Heinrich Baron von Behr

Heinrich von Behr (26 June [O.S. 13 June] 1902 – 14 August 1983) was a Baltic German general during World War II.

Heinrich Baron von Behr
Born(1902-06-26)26 June 1902
Roennen, Courland Governorate, Russian Empire (Now Kuldīga Municipality, Latvia)
Died14 August 1983(1983-08-14) (aged 81)
Bonn, West Germany
Allegiance Weimar Republic
 Nazi Germany
 West Germany
Service/branchBaltische Landeswehr
Reichswehr
Army
Bundeswehr
Years of service1919–45
1956–62
RankGeneralmajor (Wehrmacht)
Generalmajor (Bundeswehr)
Commands held90th Light Infantry Division
5th Armoured Division (Bundeswehr)
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

He was born into the von Behr Baltic German noble family, which owned Renda Manor, in 1902. During the Latvian War of Independence, von Behr joined the Baltische Landeswehr in January 1919.

After the properties of the von Behr family in Latvia were nationalized during the Latvian agrarian reform in 1920, von Behr moved to Weimar Germany, where in 1922 he joined the 16th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Cavalry Division of the Reichswehr. In 1937 he became a teacher and pentathlon coach in the Wünsdorf Military Sports School (Heeressportschule Wünsdorf).

During WWII, von Behr led reconnaissance troops during action in Poland, France, the Eastern Front, North Africa and Italy. In December 1944 he was appointed commander of tank units on the Italian front, and in April 1945 as commander of the 90th Light Infantry Division. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany.

Behr surrendered to the British troops in April 1945 and was held until August 1947. Afterwards, since September 1956 he served in the Bundeswehr of West Germany, commanding the 5th Armoured Division since December 1959. He retired in September 1962 at the rank of a general and died in Bonn in 1983.

Awards and decorations

References

Citations
  1. Thomas 1997, p. 37.
  2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 109.
  3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 76.

Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
Military offices
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Gerhard von Schwerin		 Commander of 90. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
1 April 1945 - 28 April 1945		 Succeeded by
None
Preceded by
None		 Commander of 5. Panzer-Division (Bundeswehr)
1 October 1956 – 7 December 1959		 Succeeded by
Generalmajor Günther Pape
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