SS-Ustuf. Heinrich Wicker
SS-Ustuf. Heinrich Wicker
Hello Everyone!
Can some provide me some information about the SS-Ustuf. Heinrich Wicker, who surrendered the KL Dachau camp to the US Amry in april 1945. I Need to know what he did before he came to Dachau, on the photo you can see that he is wearing the ordinary SS and not the "Totenkopf" so it´s pretty sure that he is from either the SS-Division "Wiking" or "Götz von Berlichingen". Since these photo is taken he is listed as MIA (vermisst), probably did the US make the process short as what they did to other SS men captured in the Dachau camp.
Regards,
Georg
Can some provide me some information about the SS-Ustuf. Heinrich Wicker, who surrendered the KL Dachau camp to the US Amry in april 1945. I Need to know what he did before he came to Dachau, on the photo you can see that he is wearing the ordinary SS and not the "Totenkopf" so it´s pretty sure that he is from either the SS-Division "Wiking" or "Götz von Berlichingen". Since these photo is taken he is listed as MIA (vermisst), probably did the US make the process short as what they did to other SS men captured in the Dachau camp.
Regards,
Georg
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SS-Ustuf. Heinrich Wicker
The following information is from John P. Moore’s „Führerliste der Waffen-SS“:
Best wishes,
~ Mike Miller / ABR
W i c k e r, Heinrich
SS-Untersturmführer
Born: 30.06.1921 in Gansbach.
Missing: 04.1945.
SS-Nr.: 320 280
Career:
Assigned to SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz: ____ - 01.1945.
Assigned to KL-Dachau: 01.1945 – 04.1945.
Best wishes,
~ Mike Miller / ABR
W i c k e r, Heinrich
SS-Untersturmführer
Born: 30.06.1921 in Gansbach.
Missing: 04.1945.
SS-Nr.: 320 280
Career:
Assigned to SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz: ____ - 01.1945.
Assigned to KL-Dachau: 01.1945 – 04.1945.
Nothing additional, just how he's listed in the Volksbund database...
Gräbernachweis des Volksbundes Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V.
Nachname: Wicker
Vorname: Heinrich
Dienstgrad:
Geburtsdatum: 30.06.1921
Geburtsort: Gausbach Bei Gernsbach
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 1945
Todesort:
Nach den uns vorliegenden Informationen ist die o. g. Person seit 1945 vermißt.
Gräbernachweis des Volksbundes Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V.
Nachname: Wicker
Vorname: Heinrich
Dienstgrad:
Geburtsdatum: 30.06.1921
Geburtsort: Gausbach Bei Gernsbach
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 1945
Todesort:
Nach den uns vorliegenden Informationen ist die o. g. Person seit 1945 vermißt.
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Hi Georg et. al.,
I recently had an opportunity to visit the archives at the Hoover Institution in Stanford, California, which has several files on Dachau. I've found some information on Wicker compiled by Peter C.T. Verheye, a survivor of Buchenwald and a researcher in the liberations of both Buchenwald and Dachau. Here's a synopsis of the biographical information he gathered on Wicker:
HEINRICH WICKER
Date of Birth: June 30, 1921
Birthplace: Gausbach bei Gernsbach (Baden-Wüttemberg)
Height: 1,87 m (6' 1")
Religion: Gottläubig (believer in God)
Children: one son out of wedlock born March 19, 1943
SS #: 320 280
Awards:
Iron Cross, 2nd Class
Winter Campaign Medal, Eastern Front 1941/42
Wound Badge in Black
Rank: SS-Untersturmführer (note: rank at April 29, 1945)
Service:
September 9, 1933: Joins Hitler Youth at age 12
June 25, 1937: Enlists in SS-Totenkopfverbande
November 1, 1938: Stationed at Dachau as an SS-Sturmmann in SS-TK 1 "Oberbayern" (Upper Bavaria)
Oct 1, 1939: Along with other members of his unit, transferred to SS-TIR 1 (First Death's Head Infantry Regiment). Issued identification tag "Erkennungsmarke - 69- 1. SS TIR 1"
May 17-June 25, 1940: Participates in invasion of Netherlands, Belgium and France as a member of the SS Totenkopf Division.
