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Georg Preuß

Georg Preuß (24 April 1920 – 3 February 1991) was a mid-ranking commander in the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a convicted war criminal.

Georg Preuss
Born24 April 1920
Danzig, Weimar Republic
Died3 February 1991(1991-02-03) (aged 70)
Clenze, Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen-SS
Years of service1939–45
RankHauptsturmführer
Unit1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other workengineer

SS service edit

Preuß was born in Danzig. At the age of 13 he joined the Hitlerjugend and in 1937, while he was still attending school, he joined the Schutzstaffel (SS). After his graduation he applied for full-time service in the SS. In April 1939 he was accepted into the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (LSSAH). From August 1940 he attended the Junkerschule (SS officer training school) in Brunswick and became an Untersturmführer the following year.[1]

From 1941 to 1943 Preuß fought with the LSSAH in the German war against the Soviet Union. He became a protégé of Jochen Peiper, who appreciated Preuß' obedience. But Preuß was unpopular among his comrades and had a reputation for sacrificing his men in combat.[2] With the rank of Obersturmführer Preuß became commander of the 12th company in Peiper's III. Bataillon. While the LSSAH was in Italy during the late summer of 1943, Preuß became commandant of an internment camp for foreigners in Borgo San Dalmazzo, where his company was deployed. The internees were mainly Jews, which the SS had rounded up to later be deported to Auschwitz concentration camp via Drancy internment camp.[3]

Under Peiper's command Preuß participated in the Battle of the Bulge in 1944/45. For his actions he was awarded a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 February 1945. Historian Jens Westemeier considers the award for Preuß as a "bad joke", because Preuß had lost his way several times during the campaign, run into ambushes and lost half of his company. Although Preuß had not distinguished himself with autonomous decisions, which would have been a prerequisite to be considered for a Knight's Cross, Peiper recommended him by claiming that Preuß had been largely responsible for the unit's success. Peiper also claimed that Preuß had "finished" off an American soldier on the watch in close combat.[4]

War crimes trial edit

In 1946 Preuß was among the SS men who were put to trial for the Malmedy massacre. He was accused of murdering American prisoners of war and Belgian civilians.[5] One of his subordinates, Ernst Kilat, who would eventually be tried and sentenced for murder of Belgian civilians in Liège in 1948, testified in 1945 that as a company commander Preuß had ordered his men to kill all Belgian civilians the unit came across.[6] During the Malmedy massacre trial it was shown that Preuß had not killed an American soldier in close combat, as he had claimed, but had ordered one of his subordinates to shoot a captured American pilot whose pants and wedding ring he wanted for himself.[7] For this murder in connection with robbery Preuß was sentenced to death. His death sentence was commuted to life in prison by U.S. military governor Lucius D. Clay in 1949.[8]

While in prison Preuß got married in 1948.[9] His petitions for parole were repeatedly turned down, until finally granted in late 1956. Preuß was released from Landsberg Prison on 30 November 1956.[10] He then applied for service in the Bundeswehr, but was turned down.[11] He went on to work as an engineer in Hamburg and died on welfare.[12]

Awards edit

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Westemeier 2014, p. 228.
  2. ^ Westemeier 2014, pp. 228, 330.
  3. ^ Westemeier 2014, pp. 269, 270.
  4. ^ Westemeier 2014, p. 355.
  5. ^ Westemeier 2014, p. 382.
  6. ^ Westemeier 2014, p. 734.
  7. ^ Westemeier 2014, p. 515-516.
  8. ^ Westemeier 2014, p. 516.
  9. ^ Westemeier 2014, p. 446.
  10. ^ Westemeier 2014, pp. 516, 517.
  11. ^ Westemeier 2014, p. 466.
  12. ^ Westemeier 2014, p. 703.
  13. ^ a b c Berger 2004, p. 370.
  14. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 359.
  15. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 604.

Bibliography edit

  • Berger, Florian (2004). Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold [Knight's Cross Bearers with the Close Combat Clasp in Gold] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-3-7.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • 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 Bundesarchivs [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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Westemeier, Jens (2014). Himmlers Krieger: Joachim Peiper und die Waffen-SS in Krieg und Nachkriegszeit (in German). Paderborn: Ferdinand Schöningh. ISBN 978-3-506-77241-1.

