Does anybody recognize this man? Who is Heinz? During WWII, this man saved my father’s life.
I’m sharing this story because I would like to find out more about him and perhaps connect with his family.
My father referred to him as “Heinz,” the kind German soldier and a friend. PLEASE feel free to share this story.
I am seeking our readers help. Hopefully, what I’m about to share can be shared and reposted, and perhaps some positive outcome will result.
I hope to start a search for a man I only know as “Heinz.” I’m not even sure if Heinz is his real name. I only have a picture of him initially found in my father’s WWII YMCA POW Diary. My father who called him Heinz wrote he was one of Nazie's soldiers who captured him in Mortain, France, on August 6, 1944, just before 11:00 pm.
Heinz was different from the rest of the SS Nazis. He had compassion and offered friendship and care to my father and other Americans who were captured and became prisoners of war. It was apparent to my father that Heinz disagreed with the Nazie regime but was pressed into service because he was brilliant, and Hitler’s army needed all the manpower they could get. Heinz walked with other Nazi guards over 825 miles for 52 days with them at gunpoint, transporting them to the horrific prison camp Stalag VIIA near Munich, Germany, where my father ended up spending nine months in hell.
My first book, Hidden Hell: Discovering my Father's P.O.W. Diary, tells my father’s entire story, including how Heinz became his best friend.
Here is an excerpt from my book about the goodness of Heinz.
“One day, Dad caught sight of a familiar German face. It was the Nazi guard who, on the fateful night of August 6, had pressed the barrel of his gun into my dad's back, announcing that he was now a prisoner of Nazi Germany. Dad had quickly discerned that this guard was different from the rest. Soft-spoken, he appeared highly educated and polished, emanating kindness and understanding. He also took an interest in the well-being of the American prisoners. It was clear to my dad and the other POWs that this guard wanted nothing to do with Nazi Germany or its army.
The guard approached my father, greeting him with a slight smile. Speaking perfect English, he glanced around cautiously, saying in a low voice, “Hello, my name is Heinz.” Surprised, my dad smiled back, replying, “My name is Herbert.” Heinz said he knew my father's name from the interrogation records and remembered him from their long journey together. “You are the one who is always hungry,” Heinz said. My father replied, “Yes, I am, and I'm starving now.”
Heinz was now responsible for guarding the area in which my father and the other American POWs were imprisoned. After their brief conversation, Heinz began to walk on, trying to avoid scrutiny. “I'll see what I can do for you,” were his parting words to my father. Stunned, my father mouthed “thank you” as Heinz disappeared around the corner. Feeling optimistic for the first in weeks, Dad returned to his hut and drifted off to sleep, hoping to take his mind off his hunger and injured ribs.”
There are other meaningful mentions of courageous acts Heinz did for my father and the kindness he exhibited to other POWs in my father’s circle of friends.
Sadly, based on my dad’s journal, Heinz suddenly disappeared one day at the camp unexpectedly. My father and others believe his superiors caught on that Heinz was a sympathizer supplying scraps of food to the prisoners.
Somewhere in this world, someone may see this picture, and perhaps recognize him as a distant relative or friend, and remember this man for his service, how he lived, and perhaps how and when he died. Was he a relative or a friend? Does he have children, grandchildren or great grandchildren or family dependents still living and recognize this photo? I hope so.
My father has passed in 1994, and never had a chance to know about the book I wrote about him and his bravery in 2011. He was a true hero as were many other during WWII. After 13 years of wondering about this, it is now I feel compelled to discover more about Heinz.
My book Hidden Hell is now out of print, but you can still get one from Amazon in limited supply. In January 2025, my book agent will re-publish it as an ebook, and it will be available as a ePub.
For now, if anyone has information, an idea, or even a hunch, please message me on the Substack platform or on Facebook.
Life is unpredictable, and one never knows what may turn up. I’m thanking everyone in advance for reading this. It would be awesome if I could connect the dots on this history.
Being re-released in January 2025