June 24, 1941: Participates in invasion of Soviet Union as a member of the SS Totenkopf Division.
Feb 13, 1942: Stationed at Demyansk Pocket with his division, Wicker is badly wounded by a bullet to the jaw near the town of Gusi.
Feb 14, 1942 - Feb 13, 1943: Evacuated from the front and treated at multiple aid stations and hospitals.
Feb 13, 1943: Declared fit for non-combat duty and assigned to "Ersatz Battalion der Freiwilligen Legion Neiderlande" (Netherlands Volunteer Legion Replacement Battalion) stationed at Graz, Austria.
May 1, 1943: Ersatz Battalion der Freiwilligen Legion Neiderlande inactivated. Wicker assigned to 11. SS AuE Abt. (11th Armored Infantry Division's Training & Replacement Battalion) also stationed at Graz.
Aug 3, 1943-Nov 24, 1943: Sent to Bad Tölz Officer Candidate School. Wicker is promoted to "Reserve-Führeranwärter" (Officer Candidate of the Reserves) and successfully completes the officer training course for disabled soldiers.
Late Nov, 1943: Assigned to Amtsgruppe D of the SS-WHVA - the concentration camp branch of the SS Economic and Administrative Main Office. Unclear if Wicker serves in the WHVA in Berlin or at Dachau.
Jan 30, 1944: Wicker successfully completes his 2-month probationary period with Amt D of the WVHA. Promoted to SS-Untersturmführer (junior officer rank equivalent of 2nd Lt. in US Army)
July 1, 1944: Assigned to KZ (concentration camp) staff at Natzweiler-Struthof.
July - Sept 15, 1944: Wicker assigned as guard company commander at Aussenkommando Cochem, a subcamp of KZ Natzweiler-Struthof. Subcamp evacuated Sept 15 due to advance of Allied forces.
Dec 1944: Appointed Lagerkommandant (senior officer) of Aussenkommado Mannheim-Sandhofen, another subcamp of KZ Natzweiler-Struthof.
March 1945: US Army advance forces KZ Natzweiler-Struthof to close.
March 28, 1945 April 2, 1945: Wicker oversees the evacuation of a column of slave laborers from Aussenkommando Neckarelz to KZ Dachau.
April 5-15, 1945: Wicker oversees the evacuation of a column of slave laborers from Aussenkommando Hessenthal and the survivors of the "Kochendorfer Todesmarsch" (Kochendorf Death March) to KZ Dachau.
April 15-29, 1945 (circa): Wicker placed in charge of training "Kampfgruppe Süd" (Combat Group South) - a 250-man scratch unit formed from KZ guards who formerly served at subcamps Neckarelz, Kochendorf and Hessental. Wicker's mother, sister, girlfriend and son visit Wicker at KZ Dachau sometime during this time frame. However, Wicker's relatives claimed after the war to have last heard from him in January 1945.
April 28, 1945: Senior commanders of KZ Dachau flee installation. Wicker is left in charge, but is unclear who his orders came from. Also unclear if his orders were to evacuate or to surrender the camp
April 29, 1945:
(morning - circa 1030AM) Wicker commands circa 100-150 SS troops manning the guard towers and entrace gate (i.e. jourhaus) to KZ Dachau. Swiss International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) member Victor Maurer convinces Wicker not to evacute camp but to surrender the KZ under several conditions, including that the SS troops will be allowed to withdraw. ICRC member Maurer is not in touch with US troops.
(afternoon - circa 1300-1500 hours) Maurer and Wicker approach an advance party of the US 42nd Infantry Division who have advanced to the residential square just outside the KZ gates. Maurer and Wicker negotiate with US General Henning Linden to surrender the KZ. Newspaper reporters Peter Furst and Marguerite Higgins are present during the negotiations.
General Linden orders a detatchment of US troops to bring Wicker to the "death train" containing 2,000+ inmates corpses starved, beaten and shot to death. The last documented photo of Wicker shows him standing in front of one of these "death train" carriages.
What happened to Wicker after the death train visit is unknown.
He is listed as MIA with the German Red Cross. I belive he is listed as KIA with the German Graves Registration service.
The circumstances of his fate are unknown.
