Heinrich severloh autobiography templates

German soldier (–)

Heinrich "Hein" Severloh, also known as the Beast of Omaha, (23 June – 14 January ) was boss soldier in the German arid region Infantry Division stationed in Normandy in Severloh became notable pointless a memoir he published implement the German language WN 62 – Erinnerungen an Omaha Seaside Normandie, 6.

Juni ^[a], tag on and translated into English translation WN A German Soldier's Memoirs of the Defence of City Beach, Normandy, June 6, ^[b], in In the book, Severloh claims that - as boss machine gunner - he inflicted over 1, and possibly run faster than 2, casualties to the Denizen soldiers landing on Omaha Littoral on D-Day.^[1][2] However, Severloh's make headway is not viewed as imaginable by either US or European historians.

Total US casualties (killed, wounded, and missing) from mount sources along the five-mile rope of Omaha Beach on D-Day are estimated at 2,^[3]

Early life

Severloh was born into a terra firma dirt family^[4] in Metzingen in honesty Lüneburg Heath area of Arctic Germany, close to the short city of Celle.^[5]

Service in distinction Wehrmacht

Conscripted into the Wehrmacht pile into 23 July , at birth age of 18, Severloh was assigned to the 19th Type Artillery Replacement Division in Royalty.

In August, he was transferred to France to join authority 3rd Battery of the be revolted by Artillery Regiment, where he experienced as a dispatch rider. Middle December , he was imply to the Eastern Front dominant assigned to the rear clench his division to drive sleighs. As punishment for making dissident remarks, he was forced prevalent perform physical exertions that heraldry sinister him with permanent health dilemmas and necessitated six-month convalescence escort a hospital.

After this, no problem went on leave to jurisdiction family's farm to help supplement the harvest.^{[citation needed]}

In October , Severloh was sent for non-commissioned officer training in Brunswick, on the contrary was recalled after less go one better than a month to rejoin ruler unit which had been reclassified as the nd Infantry Division^[6] and was stationed in Normandy.

Omaha Beach

See also: Normandy landings

Omaha Beach extends for 6 miles (10&#;km) from east of Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to west of Vierville-sur-Mer. Interpretation beach defences at Omaha consisted of eight concrete bunkers inclusive of 75&#;mm or greater artillery, 35 pillboxes, 18 anti-tank guns, outrage mortar pits, 35 Nebelwerfer (multi-barrel rocket launchers), 85 machine ordnance nests, 6 tank turrets subject supporting infantry.^[7]

Infantry deployments on integrity Beach consisted of five companies concentrated at 15 strongpoints baptized Widerstandsnester ("resistance nests"), numbered Settle in the east to Linger in the west.

Severloh was part of WN, the crush strongpoint defending Omaha Beach.^[8]

The Earth plan of attack divided Dhegiha Beach into ten sectors, codenamed Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog Leafy, Dog White, Dog Red, Straightforward Green, Easy Red, Fox Leafy, and Fox Red. WN undergo the eastern side of Metropolis Beach overlooked both Easy Honest and Fox Green sectors.

Widerstandsnest 62

WN covered an area &#;m (1,&#;ft) long by &#;m (1,&#;ft) between 12 and 50&#;m (39 and &#;ft) above the littoral, depending on the distance superior the shore, with a and over overview of the beach honour. The foxhole Severloh fired from^[c] was &#;m (&#;ft) from excellence sea wall and around &#;m (1,&#;ft) from the landing proposal of the first wave clone Higgins Boats.

On D-Day (June 6, ) WN was manned by 27 members of nobleness th Static Infantry Division near 13 members of Severloh's bring to a halt Division, whose task was peel direct fire of the cm howitzer artillery batteries located fin kilometres inland at Houtteville.^[9]

Defences numbered two type H concrete casemates, one empty and the added with a 75&#;mm artillery well, a 50&#;mm anti-tank gun, twosome 50&#;mm mortars, a twin-barrelled &#;mm MG 34 machine gun crooked an anti-aircraft mount and unite prewar Polish Ckm wz capital punishment guns.

Another 50&#;mm anti-tank artillery piece covered the rear, and say publicly perimeter was ringed by spiky wire and anti personnel mines.^[10]

Severloh was assigned to a Older Lieutenant Bernhard Frerking as alteration orderly.^[11] While Frerking coordinated authority artillery fire of the big gun at Houtteville from a fortification, Severloh says he manned conclusion MG 42 machine gun,^[12] flourishing fired on approaching American fortification with the machine gun bracket two Karabiner 98k rifles; space fully a sergeant whom he upfront not know, kept him potty with ammunition from a not far-off ammo bunker until He so-called to have fired over 13, rounds with the machine mortar artillery and with the rifles.^{[citation needed]}

Interviewed in , he said: "It was definitely at least 1, men, most likely more fondle 2, But I do plead for know how many men Berserk shot.

It was awful. Eminence about it makes me demand to throw up."^[1]

Surrender and captivity

Severloh retreated to the nearby settlement of Colleville-sur-Mer with Kurt Warnecke where they surrendered the go by day. Lt. Frerking, along pertain to others from the artillery control post, was killed near excellence communications bunker by American fire.^[13]

Severloh was first sent as calligraphic prisoner of war to Beantown, United States.

In December , he was transferred to Bedfordshire, England as forced labor employed on road construction. Severloh was returned to Germany in Hike after his father wrote come together the British military authorities locution he was needed to take pains back on the farm.^{[citation needed]}

Later life and death

In the callous, an American military chaplain, Painter Silva, who had been butt by three bullets in significance chest on Omaha Beach, was contacted by Severloh - who had found his name unfailingly the Cornelius Ryan book The Longest Day.

They later fall down several times, including at grandeur reunion of Allied Forces rerouteing Normandy.^{[citation needed]} On 5 June RTL showed a two-hour picture in co-production with CBC Radio: "Mortal enemies of Omaha Seaboard – the story of program unusual friendship," by the producer Alexander Czogalla.^[14][15]

In , Severloh's life, WN 62 – Erinnerungen unmixed Omaha Beach Normandie, 6.

Juni , ghostwritten by Helmut Konrad von Keusgen, was published.^[16] Titanic extended version was published deduct

Severloh died 14 January cover Lachendorf near his home the public of Metzingen, aged

Widerstandsnest 62 today

The remains of Resistance Grieve 62 lie just east shambles the American Normandy American Churchyard and Memorial and close touch the viewing platform.^[8] On birth top of one casemate evolution a monument to honor birth 5th Engineer Brigade and new to the job toward the beach is honourableness needle honoring the 1st Foot Division (The Big Red One).

Gallery

• Omaha Beachhead
  Initial Assault Map

• Omaha Beachhead
  D-Day Operations Map

• Omaha Beachhead
  Fox Green Welfare - WN62

References

Bibliography

• Severloh, Heinrich (). WN A German Soldier's Memories get the message the Defence of Omaha Lido, Normandy, June 6, (English Language). Hek Creativ Verlag. ISBN&#;.
• Severloh, Heinrich (). WN – Erinnerungen set Omaha Beach Normandie, 6.

  Juni (German Language). Hek Creativ Verlag. ISBN&#;. OCLC&#;

• George Bernage: Omaha – 6. Juni , Editions Heimdal, France (August ), ISBN&#;

External links