Heinrich Gaedcke

He was the son of lawyer and notary Carl Gaedcke (1868–1913) and grew up in Guben. Following graduation from the Gymnasium in 1924, he joined the 8th Prussian Infantry Regiment as a professional soldier in 1925. He served in a variety of posts until 1935, when he was promoted to captain and admitted to the War Academy for general staff training. Subsequently, he worked as a clerk in the General Staff of the Army.^[1]

During the Second World War he served as a general staff officer of the 25th Infantry Division from June 1940 to January 1943, and was promoted to major in 1940, lieutenant-colonel in 1943 and colonel in 1943. In February 1943 he was assigned to the reserve of the Army Command and spent much of 1943 teaching at the military academy. He was acting general staff officer of the XXIV Panzer Corps in October–November 1943 and of the XI Army Corps from December 1943 to February 1944. From February to July 1944 he was again assigned to the reserve. In July 1944 he became the deputy of the chief of the general staff of the 4th Army and in August 1944 he became the chief of the general staff of the 6th Army. He was promoted to major general in 1944.^[1]

From 1948 to 1956 he worked in managerial roles for the companies Bürkle and Bahlsen. Following West German rearmament he joined the Bundeswehr as one of its first general officers in 1956. He commanded the Military Academy of the German Armed Forces from 1957 to 1959 and the Bundeswehr's 11th Panzergrenadier Division from 1959 to 1960. From 1961 to 1965 he was Commanding General of the 3rd Corps in Koblenz. He was promoted to lieutenant general in 1961. Upon his retirement in 1965 he was awarded both the Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and the French Legion of Merit.^[1]