Hinrich Ahrens was born in Eickedorf, Grasberg, Osterholz, Niedersachsen on 21st March 1921.
After attending Volksschule, he was educated for working in a mill between 1936 and 1939, until he was drafted into the RAD (Reichs Arbeits Dienst) on 19th August 1940. After this he worked in France with the Arbeitseinsatz. On 6th February 1941 he went into military service with 5. / Panzerjäger-Ersatz-Abteilung 20 at Hamburg. During his service he was wounded on 9th August 1941. After his recovery he was assigned to the Feld-Ersatz-Battalion X/9 until 25th September. He was next assigned to 14. / Infanterie-Regiment 301 in the 206.Infanterie-Division. After recovering from several wounds, Ahrens was reassigned to the 13. / Infanterie-Regiment 1141 with the 561.Volks-Grenadier-Division.
After further recovery time at Kriegslazarett 912 bzw. Reserve-Lazarett Oschatz, he was finally assigned to Ausbildungs-Kompanie 22 at Oldenburg until the end of the war. At that time he became a Prisoner of War with the Belgians, remaining in captivity from 28th April to14th September 1945. Hinrich Ahrens died on 31st December 2009. He was buried on 6th January 2010 at the Stadtfriedhof in Grasberg.
Décoration
- Infantry Assault Badge in Silver (7 November 1941)
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (10 August 1942), 1st Class (29 November 1942)
- Wound Badge (1939) in Black (24 March 1942), in Silver (2 August 1942) in Gold (23 August 1943)
- Close Combat Clasp in Bronze (10 August 1944)
- Eastern Front Medal (23 July 1942)
- 4 Tank Destruction Badge for Individual Combatants, One on 7 February 1943, Two on 19 November 1943, One on 18 November 1944
- German Cross in Gold on 7 April 1944 as Unteroffizier in 14./Grenadier-Regiment 301
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 January 1945 as Unteroffizier and Geschützführer in the 13./Grenadier-Regiment 1141