I recently had an opportunity to visit the archives at the Hoover Institution in Stanford, California, which has several files on Dachau. I've found some information on Wicker compiled by Peter C.T. Verheye, a survivor of Buchenwald and a researcher in the liberations of both Buchenwald and Dachau. Here's a synopsis of the biographical information he gathered on Wicker:
HEINRICH WICKER
Date of Birth: June 30, 1921
Birthplace: Gausbach bei Gernsbach (Baden-Wüttemberg)
Height: 1,87 m (6' 1")
Religion: Gottläubig (believer in God)
Children: one son out of wedlock born March 19, 1943
SS #: 320 280
Awards:
Iron Cross, 2nd Class
Winter Campaign Medal, Eastern Front 1941/42
Wound Badge in Black
Rank: SS-Untersturmführer (note: rank at April 29, 1945)
Service:
September 9, 1933: Joins Hitler Youth at age 12
June 25, 1937: Enlists in SS-Totenkopfverbande
November 1, 1938: Stationed at Dachau as an SS-Sturmmann in SS-TK 1 "Oberbayern" (Upper Bavaria)
Oct 1, 1939: Along with other members of his unit, transferred to SS-TIR 1 (First Death's Head Infantry Regiment). Issued identification tag "Erkennungsmarke - 69- 1. SS TIR 1"
May 17-June 25, 1940: Participates in invasion of Netherlands, Belgium and France as a member of the SS Totenkopf Division.
June 24, 1941: Participates in invasion of Soviet Union as a member of the SS Totenkopf Division.
Feb 13, 1942: Stationed at Demyansk Pocket with his division, Wicker is badly wounded by a bullet to the jaw near the town of Gusi.
Feb 14, 1942 - Feb 13, 1943: Evacuated from the front and treated at multiple aid stations and hospitals.
Feb 13, 1943: Declared fit for non-combat duty and assigned to "Ersatz Battalion der Freiwilligen Legion Neiderlande" (Netherlands Volunteer Legion Replacement Battalion) stationed at Graz, Austria.
May 1, 1943: Ersatz Battalion der Freiwilligen Legion Neiderlande inactivated. Wicker assigned to 11. SS AuE Abt. (11th Armored Infantry Division's Training & Replacement Battalion) also stationed at Graz.
Aug 3, 1943-Nov 24, 1943: Sent to Bad Tölz Officer Candidate School. Wicker is promoted to "Reserve-Führeranwärter" (Officer Candidate of the Reserves) and successfully completes the officer training course for disabled soldiers.
Late Nov, 1943: Assigned to Amtsgruppe D of the SS-WHVA - the concentration camp branch of the SS Economic and Administrative Main Office. Unclear if Wicker serves in the WHVA in Berlin or at Dachau.
Jan 30, 1944: Wicker successfully completes his 2-month probationary period with Amt D of the WVHA. Promoted to SS-Untersturmführer (junior officer rank equivalent of 2nd Lt. in US Army)
July 1, 1944: Assigned to KZ (concentration camp) staff at Natzweiler-Struthof.
July - Sept 15, 1944: Wicker assigned as guard company commander at Aussenkommando Cochem, a subcamp of KZ Natzweiler-Struthof. Subcamp evacuated Sept 15 due to advance of Allied forces.
Dec 1944: Appointed Lagerkommandant (senior officer) of Aussenkommado Mannheim-Sandhofen, another subcamp of KZ Natzweiler-Struthof.
March 1945: US Army advance forces KZ Natzweiler-Struthof to close.
March 28, 1945 April 2, 1945: Wicker oversees the evacuation of a column of slave laborers from Aussenkommando Neckarelz to KZ Dachau.
April 5-15, 1945: Wicker oversees the evacuation of a column of slave laborers from Aussenkommando Hessenthal and the survivors of the "Kochendorfer Todesmarsch" (Kochendorf Death March) to KZ Dachau.
April 15-29, 1945 (circa): Wicker placed in charge of training "Kampfgruppe Süd" (Combat Group South) - a 250-man scratch unit formed from KZ guards who formerly served at subcamps Neckarelz, Kochendorf and Hessental. Wicker's mother, sister, girlfriend and son visit Wicker at KZ Dachau sometime during this time frame. However, Wicker's relatives claimed after the war to have last heard from him in January 1945.
