Walter Krüger (SS general)

For other people named Walter Krüger, see Walter Krüger (disambiguation).
Walter Krüger

Krüger (left) with Colonel General Erich Hoepner in October 1941
Born (1890-02-27)27 February 1890
Straßburg, Alsace-Lorraine, German Empire now Strasbourg, Alsace, France
Died 22 May 1945(1945-05-22) (aged 55)
Libau, Generalbezirk Litauen, Reichskommissariat Ostland now Liepāja, Kurzeme Region, Lithuania
Allegiance  German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1920)
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen-SS
Years of service 1908–20, 1935–45
Rank Obergruppenführer
Service number SS #266,184
Commands held SS-PzGrenDiv "Das Reich"
VI. Waffen Armeekorps der SS
Battles/wars

World War I

World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Walter Krüger (27 February 1890 – 22 May 1945[Note 1]) was an SS-Obergruppenführer (Lieutenant General). He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. At the end of the war, Krüger committed suicide.

Career

Born in Strasbourg, Alsace-Lorraine, German Empire (nowadays in France), Krüger was the son of an army officer and attended cadet school. As a young second lieutenant, he joined the 110th Fusilier Regiment during World War I. After World War I, he joined the Freikorps and fought in the Baltic region during 1919.

In 1933, when Adolf Hitler gained power, Krüger worked in the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht training department. In 1935, he joined the SS-Verfügungstruppe where he formed the SS-Standarte Germania. At the SS Officer's school at Bad Tölz, he served as an instructor. He earned the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, after taking command of the SS Polizei Division which fought on the Leningrad front, Krüger himself taking place in the siege of the city itself.

Krüger became commander of the SS Division Das Reich in March 1943. After that, he went on to become the inspector general of all infantry troops of the Waffen-SS. He assumed command of the newly formed, voluntary, VI (Latvian) SS Corps.

On 22 May 1945[a], Krüger committed suicide in the Courland Pocket fourteen days after the surrender of Nazi Germany.

Rank promotion

Awards

Notes

  1. ↑ Date of death is inconclusive. According to Florian Berger date of death is 20 May 1945, Walther-Peer Fellgiebel states 8 May 1945 and Veit Scherzer presents the 22 May 1945.[1][2][3]
  2. ↑ According to Scherzer as commanding general of the VI. SS-Freiwilligen Armeekorps[1]

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Scherzer 2007, p. 479.
  2. ↑ Berger 1999, p. 173.
  3. 1 2 Fellgiebel 2000, p. 47.
  4. 1 2 Thomas 1997, p. 416.
  5. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 276.
  6. ↑ Von Seemen 1976, p. 210.
  7. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 71.
  8. ↑ Von Seemen 1976, p. 37.
  9. ↑ Von Seemen 1976, p. 19.

Bibliography

  • Ailsby, Christopher (1997). SS: Roll Of Infamy. Motorbooks International. ISBN 0-7603-0409-2.
  • Berger, Florian (1999). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges [With Oak Leaves and Swords. The Highest Decorated Soldiers of the Second World War] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-0-6. 
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Schaulen, Fritjof (2004). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe II Ihlefeld – Primozic (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 3-932381-21-1.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6. 
  • Von Seemen, Gerhard (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 : die Ritterkreuzträger sämtlicher Wehrmachtteile, Brillanten-, Schwerter- und Eichenlaubträger in der Reihenfolge der Verleihung : Anhang mit Verleihungsbestimmungen und weiteren Angaben [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 : The Knight's Cross Bearers of All the Armed Services, Diamonds, Swords and Oak Leaves Bearers in the Order of Presentation: Appendix with Further Information and Presentation Requirements] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7909-0051-4. 
  • Yerger, Mark C. (1999). Waffen-SS commanders. Vol. II : the army, corps and divisional leaders of a legend. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7643-0769-0. 

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
SS-Oberführer Kurt Brasack		 Commander of SS Division "Das Reich"
29 March 1943 – 23 October 1943 		Succeeded by
SS-Brigadeführer Heinz Lammerding
Preceded by
SS-Obergruppenführer Alfred Wünnenberg		 Commander of IV. SS-Panzerkorps
23 October 1943 – 1 July 1944 		Succeeded by
SS-Obergruppenführer Matthias Kleinheisterkamp
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