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
Died 22 May 1945(1945-05-22) (aged 55)
Libau, Reichskommissariat Ostland
Allegiance  German Empire
 Weimar Republic
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen-SS
Years of service 1908–20, 1935–45
Rank Obergruppenführer
Service number SS #266,184
Commands held SS Division Das Reich
VI SS Army Corps
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 was a high-ranking commander in the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. At the end of the war, Krüger committed suicide.

Career

Krüger was the son of an army officer and attended cadet school. He took part in World War I, later joining the Freikorps 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. He then served as an instructor the SS Officer's school at Bad Tölz. 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 became commander of the SS Division 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, Krüger committed suicide in the Courland Pocket.[1]

Awards

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Scherzer 2007, p. 479.
  2. ↑ Thomas 1997, p. 416.

Bibliography

  • 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. 
  • 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. 
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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