SOME OF THE PRISONERS HELD AT
SPECIAL CAMP 11

NAME: Generalleutnant Heinrich “Heinz” Trettner (Luftwaffe)

PW NO:          B33415
RANK:            Generalleutnant

CAPTURED:   St Christofero, Italy

DATE:             3 May 1945

 

PERSONAL
DATE OF BIRTH:    19 September 1907

PLACE OF BIRTH:   Minden/Westfalen

DATE OF DEATH:          

PLACE OF DEATH:          

NATIONALITY:       German

RELIGION:               Roman Catholic

OCCUPATION:        Regular Air Force Officer

HEIGHT:                   175cms

WEIGHT:                  68 kgs

HAIR COLOUR:       Brown

EYE COLOUR:         Brown

NEXT OF KIN:         British Zone, Duesseldorf

Promotions:

  • Fahnenjunker: 1 April 1925
  • Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier: 1 November 1926
  • Fähnrich: 1 August 1927
  • Oberfähnrich: 1 August 1928
  • Leutnant: 1 February 1929
  • Charakter als Oberleutnant: 31 October 1932
  • Oberleutnant: 1 June 1933
  • Hauptmann: 1 June 1935
  • Major: 1 August 1939 (RDA later changed to 1 February 1939)
  • Oberstleutnant: 1 October 1941
  • Oberst: 1 March 1943
  • Generalmajor: 1 July 1944
  • Generalleutnant: 1 April 1945 (RDA 30 January 1945)
  • Generalmajor (Bundeswehr): 2 November 1956
  • Generalleutnant (Bundeswehr): 14 October 1960
  • General (Bundeswehr): 1 January 1964

Commands & Assignments:

