|
Henry Sternweiler
|
|
Henry Sternweiler (born in 1918 or 1919 in Ulm, Germany, died April 27, 2010 in Fairview Park, Ohio) was a United States lieutenant during World War II who is notable for saving millions of military records in Germany after sidestepping an order. World War II Sternweiler was drafted into the United States army in 1942 and participated in D-Day plus 1.<ref name=CleveObit /> Saving the records Following the war, Sternweiler flew to Germany, leading a team that processed 18 million military records. Daily, they sent out 12,000 notices to families seeking closure or information. A few weeks later, he was ordered by the United States to destroy the records - however, he helped stall the situation and eventually the French seized control of the records, saving them.<ref name=CleveObit /> For his efforts, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit by Germany, the nation's highest civilian honor.<ref name=CleveObit /> Miscellany He was discharged from the military in 1956 as a major.<ref name=CleveObit /> 
|
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Main Menu
| Home |
| Articles |
| Search |
| Submit Article |
| Contact Us |
| Donate to Wikibin |
