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| Macher #2 |
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| 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
