Erik Heinrichs

Infobox Military Person
name= Erik Heinrichs
lived=July 21, 1890 - November 16, 1965
placeofbirth=Helsinki, Finland
placeofdeath=Helsinki, Finland


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=Finland
serviceyears=
rank=General
commands=
unit=III Army Corps
Army of the Karelian Isthmus
battles=
awards=Mannerheim Cross 1st class
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
laterwork=

Axel Erik Heinrichs (1890-1965) was a Finnish military general.

Heinrichs was one of the Finnish Jaeger troops trained in the volunteer Royal Prussian 27th Jäger Battalion between 1915 and 1918. During the Finnish Civil War he served as a battalion commander in the battles of Tampere and Viipuri. He commanded the Finnish III Army Corps in the Winter War and from February 19, 1940 the Army of the Karelian Isthmus. He was made Chief of the General Staff in June 1940 and promoted to General of Infantry in 1941.

During the Continuation War he commanded the Army of Karelia until January 1942, after which he was again appointed the Chief of the General Staff. After the war he served as the Army's commander-in-chief but was forced to resign because of the Weapons Cache Case.

In 1944 Heinrichs became the second person to receive the Mannerheim Cross, First Class.

Heinrichs was one of the military experts of the delegation sent by president Paasikivi to Moscow for the Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance

References

* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.

* Tapola, Päivi: "Kenraalien kirjeet", Tammi, 2007. ISBN 978-951-31-4012-0.