This memorial page is dedicated to Heinz Braun, one of more than 725 war victims connected to the municipality of Deurne documented by Stichting Oorlogsslachtoffers. The municipality of Deurne and the surrounding villages of Liessel, Vlierden, Helenaveen, Neerkant and Zeilberg were liberated in the autumn of 1944 during heavy fighting. Victims fell on all sides: Allied soldiers from countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and New Zealand, and German soldiers.

But the archive covers more than just the combat victims on Deurne soil. Residents of Deurne who lost their lives elsewhere are also commemorated: civilians who were murdered in concentration camps, forced labourers who died in Germany, people who were executed or succumbed to the effects of persecution and oppression. In addition, residents of Deurne who entered German military service and were killed elsewhere are also included.

Stichting Oorlogsslachtoffers has been documenting the story of all these people since 1995, without distinction of nationality, side or background. The goal is to give every person a name and a face, and to keep their memory alive.

 

Name: Braun
First names: Heinz
Nickname: –
Date of birth: 27 October 1926
Place of birth: Vallendar (Mayen-Koblenz)
Residence: –
Rank / Occupation: Grenadier
Identity tag: –
Unit: –
Date of death: 24 September 1944
Place of death: Deurne
Cause of death: –
Cemetery: German Military Cemetery at Ysselsteyn
Memorial site: –

Additional information

Grave location: Section BI, Row 4, Grave 96

Fleeing from the advancing Allies, six German soldiers were driving a vehicle laden with ammunition towards Griendtsveen. As they passed a small group of churchgoers, who had just attended Sunday mass and were on their way home, they warned them of the impending danger.

The churchgoers managed to take refuge in a cellar just in time before the vehicle was ambushed by the Allies, who were also approaching from Griendtsveen towards Deurne. Almost immediately, the six German soldiers were killed when their vehicle exploded.

On 20 August 1947, the Identification and Recovery Service exhumed the bodies of the six unidentified German soldiers from the grounds of Lambert van de Broek’s property at Griendtsveenseweg Z.315 in Zeilberg.

Three of these soldiers were later identified as Heinz Braun, Helmut Fink and Theodorus Reuser; unfortunately, it was not possible to identify the other three soldiers either, and they are therefore buried as ‘Ein deutscher Soldat’ under grave numbers 73, 74 and 75 in section BJ, row 3. It is possible that the three unidentified soldiers may be found in the ‘missing’ category; a thorough investigation must determine whether the identification reports of the unidentified war victims can be compared with the medical records of the missing war victims.

A transfer report containing identification details, drawn up by the Identification and Recovery Service, may be available for inspection from the author.

View all persons in the category: German soldiers killed in action