Received his military education in the Finnish Jäger Battallion in Germany 1915-1918, and in the French Military Academy 1925-1928. Battallion commander in the War of Independence; held various military posts during peace time, e.g Commander of the 1st Division 1931-1938; Inspector of the Infantry 1938-1939; in the Winter War, Commander of III Army Corps, responsible for the defence of eastern Karelian Isthmus; starting from February 19, 1940, Commander of the army of Karelian Isthmus. Erik Heinrichs was member of the delegation of the discontented Jägers that visited Mannerheim during the so-called Jäger conflict in March 1918.
Commander of land forces 1940; Chief of General Staff from 15 May, 1940 till 29 June, 1941 and again from 29 January, 1942 till 6 October, 1944. As the representative of the Commander-in-Chief established military relations with Germany in January and February and in May and June, 1941. Commanded the Karelian Army from 29 June, 1941, till 29 January, 1942, taking possession of eastern Karelia.
In 1941-1945, Heinrichs was Mannerheim’s closest ADC in questions concerning military policy, and as late as 1948, a military expert when the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Sssistance was being negotiated. After the Continuation War he was Commander of the Armed Forces from 31 December, 1944 till 30 June, 1945, but was forced to resign under political pressure in connection with the so-called "weapons cache" case.
Wrote Mannerheimgestalten I-II (1957, translated into Finnish 1959), partly on the basis of his own experiences. Honorary Doctor of Helsinki University, 1957
World War II | Pacific War | Winter War | Headquarters | Mannerheim Line | Vilho Petter Nenonen | K.L. Oesch | Harald Öhquist | Paavo Talvela | Continuation War |Transit Pact | Risto Ryti | Order of the Day of the Sword Scabbard | Erik Heinrichs | A.F. Airo | Hugo Österman | Marshal's Drink | Mannerheim Cross | Title of Marshal of Finland | Air War - Air Forces
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