Gothard Heinrich was born in Cambinin, East Prussia. His father is an ordinary Protestant priest, but his mother's family is very famous. Since the 12 century, this family has been a soldier for generations. In the 20th century, a field marshal was born in this family. He was Heinrich's cousin Gerd von Rundstedt. Influenced by his family since childhood, Heinrich has been a devout believer all his life. He insists on reading a passage of the Bible every day. Even during the war, he insisted on going to church every week.

1On March 8th, 905, 18-year-old Heinrich joined the Kaiser's army and was assigned to serve in the historic 95th Infantry Regiment, which was founded in 1807. Shortly after joining the army, Heinrich was sent to Hanover Military School for further study. After graduation, he was promoted to second lieutenant. Due to his outstanding performance in the first-line troops, he was transferred to the battalion headquarters as a staff officer in 19 10. 19 14 In the summer, when World War I broke out, he was working as an adjutant in the 95th Infantry Regiment in Gotha. 1965438+In August 2004, the 95th Infantry Regiment joined the 1 1 Army of General Otto von Pruyskov (belonging to the 3rd Army) on the western front. In the first two years of the war, he served as the company commander and battalion commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 95th Infantry Regiment, and also participated in the famous Battle of Tannengburg. Facts have proved that Heinrich is an excellent officer. His heroic performance in front-line operations won him the Iron Cross Second Medal (1965438+September 27, 2004) and the Iron Cross First Medal (1965438+July 24, 2005) and was awarded in 19 15. 19 16 was transferred to the 3rd Infantry Brigade and 24th Reserve Army as staff officers. Before the Battle of Verdun, Captain Heinrich was forced to rest in the front line for some time because of poison gas poisoning. But it didn't affect his future. 19 16 At the end of the year, Heinrich was transferred to the 1 15 Infantry Division of General Alfred von Kleist as a staff officer. The experience of this period was very important to Heinrich, so he began to widely contact the staff business of the first-line troops. Soon after, due to his good performance, he was promoted to the General Staff for a period of time. 19 17 attended a short-term training course for officers of the general staff department in Sedang at the end of the year. This was a great honor for junior officers at that time. 1965438+In February 2008, it was transferred to the 203rd Infantry Division, which was fighting on the Eastern Front. During this period, due to his outstanding performance, he also won the Knight Cross of Prussia von hohenzollern (1965438+August 9, 2008).

However, the successive defeats of the Germans on the battlefield made the future of the young captain Heinrich dim. On June191865438+1October 1 1 day, the desperate German Second Reich declared its surrender and the First World War ended. On June 28th of the following year, the newly established Weimar government of Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles with the Allies. According to the provisions of the peace treaty, defeated Germany can only have an army of 654.38+10,000 people. 192 1 year 1 month 1 day, Weimar Defence Force was established. The army consists of only two group armies, with seven infantry divisions and three cavalry divisions under its jurisdiction. Such a small-scale professional army has only 4,000 officers, and only a handful of outstanding talents and lucky ones can be retained by the army. However, because of his outstanding performance in World War I, Heinrich was lucky enough to stay in Germany's 100,000-strong army .. 19 19 February, and was transferred to the General Staff of 1 Army, and served as the director of the operations division of the volunteer division under the command of General Eyerich von Schwiertz (who was also the commander of 1 Army in Weimar era). 19 19 was transferred to East Prussia 1 military region as a staff officer at the end of the year. During this period, he assisted General Johannes von Darzel to re-establish the First Infantry Division on the basis of the 1 brigade and the 20th brigade, and served as the deputy chief of staff of the newly established First Infantry Division. 1September 1924, transferred to the 5th Infantry Division in Schwab Gmond 13 Infantry Regiment 14. 1.5 years later promoted to major. 1927 10 transferred to the Army Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense. This is an opportunity for Heinrich's military career. After that, he was promoted from major to general in Weimar Defence Force in less than ten years: 1930, 10 was transferred back to 1 Infantry Division in June, serving as the acting head of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, and 10 was officially appointed as the 3rd Infantry Regiment in June. 1932 10 Heinrich, who has been promoted to lieutenant colonel, was transferred to the position of director of the operations department of the General Staff of the First Front Army in Berlin (at this time, it was his cousin Gerd von Rundstedt who was the commander of 1 group army) 1933. Shortly after the Nazis came to power, Heinrich was promoted to director of the General Affairs Department of the Defense Department of the Ministry of National Defense and promoted to colonel. From 1933 to 1937, he served as the director of the Supplementary Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense (1935 was renamed "War Department" after the Nazis announced rearmament), which made great contributions to the rapid expansion of the German army in 1933- 1939. 46338.666666666647