Hermann Niehoff: Map

Categories: World War II prisoners of war held by the Soviet Union > Military personnel referenced in the Wehrmachtbericht > Recipients of the Knight's Cross > Recipients of the German Cross > People from the Province of Hanover

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Hermann Niehoff was a German officer during World War II. He was born on 4 March 1897 and died in 1980. Niehoff was born in Papenburg

/Ems. He was a German infantry general and was the garrison commander of Fortress Breslau (Festung Breslau) during the Battle of Breslau.

Commands

Commanding Officer of the 211th Replacement Regiment - 1939 to 1940
Commanding Officer of the 464th Regiment - 1940 to 1943
Infantry General (General der Infanterie) of the 371st Infantry Division - 1943 to 1945
Garrison Commander of Fortress Breslau - 2 March to 6 May 1945

Actions

As General of the 371 Infantry Division (371.Infanterie Division), Niehoff participated in the break out from the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket during March and April 1944. At this time, his division was part of Colonel General (Generaloberst) Hans-Valentin Hube's 1st Panzer Army.

From 13 February to 6 May 1945, Breslau was besieged by the Soviet 6th Army. The 6th Army was part of the Soviet 1st Ukrainian Front commanded by Marshal Ivan Konev.

On 2 March, Niehoff became the garrison commander. To oppose the Soviets, Niehoff had a mix of German Army, Home Guard, and Hitler Youth troops. During the siege, Niehoff's over-matched forces held Breslau for more than two months while much of the city was destroyed and many of his troops were killed.

On 6 May, four days after Berlin

fell and only two days before the unconditional surrender of Germany, Niehoff signed a conditional surrender of Fortress Breslau to the Soviets. None of the conditions were kept by the Soviets. Niehoff remained a prisoner of war from 1945 to 1955.

Awards

Wound Badge in Black
Infantry Assault Badge
German Cross in Gold (6 January 1942)
Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Knight's Cross on 15 June 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 371. Infaterie-Division
- 764th Oak Leaves on 5 March 1945 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 371. Infaterie-Division
- 147th Swords on 26 April 1945 as General der Infanterie and commander of the Festung Breslau
Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht

Notes

Scherzer 2007, p. 569.

References

Citations

Scherzer 2007, p. 569.

Bibliography

Berger, Florian (2000). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. Wien, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

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