Geerkens, Heinrich

Geerkens, Heinrich, born 15-09-1893 in Buschenschachen, Saar, entered the Army Service Reserves on 01-10-1913, age 20 and was activated in 1916. He was a one year volunteer in the 7^th Foot Artillery Regiment. He joined the Flying Troops from 1915 until October 1919. Geerkens was with the 3^rd Light Motor Vehicle Column and retired on 31-12-1920. He joined Goering’s Luftwaffe Service  on 01-04-1934 as a Hauptmann with the Air Office in Münster. Detached to the Flying School in Hildesheim. Generalmajor der Infanterie, Commander of Railroad Security Section Staff 5, Paul Diesener

      and Generalmajor der Flieger, Kommandeur Kassel-Rothwesten, Werner Mundt are buried in Hildesheim. With the beginning of World War II Geerkens was the commander of the 33^rd Flying Training Regiment until October 1942 and commander of the 17^th Luftwaffe Jäger Regiment in Russia until 01-11-1943. He then was transferred to the Army Service and assigned as commander of the 17^th Jäger Regiment to 22-01-1944. He then was delegated with the leadership of the 9^th Field Division until 24-01-1944, succeeding then Oberst Ernst Michael  . Michael was posthumously promoted to Generalmajor and died  age 46 on 22-01-1944 in Tuganitzky, Soviet Union. The 9^th  Lufwaffe Field Division was badly mauled during the Soviet offensive of January 1944 near Leningrad. The German 9^th Luftwaffe Field Division was badly mauled during the Soviet offensive of January 1944 near Leningrad.

It was later merged with the 225^th Infantry Division, as Geerkens, age 50, was killed in action near Valassow, Leningrad. He is buried in Russia, but there is a remembrance stone on the Westfriedhof of Cologne.