ARC Main Page Aktion Reinhard Himmler's Last Days

Heinz Macher

Last Update 3 September 2005






Macher #2
Macher #2
Macher #1
Macher #1
Heinz Macher was born on 31 December 1919 in Chemnitz.

Oakleaves and Close Combat Clasp in Gold, final rank SS-Sturmbannführer and Chief of the 16th SS-Kompanie of the SS Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 3 D of the 2nd SS-Panzerdivision "Das Reich".

Macher led a group of 15 SS specialists who were ordered by Himmler to blow up the SS castle Wewelsburg near Paderborn in order to ensure that the devotional objects and important files should not fall into the hands of the Allies.
The demolition command arrived on 31 March 1945. The same day, after Macher had informed the local fire-brigade, the south-east tower, the least important tower of the large castle, was blown up. Because of lack of explosives they could not blow up the rest of the complex. Macher ordered the firemen not to extinguish the fire so that most of the complex was nevertheless destroyed.

Macher joined Himmler during his last days. He was captured together with him and Werner Grothmann on 21 or 22 May 1945.
Macher died on 21 December 2001 in Schenefeld near Hamburg.

Sources:
Axis History Forum
www.wewelsburg.de/

© ARC 2005