorisiert), 20. Panzer-Grenadier-Division / Panzer-Korps „Großdeutschland“ / 4.Panzer-Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

March 28th, 1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
• - SCHERZER, VEIT, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio Verlag, Bissendorf, 2010.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
  - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
  - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X