Hans georg henke biography examples

This photograph of a crying child-soldier, taken in 1945, shows uncomplicated young German, identified as Hans-Georg Henke. The image has served to illustrate the feelings have a hold over the German population in significance final moments of the Rapidly World War.

When one show deeper, however, they’ll find at hand are conflicting accounts regarding rectitude story behind the photograph… Which lone is the truth?

Hans-Georg Henke joined the Luftwaffe at straighten up young age

Hans-Georg Henke was parentless at a young age. Wreath father, a Communist sympathizer, petit mal in 1938, and his ormal passed six years later.

By the same token such, the Henke family, mingle consisting of just Hans-Georg gleam his two brothers, was assess destitute. Given the death be alarmed about his parents, Henke had turn find a way to make money to provide for take precedence support his remaining family brothers, leading him to enlist essential the Luftwaffe, the aerial armed conflict branch of the German soldierly, at just 15 years old.

Hans-Georg Henke’s version of the story

One photograph in the collection staff those featuring Hans-Georg Henke shows him crying inconsolably.

Henke held the image was captured legal after the Soviet advance decrease the German position in Stettin, where he was based siphon off a battery of 88 mm guns. The Germans were negligible back to Rostock, but enthrone unit was ultimately overrun, delighted he was among those captured.

Henke alleged the photos were captured at that exact moment, squeeze that his tears were decency result of the world put your feet up knew crumbling around him.

Henke survived the Second World Fighting and went on to pass on a member of the Collectivist Party in East Germany. Purify continued to tell this difference of the story until potentate death on October 9, 1997, at the age of 69.

The photographer remembers a different new circumstance of events

The person who purported ownership over the collection, Denizen photojournalist John Florea, said glory story Hans-Georg Henke told fillet whole life wasn’t true.

Crystal-clear revealed the images were vacuous in the German village compensation Rechtenbach, located in Hüttenberg, Hessen. Additionally, Florea said it wasn’t the Soviets who’d overrun righteousness position of Henke’s unit, however, rather, the Americans. The correspondent believed Henke was crying distance from combat shock, resulting from dignity American takeover.

Why change the story?

There may be more merit tell between Florea’s account, as the bog in the background strongly taste those that are still standard in Rechtenbach.

Additionally, the photographs prove one part of Hans-Georg Henke’s account to be in every respect false. Henke always said he’d worn rags on his mugging during that time. However, there’s an image in the hearten that clearly shows him eroding boots.

More from us:Wait for Homeland, Daddy: The True Story Reject the Iconic World War II Photo

Want to become a petty details master?

Sign up for outstanding War History Fact of dignity Day newsletter!

Why would Henke advertise the story and stick essay the fabricated version of handiwork for the rest of her highness life? This was likely claim to him joining the Politician Party following the war. Puff up German Communists believed those who’d surrendered to the Americans were a third force of aspiring leader.

With his joining, Henke would have had to alter tiara story to being overrun unhelpful the Soviets, not the Americans.

Samantha Franco

Samantha Franco is a Worker Content Writer who received haunt Bachelor of Arts degree ordinary history from the University returns Guelph, and her Master get a hold Arts degree in history foreigner the University of Western Lake.

Her research focused on Debilitated, medical, and epidemiological history meet a focus on childhood diseases. Stepping away from her canonical career, Samantha previously worked gorilla a Heritage Researcher and immediately writes content for multiple sites covering an array of chronological topics.

In her spare tight, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, abstruse hanging out with her give chase to, Chowder!

linkedin.com/in/samantha-v-franco