Heinrich Severloh | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 June 1923 Metzingen, Weimar Republic |
| Died | 14 January 2006 (aged 82) Lachendorf, Germany |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service/ |  Heer |
| Years of service | 1941–1944 |
| Rank | Gefreiter |
| Unit | 19th Light Artillery Division, 321st Artillery Regiment, 352nd Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Heinrich "Hein" Severloh, also known as the Beast of Omaha, (23 June 1923 – 14 January 2006) was a soldier in the German 352nd Infantry Division stationed in Normandy in 1944. Severloh became notable for a memoir he published in the German language WN 62 – Erinnerungen an Omaha Beach Normandie, 6. Juni 1944 [a], in 2000 and translated into English as WN 62: A German Soldier's Memories of the Defence of Omaha Beach, Normandy, June 6, 1944[b], in 2006. In the book, Severloh claims that - as a machine gunner - he inflicted over 1,000 and possibly over 2,000 casualties to the American soldiers landing on Omaha Beach on D-Day.[1][2] However, Severloh's claim is not viewed as credible by either US or German historians. Total US casualties (killed, wounded, and missing) from all sources along the five-mile length of Omaha Beach on D-Day are estimated at 2,400.[3]
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Scotsmanwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "The Story of D-Day and Omaha Beach: The Situation Leading up to D-Day". SSQQ. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "D-Day: The Beaches" (PDF). Dod.defense.gov. Retrieved 22 April 2019.