April 28, 1945: Senior commanders of KZ Dachau flee installation. Wicker is left in charge, but is unclear who his orders came from. Also unclear if his orders were to evacuate or to surrender the camp
April 29, 1945:
(morning - circa 1030AM) Wicker commands circa 100-150 SS troops manning the guard towers and entrace gate (i.e. jourhaus) to KZ Dachau. Swiss International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) member Victor Maurer convinces Wicker not to evacute camp but to surrender the KZ under several conditions, including that the SS troops will be allowed to withdraw. ICRC member Maurer is not in touch with US troops.
(afternoon - circa 1300-1500 hours) Maurer and Wicker approach an advance party of the US 42nd Infantry Division who have advanced to the residential square just outside the KZ gates. Maurer and Wicker negotiate with US General Henning Linden to surrender the KZ. Newspaper reporters Peter Furst and Marguerite Higgins are present during the negotiations.
General Linden orders a detatchment of US troops to bring Wicker to the "death train" containing 2,000+ inmates corpses starved, beaten and shot to death. The last documented photo of Wicker shows him standing in front of one of these "death train" carriages.
What happened to Wicker after the death train visit is unknown.
He is listed as MIA with the German Red Cross. I belive he is listed as KIA with the German Graves Registration service.
The circumstances of his fate are unknown.
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great work Rob..I will add Wicker to my SS-TV officer database. It is curious that Wicker is not wearing the Totenkopf collar patch since he was still a member of the SS-Totenkopfwachsturmbanne during this period. Another less "illustrious" example of that sub-genre of pre-war SS-TV personnel who served in the Totenkopfdivision, ( Hassebroek, Hoppe and Baer, being the most notable), were wounded in the Russia 1941-42, and ended up back in the KL system.
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Re: SS-Ustuf Heinrich Wicker
Thanks, after this data there is little more to research, except who actually shot him. Isn´t the General himself a likely suspect ?
Does anybody receive his war pension today ? Anyway I doubt it , in case his marriage and fatherhood were not officially registered. I wonder how the redtape works in Germany regarding these cases then and now.
Cheers
Does anybody receive his war pension today ? Anyway I doubt it , in case his marriage and fatherhood were not officially registered. I wonder how the redtape works in Germany regarding these cases then and now.
Cheers
Re: SS-Ustuf Heinrich Wicker
Here is the photo of officer who may be Wicker linked from another thread
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... &p=1282399
http://www.scrapbookpages.com/Dachauscr ... icker.html
thanks
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... &p=1282399
.The photograph below shows 2nd Lt. Wicker, in front of the death train; he is standing next to Victor Maurer, who is wearing a white armband. Wicker is the third man from the left. The second photograph below was contributed by Donald E. Jackson, who was with the 40th Combat Engineer Regiment at the Dachau liberation. Jackson believes that this is a photo of the "commander of the camp." It shows a tall, slender SS soldier, wearing the same style of uniform as that worn by 2nd Lt. Wicker, lying on the ground after he was killed. The second photo is shown first in vertical format, so that the viewer can compare it with the first photo, and then in horizontal format, the way it was taken
http://www.scrapbookpages.com/Dachauscr ... icker.html
thanks
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Re: SS-Ustuf Heinrich Wicker
Yes, the fate of Heinrich Wicker is unknown. The various photos (I've seen two) that some have purported to be his body have no clear view of the face and are indistinguishable. He is listed as MIA in some records and KIA in others. I read somewhere that his wife did receive his pension, which would indicate he was dead, but again, the facts remain unclear.
- heimwehr danzig
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Re: SS-Ustuf Heinrich Wicker
The scrapbookpages article is very informative. Herr Wicker had a very eventful career. It is interesting to note how well his jaw seems to have healed considering the seriousness of the injury described therein. For the record, I also agree with the opinion expressed in the article that for Wicker to stay behind and surrender the camp after his superior officers had fled was an act of considerable bravery. He may not have foreseen the scale of the Dachau massacre, but he surely knew whatever happened when the Americans arrived it would not be anything good...
"If I looked like Himmler, I wouldn't go on about race so much"
- Albert Forster, Gauleiter Danzig West Prussia
- Albert Forster, Gauleiter Danzig West Prussia