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Daluege, Kurt Max Franz (SS)

    Date of birth:
    September 15th, 1897 (Kreuzburg, Oppeln, Upper-Silesia, Germany)
    Date of death:
    October 24th, 1946 (Pankrác Prison, Prague, Czechoslovakia)
    Service number:
    NSDAP Nr.: 31.981 /// SS-Nr.:1.119
    Nationality:
    German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

    Biography

    Kurt Daluege was born September 1897 in Kreuzberg to a Prussian statesman. In 1916 he joined the German Army with the rank of Lieutenant. In the course of World War One he was wounded several times and was honorably discharged in 1918 as Vizefeldwebel and Offiziersanwärter (Cadet).

    Between 1918 and 1921 he participated in struggles between German and Polish militias as Führer of the "Selbstschutzes Oberschlesien" (Selfdefence Upper Silezia) and worked in Berlin as a factory hand. In 1921, while studying Construction Engineering at the University of Berlin until 1924, he became activily engaged in the Freikorps Rossbach.

    In 1922 he registered as a member of the NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers Party) and was involved in the Hitler Putsch of November 9th, 1923 as liaison man in Berlin. After the NSDAP was banned, he was involved in keeping together the Partycadre in Berlin and in 1924 he established the "Frontbann" - an element within the SA – remaining its Führer until 1926.

    March 1926 he rejoined the re-established NSDAP as member number 31.981 and founded the SA branch for Berlin and northern Germany. Between 1926 Daluege was SA-Gruppenführer in Berlin-Brandenburg and SA-Gausturmführer Gau Berlin-Brandenburg. Between 1926 and 1928 he also acted as deputy Gauleiter for the NSDAP Berlin-Brandenburg. October 16th, 1926 he married Käthe Schwarz; they adopted a daughter and later on they had two more children. Between 1927 and 1933 Daluege was department head of a construction firm and engineer of the waste disposal in Berlin.

    In 1930, at Hitler’s request he left the SA and became a member of the SS (SS Nr.: 1.119). As SS-Oberführer Ost he was in charge of the SS Abschnitt III Ost in Berlin. In this capacity he dealt violently with the SA in the so-called Stennes Revolt of 1933, earning Hitler’s permanent protection.

    Kurt Daluege also went into politics and became a delegate for the NSDAP in the Prussian Parliament. 1933 he was elected to the Reichstag as delegate for the district Berlin-Ost. Formally he was to remain in this post until 1945. After the take over of power by Hitler, Daluege was named Kommissar z.b.V.(Commissioner for special duties) and Leiter Sonderabteilung Daluege (head of special department) in the Prussian Department of the Interior. In this capacity he cleansed the Prussian police force of so-called Socialdemocratic elements and brought it into line with the Nationaalsocialistic state of mind. To this end he was named Ministerialdirektor and Leiter der Polizeiabteiluing(Chief of Police) in May 1933. As of July 1934, following the Röhm Putsch, Daluege was assigned by Göring to effectively reorganize and cleanse the SA Berlin-Brandenburg, Pommerania, Grenzmark, Silezia and Mitte. August 1934 Himmler rewarded him by promoting him to SS-Obergruppenführer. From July 1934 to June 1936 onwards, Daluege acted as Chief of Police in the Prussian Department of the Interior. Notwithstanding a first heart attack in 1936 he became Himmler’s deputy as Chief of the German Police and Chef der Deutschen Ordnungspolizei in 1936, which made him the highest ranking police officer in the German Reich.

    During the war, due to his realtionship with Hitler, Daluege was responsible for the protection of Hitler and other high ranking Party officials.

    After Heydrich’s death, Daluege acted as Governor for the Protectorates of Bohemia and Moldavia from 1942 to 1943 from which post he was dismissed after a massive heart attack. In this capacity he was responsible for the reprisals in Lidice following the death of Heydrich and for the oppression and persecution of resistance fighters.

