Generaloberst Heinrich-Goffried von Vietinghoff gen. Scheel

SOME OF THE PRISONERS HELD AT
SPECIAL CAMP 11

NAME: Generaloberst Heinrich-Gottfried von Vietinghoff gen. Scheel

PW NO: 209229
RANK: Generaloberst
CAPTURED: Bozen, Italy
DATE: 23 May 1945

PERSONAL

DATE OF BIRTH: 6 December 1887
PLACE OF BIRTH: Mainz / Hessen
DATE OF DEATH: 23 February 1952
PLACE OF DEATH: Pfrontenried/Allgäu
NATIONALITY: German
RELIGION: Evengelical
OCCUPATION: Reg Soldier
HEIGHT: 5'11"
WEIGHT: 150lbs
HAIR COLOUR: Dark Brown
EYE COLOUR: Brown
NEXT OF KIN: US Zone

Promotions (included):

Fähnrich: 6 March 1906
Leutnant: 27 January 1907 (Patent 14 June 1905)
Hauptmann: 24 June 1915
Major: 1 March 1926
Oberstleutnant: 1 February 1931
Oberst: 1 April 1933
Generalmajor: 1 April 1936
Generalleutnant: 1 March 1938
General der Panzertruppe: 1 June 1940
Generaloberst: 1 September 1943

Commands & Assignments (included):

24 November 1938: Commander, 5^th Panzer Division.
26 October 1939: Commanding General, XIII Army Corps (corps served in the Western Campaign; later designated a 16^th Army assault unit for proposed Operation "Seelöwe" [Sea Lion]--the invasion of Great Britain).
1 November 1940-10 June 1942: Commanding General, XXXXVI Panzer Corps (corps engaged in Russia from 22 June 1941).
1 September 1942-1 December 1942: Commander-in-Chief, 9^th Army in Russia.
1 December 1942: Commander-in-Chief, 15^th Army in France.
15 August 1943-26 October 1944: Commander-in-Chief, 10^th Army in Italy.

General von Vietinghoff, Commander of 10th Army, gives a smile to a soldier at a vigilance position in advance near Napoli (1943)

26 October 1944-15 January 1945: Acting Commander-in-Chief Southwest in Italy (stood in for Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring who was recovering from head injuries sustained in an automobile accident).
29 January 1945-9 March 1945: Commander-in-Chief, Army Group Courland in Latvia.
10 March 1945-2 May 1945: Commander-in-Chief, Army Group C and Commander Southwest in Italy.
Known POW Camp transfers
- 2 March 1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from LDC (London District Cage)
- 1 April 1947 transferred to LDC from Island Farm Special Camp 11 to Allendorf on loan
- 30 September 1947 transferred to US custody for discharge.

Decorations & Awards:

Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: 24 June 1940, General der Panzertruppe, Commanding General of the XIII Army Corps on the Western Campaign.
Oakleaves (No. 456): 16 April 1944, Generaloberst, Commander-in-Chief of the 10th Army in Italy.
German Cross in Gold: 22 April 1942, General der Panzertruppe, Commanding General of the XXXXVI Panzer Corps in Russia.
Prussian Royal Hohenzollern House Order, Knight’s Cross with Swords
Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914): 23 April 1915.
Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914): 13 September 1914.
1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class: 28 September 1939.
1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class: 21 September 1939.
Medal for the Winter Campaign in Russia 1941/1942 (“East Medal”)
Saxon Albert Order, Knight 2nd Class with Swords
Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross, 2nd Class
Saxe-Meiningen Cross for War Merit
Lübeck Hanseatic Cross
Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918
Armed Forces Long Service Award, 1st Class (25-year Service Cross)
Armed Forces Long Service Award, 3rd Class (12-year Service Medal)
Austrian Order of the Iron Crown, 3rd Class with War Decoration
Austrian Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with War Decoration
Turkish War Medal (“Iron Crescent”)
Bulgarian Military Merit Order, Officer’s Cross
Panzer Assault Badge in Silver
Wound Badge in Black – World War I award

Click here to see a photo of Generaloberst Heinrich-Goffried von Vietinghoff gen. Scheel in the company of fellow prisoners of war at Island Farm

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