Walter Krüger (SS officer)
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| Walter Krüger | |
|---|---|
| 27 February 1890 — 20 May 1945 (aged 55)[1] | |
| Place of birth | Straßburg |
| Place of death | Litauen |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |  Waffen-SS |
| Rank | Obergruppenführer |
| Commands held | SS-PzGrenDiv "Das Reich" VI. Waffen Armeekorps der SS |
| Battles/wars | World War World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Walter Krüger (February 27, 1890 - May 20, 1945) was an SS Obergruppenführer. Born in Strassbourg, Alsace, Krüger was the son of an army officer and attended cadet school. As a young second lieutenant, he joined the 110th Fusilier Regiment during WWI. After WWI, 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-Verfugungstruppe 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 police 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.
Krüger committed suicide at the end of the war in the Courland Pocket on 20 May, 1945[1], 12 days after the surrender of Germany.
[edit] Awards
- House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords
- Bavarian Military Merit Cross (3. Class)
- Wound Badge in Gold
- Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross (13 December 1941)
- 286. Oak Leaves (31 August 1943)
- 120. Swords (11 January 1945)
[edit] References
- Ailsby, Christopher - SS: Roll Of Infamy - Motorbooks International, (1997), ISBN: 0-7603-0409-2.
- Berger, Florian, Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2006. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
[edit] External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by SS-Oberführer Kurt Brasack |
Commander of SS Division "Das Reich" March 29, 1943 - October 23, 1943 |
Succeeded by SS-Gruppenführer Heinz Lammerding |
| Preceded by SS-Obergruppenführer Alfred Wünnenburg |
Commander of IV. SS-Panzerkorps October 23, 1943 - July 1, 1944 |
Succeeded by SS-Obergruppenführer Matthias Kleinheisterkamp |
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