    May 1945 he was arrested in Lübeck by British Military Police and imprisonned in Nuremberg. 1946, Daluege was extradicted to Tsjechoslovakia where he was charged with and convicted for warcrimes, including the mass killings in Lidice. October 24th, 1946 he was hanged in Pankrác prison in Prague.


    Promotions:
    25.10.1917: Vizefeldwebel und Offizier-Anwärter
    01.11.1926-01.11.1930: Stellvertretender Gauleiter der NSDAP
    25.07.1930: ϞϞ-Mann
    July 25th, 1930 to SS-Oberführer;

    July 1st, 1932 to SS-Gruppenführer;

    September 9th,1934 to SS-Obergruppenführer;

    April 20th, 1935 to Generalleutnant der Landespolizei;

    June 17th, 1936 to General der Polizei;

    April 20th, 1942 to SS-Oberstgruppenführer / Generaloberst der Polizei.

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    Period:
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Awarded on:
    1918
    Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
    Period:
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Awarded on:
    1918
    Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (1918)
    Awarded on:
    1929
    Nürnberger Parteitagsabzeichen 1929
    Period:
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Awarded on:
    1929
    Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    1931
    Abzeichen des SA - Treffens Braunschweig 1931
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    1932
    Frontbannabzeichen
    Awarded on:
    December 24th, 1933
    SS-Ehrenring
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    February 1st, 1934
    other sources give 14.07.1943
    Goldenes Ehrenzeichen der NSDAP
    Awarded on:
    February 1934
    Ehrenwinkel der Alten Kämpfer
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    1934
    Ehrendolch der SS
    Awarded on:
    September 15th, 1935
    Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS
    Awarded on:
    December 16th, 1935
    Julleuchter der SS
    Nr. 1 119
    SS-Zivilabzeichen
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    October 29th, 1936
    Awarded on:
    October 29th, 1936
    Deutsches Olympia Ehrenzeichen Erster Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    April 20th, 1937
    Ordine della Corona d'Italia - Ufficiale
    Awarded on:
    October 19th, 1937
    Awarded on:
    January 30th, 1938
    Ehrenzeichen des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes, 1.Stufe
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    October 18th, 1938
    Ordine della Corona d'Italia - Cavaliere della Croce Grande
    Awarded on:
    November 21st, 1938
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
    Awarded on:
    May 4th, 1939
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
    Awarded on:
    August 31st, 1939
    Danziger Kreuz II.Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    October 26th, 1939
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    November 21st, 1939
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an die Heimkehr des Memellandes
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    January 30th, 1940
    Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP 10 Jahre
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    January 30th, 1941
    Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2.Klasse mit Schwertern
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    April 20th, 1941
    Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1.Klasse mit Schwertern
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    1941
    Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP 15 Jahre
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    June 22nd, 1942
    Ordinul Steaua Romaniei Grand Officer
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    ϞϞ-Oberst-Gruppenführer und Generaloberst der Polizei and Chef der Ordnungspolizei
    Awarded on:
    September 10th, 1942
    based on a recommendation dated 03.07.1942 and signed by Reichsführer-ϞϞ Himmler
    Deutsches Kreuz in Silber
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    July 28th, 1943
    War Victory Cross Order Grand Cross
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Obergruppenführer / General der Waffen-SS und Polizei (Lieutenant-General)
    Unit:
    Reichsprotektor, Böhmen und Mähren
    Awarded on:
    September 7th, 1943
    ϞϞ-Oberst-Gruppenführer D a l u e g e has demonstrated the greatest efforts in the reorganization of the entire Ordnungspolizei, especially the establishment, after commencement of the war, of ϞϞ-Polizei-Regiments plus a Landund Stadtwacht [Rural and Municipal Constabulary]. The resulting units have shown great promise in combating bandits and saboteurs at the front as well as in homeland areas. Special merit for ϞϞ-Oberst-Gruppenführer D a l u e g e has been achieved through the taut organization of the police based air defense units, especially the Luftschutz-Polizei [Air Defense Police].
    As a result of these efforts I consider him worthy of decoration with the Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuzes and request this award for him.
    Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuzes mit Schwertern
    Luftschutz-Ehrenzeichen 1. Stufe

    Sources

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