Dr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner (1903 - 1946)
|
|
Ernst Kaltenbrunner was born on 4 October 1903 at Ried on Inn (near
Braunau) Austria. He spent his youth in Hitler's native district. Later he moved
to Linz, where he attended the State Realgymnasium. Kaltenbrunner attended the
University of Graz, first studying chemistry, then law. Title of Dr. jur.
awarded: 1926. Practiced law in Linz. He spent the first year as apprentice
lawyer at Linze-on-Danube and then worked as a lawyer-candidate, first at
Salzburg and after 1928 at Linz.
Kaltenbrunner Joined the Austrian NSDAP, in October,1930 and the SS in Austria
in August 31,1931. Prior to 1933 he was the District speaker (Gauredner) and
legal counsellor (Rechtsberater) of the SS division (Abschnitt) VIII. After 1933
he was the fuehrer of regiment (Standarte) 37 and later of the SS division VIII
.
Kaltenbrunner became head of the Austrian SS in 1934 but soon afterwards was
arrested and accused of being involved in the assassination of Engelbert
Dollfuss. Found guilty of conspiracy and was sentenced to six months in
Kaisersteinbruch prison,he was also forbidden to practice law. In the following
year he was jailed again because of suspicion of High Treason and committed to
the military court at Wels (Upper Danube). After an investigation of many months
the accusation of High Treason was dropped, but he was condemned to six months'
imprisonment for conspiracy. His right to practice law was suspended because of
his Nazi activities
On March 12, 1938 the day before Anschluss, Kaltenbrunner was promoted to the
rank of SS Brigadefuehrer and leader of the SS Oberabschnitt Donau. On 9/11/1938
he was promoted to the rank of SS Gruppenfuehrer. During the liquidation of the
Austrian national government and the reorganization of Austria into Alps and
Danube Districts, he was appointed Higher SS and Police Leader of the governors
of Vienna, Lower Danube, and Upper Danube, in Corps Area (Wehrkreis) XVII, and
in April 1941 was promoted to Major General of the Police.
In April 1941 Kaltenbrunner was appointed Lieutenant-General of Police. He
impressed Heinrich Himmler and when Reinhard Heydrich was assassinated in May,
1942, Kaltenbrunner was appointed as head of the SD (Sicherheitsdienst). In this
position he not only controlled the Gestapo but also the concentration camp
system and was responsible for carrying out the Final Solution.
On 30 January 1943 Kaltenbrunner was appointed Chief of the Security Police and
SD (RSHA), succeeding Heydrich, who had been assassinated in Prague in June
1942. Kaltenbrunner held this position until the end of the war.As Chief of the
Security Police , Kaltenbrunner was the head of the RSHA and the regional
offices of the Gestapo, SD, and Kripo. Directly under Kaltenbrunner were the
Chiefs of the main offices of the RSHA, including Amt III (the SD), Amt IV (the
Gestapo), Amt V (the Kripo), and Amt VI (the SD in foreign intelligence).Kaltenbrunner
had direct responsibility over the offices of the RSHA. All important matters
had to be referred to him or had to be handled under general or special
authority granted by him to office chiefs.
Toward the end of the war, Kaltenbrunner's power increased greatly, especially
after the attack on Hitler of July 20 1944. He gained direct access to Hitler.
After July 20th, 1944, Kaltenbrunner also directs the Gestapo's investigation
into the conspiracy and is made responsible for administering Hitler's vengeance
policy towards the conspirators and any suspected sympathizers On December 9
1944 he was awarded the Knight's Cross. By then his full title was SS
Obergruppenfuehrerand General of the Police Dr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner, Chief of
the Security Police and the SD. In addition he held the Golden Insignia of Honor
and the Blutorden?.
So powerful had Kaltenbrunner become toward the end that even Himmler was said
to fear him.With the Red Army closing in on Germany, Kaltenbrunner gave orders
for all prisoners in extermination camps to be killed and then fled south but
was captured by U.S. troops on May 15, 1945.He is indicted for war crimes by the
International Military Tribunal at Nuremburg and sentenced to death. He was
hanged on October 16, 1946
 |
 |
KALTENBRUNNER, Dr. jur. Ernst (RK d. KVK m. Schw.; DKiS)
(1903 - 1946)
SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS und Polizei/Statssekretär/M.d.R.:
Born: 4. Oct. 1903 in Ried, Österreich.
Hanged: 16. Oct. 1946 in Nürnberg Prison.
NSDAP-Nr.: 300 179 (Joined Austrian NSDAP, 10.1930)/SS-Nr.: 13 039 (Joined
31.08.1931)
Promotions:
Gen.d.W-SS: 1.12.44; SS-OGruf.u.Gen.d.Pol.: 21.06.43; Gen.Lt.d.Pol.: 1.04.41;
SS-Gruf.: 11.09.38; SS-Brigf.: 12.03.38; SS-Oberf.: 20.04.37; SS-Staf.:
20.04.36; SS-Sturmhauptführer: 25.09.32;
Assignments:
Staatssekretär im Reichsministerium des Innern:
Chef Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA): 1. Jan. 1943 - May 1945.
Mitglied des Reichstages: 01.1939 - 8.05.1945.
HSSPF "Donau" (HQ: Wien): 11.09.1938 - 31.01.1943.
Führer SS-Oberabschnitt "Donau" (HQ: Linz to 03.1938, then Wien; Retitled from
SS-Oa. "Österreich", 05.1938): 20.01.1937 - 31.01.1943 österreichischer
Staatssekretär für die öffentliche Sicherheit: 11.03.38 -
Führer SS-Abschnitt VIII (Linz): 15.06.1935 - 12.03.1938 [Abschnitt officially
banned by Austrian government, continued to exist in secrecy].
Führer 37.SS-Standarte (Linz): 15.06.1934 - 15.06.1935.
Joined SS, assigned to Stab SS-Abschnitt VIII (Linz): 31.08.1931 -
Joined Austrian NSDAP: 10.1930.
Postwar Prosecution:
Tried by International Military Tribunal, Nürnberg. Sentenced to death, 1. Oct.
1946.
Notes:
The son of a lawyer, Kaltenbrunner attended University of Graz, first studying
chemistry, then law. Title of Dr. jur. awarded: 1926. Praced law, Linz,
ultimately becoming involved in Nazi political activities. Arrested in
connection with these by Austrian authorities, he was jailed from Jan. to Apr.
1934. Suspected of treason, he was once again arrested in May 1935 and received
a sentence of six months; he was also forbidden to practice law. These
imprisonments later resulted in his receiving the "Blood Order" of the NSDAP.
Decorations & Awards:
Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuzes mit Schwertern: 15. Nov. 1944 as SS-OGruf.u.Gen.d.Pol.
& Chef, RSHA;
Deutsches Kreuz in Silber: 22. 10. 1943;
KVK I m. Schw.: 30.01.1943; KVK II m. Schw.: ;
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Okt. 1938 mit Spange "Prager Burg"; Medaille
zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938;
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen: 30.01.1939;
Blutorden: 6.05.1942;
Dienstauszeichnungen der NSDAP in Silber und Bronze;
SS-Dienstauszeichnungen;
Ehrendegen des RF SS/Totenkopfring der SS
next