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~SOLD~MACHER Heinz
Sturmbannführer
Macher, Heinz
* 31.12.1919 Chemnitz/Sachsen
+ 21.12.2001 Schenefeld
Awarded Knights Cross: 03.04.1943
as: Untersturmführer Führer 16.(Pi.)/PzGrenRgt "Deutschland"
Awarded Oakleaves as the 554th Recipient: 19.08.1944 as Obersturmführer
Chef 16.(Pi.)/PzGrenRgt 3 "Deutschland"
Postwar signed photo measuring 4” x 5 ¾”
Macher was one of only 98 men who were awarded both the Knights Cross and the Close Combat Clasp in Gold. You can read about him in Florian Berger’s excellent book “ The Face Of Couarge” which tells the stories of these brave men
Macher’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…
“Over the course of the eastern campaign 1941/42 SS-Untersturmführer Macher has distinguished himself by his bravery. These operations join a number of outstanding feats-of-arms by the 16.(Pionier)/SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. ‘Deutschland’ in February 1943, specifically during the defensive battles in the Oskol sector. These contributed significantly to the tactical successes of the SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. ‘Deutschland’ in this area.
Macher and his Kompanie would go on to distinguish themselves in the pursuit battles from Krassnograd to Kharkov during mine-clearing and assault operations.
Macher took part in an armoured attack against Pawlograd, which involved the bulk of the SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. ‘Der Führer’, the staff of the SS-Division ‘Das Reich’ as well as the 16.(Pionier)/SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. ‘Deutschland’. In this time Macher rallied his Kompanie on his own initiative, eliminated 2 enemy tanks, forced the remaining 10 to retreat and also eliminated the bulk of two enemy companies.
On the 11.03.1943 Macher received the mission take his Kompanie and capture the anti-tank ditch west of Kharkov in a stormtroop-like manner, without the support of heavy weapons. In the process of doing so he was to employ a Panzer-Pionier-Zug for the task of creating a passage for the advance of friendly armoured forces to the edge of Kharkov itself. Macher penetrated into the anti-tank ditch, eliminated the enemy MG nests that had taken up position there and took control of a part of the anti-tank ditch (which was fully frozen over) that was favourable for creating a passage.
Exceeding this assigned task, Macher stormed past the anti-tank ditch on his own initiative into the enemy positions along the edge of Kharkov. There he eliminated the heavy machine-gun nests that were dug into houses and armoured cupolas as well as the Pakfront that was located behind them. These anti-tank guns, dug-in within a commanding position, had hitherto been making an approach by friendly armoured forces an unthinkable proposition.
In close combat Macher and his 32 man strong Kompanie captured cupola after cupola and house after house, and in the process were able to take out the emplaced enemy weapons that had been brought into position.
Macher held this break-in area despite several bitter enemy counterthrusts, some of which were fended off in hand to hand combat. During this operation Macher distinguished himself through outstanding bravery and imperturbability.
This independent action by SS-Untersturmführer Macher opened the way for the bulk of the SS-Pz.Gren.Div. ‘Das Reich’ to flow into the city at a very early stage, and laid the groundwork for the swift and relatively bloodless occupation of Kharkov. Particularly noteworthy as well is that Macher employed his Kompanie in such a way that it emerged from the battle with minimal losses despite the bitter close combat it was engaged in.”
1393rd Award.
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