georg, preuß, april, 1920, february, 1991, ranking, commander, waffen, nazi, germany, during, world, convicted, criminal, georg, preussborn24, april, 1920danzig, weimar, republicdied3, february, 1991, 1991, aged, clenze, germanyallegiance, nazi, germanyservice. Georg Preuss 24 April 1920 3 February 1991 was a mid ranking commander in the Waffen SS of Nazi Germany during World War II He was a convicted war criminal Georg PreussBorn24 April 1920Danzig Weimar RepublicDied3 February 1991 1991 02 03 aged 70 Clenze GermanyAllegiance Nazi GermanyService wbr branchWaffen SSYears of service1939 45RankHauptsturmfuhrerUnit1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf HitlerBattles warsWorld War IIAwardsKnight s Cross of the Iron CrossOther workengineer Contents 1 SS service 2 War crimes trial 3 Awards 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 BibliographySS service editPreuss was born in Danzig At the age of 13 he joined the Hitlerjugend and in 1937 while he was still attending school he joined the Schutzstaffel SS After his graduation he applied for full time service in the SS In April 1939 he was accepted into the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler LSSAH From August 1940 he attended the Junkerschule SS officer training school in Brunswick and became an Untersturmfuhrer the following year 1 From 1941 to 1943 Preuss fought with the LSSAH in the German war against the Soviet Union He became a protege of Jochen Peiper who appreciated Preuss obedience But Preuss was unpopular among his comrades and had a reputation for sacrificing his men in combat 2 With the rank of Obersturmfuhrer Preuss became commander of the 12th company in Peiper s III Bataillon While the LSSAH was in Italy during the late summer of 1943 Preuss became commandant of an internment camp for foreigners in Borgo San Dalmazzo where his company was deployed The internees were mainly Jews which the SS had rounded up to later be deported to Auschwitz concentration camp via Drancy internment camp 3 Under Peiper s command Preuss participated in the Battle of the Bulge in 1944 45 For his actions he was awarded a Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 February 1945 Historian Jens Westemeier considers the award for Preuss as a bad joke because Preuss had lost his way several times during the campaign run into ambushes and lost half of his company Although Preuss had not distinguished himself with autonomous decisions which would have been a prerequisite to be considered for a Knight s Cross Peiper recommended him by claiming that Preuss had been largely responsible for the unit s success Peiper also claimed that Preuss had finished off an American soldier on the watch in close combat 4 War crimes trial editIn 1946 Preuss was among the SS men who were put to trial for the Malmedy massacre He was accused of murdering American prisoners of war and Belgian civilians 5 One of his subordinates Ernst Kilat who would eventually be tried and sentenced for murder of Belgian civilians in Liege in 1948 testified in 1945 that as a company commander Preuss had ordered his men to kill all Belgian civilians the unit came across 6 During the Malmedy massacre trial it was shown that Preuss had not killed an American soldier in close combat as he had claimed but had ordered one of his subordinates to shoot a captured American pilot whose pants and wedding ring he wanted for himself 7 For this murder in connection with robbery Preuss was sentenced to death His death sentence was commuted to life in prison by U S military governor Lucius D Clay in 1949 8 While in prison Preuss got married in 1948 9 His petitions for parole were repeatedly turned down until finally granted in late 1956 Preuss was released from Landsberg Prison on 30 November 1956 10 He then applied for service in the Bundeswehr but was turned down 11 He went on to work as an engineer in Hamburg and died on welfare 12 Awards editClose Combat Clasp in Gold on 1 April 1945 for up to 60 days in close combat 13 Infantry Assault Badge in Silver 13 Wound Badge in Gold 13 German Cross in Gold on 1 April 1945 as SS Hauptsturmfuhrer in the III SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 2 Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler 14 Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 February 1945 as SS Obersturmfuhrer and leader in the 10 gp SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 2 Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler 15 References editCitations edit Westemeier 2014 p 228 Westemeier 2014 pp 228 330 Westemeier 2014 pp 269 270 Westemeier 2014 p 355 Westemeier 2014 p 382 Westemeier 2014 p 734 Westemeier 2014 p 515 516 Westemeier 2014 p 516 Westemeier 2014 p 446 Westemeier 2014 pp 516 517 Westemeier 2014 p 466 Westemeier 2014 p 703 a b c Berger 2004 p 370 Patzwall amp Scherzer 2001 p 359 Scherzer 2007 p 604 Bibliography edit Berger Florian 2004 Ritterkreuztrager mit Nahkampfspange in Gold Knight s Cross Bearers with the Close Combat Clasp in Gold in German Vienna Austria Selbstverlag Florian Berger ISBN 978 3 9501307 3 7 Patzwall Klaus D Scherzer Veit 2001 Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II The German Cross 1941 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 in German Norderstedt Germany Verlag Klaus D Patzwall ISBN 978 3 931533 45 8 Scherzer Veit 2007 Die Ritterkreuztrager 1939 1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer Luftwaffe Kriegsmarine Waffen SS Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbundeter Streitkrafte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchivs 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 Militaer Verlag ISBN 978 3 938845 17 2 Westemeier Jens 2014 Himmlers Krieger Joachim Peiper und die Waffen SS in Krieg und Nachkriegszeit in German Paderborn Ferdinand Schoningh ISBN 978 3 506 77241 1 Portals nbsp Biography nbsp Military of Germany nbsp World War II Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Georg Preuss amp oldid 1145004486, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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