  • 1 April 1925-31 October 1932: Entered the Army as a Fahnenjunker and later Squadron Officer in Reiter [Mounted]-Regiment 18.
  • 1 November 1926-31 July 1927: Detached to the Dresden Infantry School.
  • 1 November 1927-31 July 1928: Detached to the Hannover Cavalry School.
  • 31 October 1932: Separated from the Army.
  • 1 November 1932-30 September 1933: Pilot training at the Braunschweig Flying School, training at the Air Radio School in Berlin and then to Lufthansa and the Royal Italian Air Force.  
  • 1 October 1933-31 July 1935: With the Inspectorate of Schools (In 4) in the Reich Air Ministry (entered the Luftwaffe on 1 May 1934).
  • 1 May 1934-31 July 1935: At the same time, Adjutant of the Kitzingen Flying School.
  • 1 August 1935-31 March 1936: Adjutant of the Magdeburg Flying School.
  • 1 April 1936-4 October 1936: Adjutant and Chief Personnel Officer (IIa) on the staff of the Higher Air Commander III, Dresden.
  • 5 October 1936-21 November 1936: Third Course at Air War School II, Berlin.
  • 22 November 1936-14 September 1937: Adjutant and Chief Personnel Officer (IIa) on the staff of the Commander of the Condor Legion in Spain and, at the same time, Commandant of the Staff Quarters of the Condor Legion.
  • 15 September 1937-13 January 1938: Staffelkapitän [Squadron Commander] in Kampfgruppe K 88 of the Condor Legion in Spain.
  • 14 January 1938-30 June 1938: General Staff training at the Air War Academy, Berlin.
  • 1 July 1938-14 June 1939: Operations Officer (Ia) on the staff of the 7. Flieger [Air]-Division (Parachute Troops) commanded by Generalmajor Kurt Student.
  • 1 January 1939-14 December 1940: At the same time, Consultant in the Inspectorate of Parachute Troops (L In 11)/Reich Air Ministry.
  • 15 June 1939-14 December 1940: Operations Officer (Ia) on the staff of the 7. Flieger-Division (Parachute Troops) commanded by Generalleutnant Kurt Student. [On 14 May 1940, Student was struck in the head by a stray bullet while in Rotterdam negotiating the Dutch surrender. The bullet was probably fired by troops of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Regiment. Command of the 7. Flieger-Division passed to Generalmajor Richard Putzier and then to Generalmajor Wilhelm Süßmann from 1 October 1940.]
  • 15 December 1940-6 April 1942: Operations Officer (Ia) in the General Staff of the XI. Fliegerkorps [Air Corps] commanded by General der Flieger (later Fallschirmtruppe) Kurt Student.
  • 7 April 1942-1 September 1942: Delegated with the post of Chief of the General Staff of the XI. Fliegerkorps commanded by General der Fallschirmtruppe Kurt Student.
  • 2 September 1942-3 October 1943: Chief of the General Staff of the XI. Fliegerkorps commanded by General der Fallschirmtruppe Kurt Student.
  • 4 October 1943-31 May 1944: Delegated with the formation and leadership of the 4. Fallschirm-Jäger [Parachute]-Division. [After undergoing formation in northern Italy, the 4. Fallschirm-Jäger-Division was committed to battle containing the Allied beachhead at Anzio-Nettuno in January 1944 as a component of General der Flieger (later Fallschirmtruppe) Alfred Schlemm’s I. Fallschirm-Korps. The division served in Italy for the rest of the war seeing action in the areas of Rome, Sienna, Florence, Rimini, and Bologna. On 3 May 1945, Trettner’s division surrendered in the vicinity of Vicenza and Bolzano.]
  • 1 June 1944-3 May 1945: Commander of the 4. Fallschirmjäger-Division.
  • 3 May 1945-12 April 1948: Prisoner of war in U.S. and then British captivity.
    • 29th July 1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from LDC (London District Cage)
    • 13th August 1946 transferred to LDC from Island Farm Special Camp 11
    • 19th August 1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from LDC
    • 30th October 1947 transferred to LDC for 30 days inter loan to Dutch - back on 20th December 47
    • 6th April 48 repatriated
  • 2 November 1956: Entered the post-World War II German Bundeswehr with the rank of Generalmajor.
  • 13 November 1956: Academically Certified Political Economist (Diplom-Volkswirt).
  • 2 November 1956-14 September 1959: Leader of the Logistics Department of the NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe, Paris.
  • 15 September 1959-28 February 1960: At the disposal of the Leader Staff of the Army/Federal Ministry of Defense, detached for training to the staff of the III Corps, Koblenz.
  • 1 March 1960-30 September 1963: Commanding General of the I Corps, Münster.
  • 1 October 1963-31 December 1963: Detached for training to the Leader Staff of the Armed Forces/Federal Ministry of Defense.
  • 1 January 1964-24 August 1966: General Inspector of the Bundeswehr.
  • 24 August 1966-25 August 1966: On leave.
  • 25 August 1966: Retired from the Bundeswehr.

Decorations & Awards:

  • Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: 24 May 1940, Major, Operations Officer (Ia) of the 7. Flieger-Division.
  • Oakleaves (No. 586): 17 September 1944, Generalmajor, Commander of the 4. Fallschirmjäger-Division.
  • Iron Cross, 1st Class (1939): 12 May 1940.
  • Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1939): 12 May 1940.
  • Armed Forces Long Service Awards
  • German Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords: 6 June 1939.
  • Luftwaffe Combined Pilot/Observer Badge in Gold with Diamonds
  • Wound Badge in Black – World War II award: 3 March 1944.
  • Spanish Breast Star to the War Cross: 30 September 1938.
  • Spanish Campaign Medal: 1 December 1938.
  • Merit Order of the Federal Republic of Germany, Grand Merit Cross with Star and Shoulder Sash: 18 January 1967.
  • French Legion of Honor, Grand Officer: 31 December 1969.
  • British Royal Victorian Order: 18 May 1965.
  • U.S. Legion of Merit, Commander: 1 November 1964.
  • Merit Order of the Italian Republic, Grand Officer: 8 August 1965.
  • Greek Order of George I, Grand Officer: 16 July 1965.
  • Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht [Armed Forces Communiqué]: 28 June 1944.


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