Hellmut Thiel

1923 – 1993

Hellmut Thiel was the youngest of the twin brothers born in 1923 to Peter Johannes Thiel and his second wife. Like his twin brother he also became a soldier at an early age. During the Second World War he fought in the German Army under Erwin Rommel in North Africa where he was taken prisoner by the English. He was reported missing and only returned home several years later in 1947. He married Inge Schröder from Bernsdorf in Germany and from the marriage one son Peter Thiel was born in Dresden in 1950. Hellmut Thiel spent the rest of his life in Dresden in Eastern Germany and passed away in 1993, only 4 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. His wife passed away long before him and he married Annelies with whom he spent his last years.

During his time as a prisoner of war with the British and Americans, Hellmut learnt to speak and write English well. He corresponded with me (PGT) in English and it was a great loss not to be able to meet him personally as he was one of only 4 grandchildren of  Gustav Thiel alive at that time.