SS-Gruppenführer Rudolf Bangerskis

Discussions on all aspects of the SS and Polizei. Hosted by Andrey.
Post Reply
dan051
Member
Posts: 48
Joined: 05 Nov 2011, 17:49

SS-Gruppenführer Rudolf Bangerskis

#1

Post by dan051 » 14 Dec 2011, 14:32

Hello Gentlemen,
Im looking for promotion dates & Awards dates of Rudolf Bangerskis.

Thx in advance

User avatar
Requin Marteau
Member
Posts: 3677
Joined: 03 Jul 2002, 11:52
Location: FRANCE

Re: SS-Gruppenführer Rudolf Bangerskis

#2

Post by Requin Marteau » 14 Dec 2011, 15:48

Bonjour,

See Bio in French

Crdl
Thierry
Attachments
Bangerskis.pdf
(144.55 KiB) Downloaded 129 times


User avatar
Michael Miller
Forum Staff
Posts: 9023
Joined: 10 Mar 2002, 23:05
Location: California
Contact:

Re: SS-Gruppenführer Rudolf Bangerskis

#3

Post by Michael Miller » 14 Dec 2011, 15:50

Here is what I have on Bangerskis (from my book Leaders of the SS & German Police, Volume I [R. James Bender Publishing, 2006]). Any errors are mine and mine alone.

Best wishes,
~ Mike



Rudolfs Bangerskis
Waffen-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS


Born: 21.07.1878 in Taurupe, Latvia (then part of Russia).
Killed: Night of 24./25.02.1958 in Oldenburg (auto accident).

Promotions:
03.08.1901 Podpraporschik (Second-Lieutenant, Imperial Russian Army)
25.11.1901 Podporuchik (First-Lieutenant, Imperial Russian Army)
00.00.1910 [Staff] Kapitan (Captain, Imperial Russian Army)
10.09.1914 Kapitan (Captain, Imperial Russian Army)
02.11.1916 Podpolkovnik (Lieutenant-Colonel, Imperial Russian Army)
11.02.1917 Polkovnik (Colonel, Imperial Russian Army)
00.02.1919 Major General (White Russian Army)
00.08.1920 Lieutenant General (White Russian Army)
29.02.1924 Pulkvedis (Colonel, Latvian Army)
17.11.1925 General (Latvian Army)(with effect from 18.11.1925)
13.03.1943 Legions-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (mit Wirkung vom
01.03.1943)
01.09.1943 Waffen-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS (mit Wirkung vom
01.04.1943)

Career:
ca. 1884 – ca. 1890 Attended school in Jaunpils (six years).
ca. 1890 – ca. 1891 Attended the Russian district school in Friedrichstadt (one semester).
ca. 1891 – ca. 1895 Underwent private study and passed his leaving exams at a ministerial school.
00.07.1895 – 00.07.1897 Joined the Imperial Russian Army, assigned for training to the Riga NCO-
Battalion at the Vladimir War School, St. Petersburg.
00.08.1897-03.09.1898 Assigned to 145th Czar Alexander III Novotscherkaskas Regiment (in St.
Petersburg).
09.09.1898 – 13.08.1901 Passed entrance exam and admitted to St. Petersburg Officer Training College
(graduated and commissioned).
13.08.1901-25.11.1901 Assigned to 93rd Irkutsk Infantry Regiment (in Pleskau).
25.11.1901-09.05.1902 Transferred to 96th Omsk Infantry Regiment (in Pleskau).
09.05.1902-16.10.1904 Returned to 93rd Irkutsk Infantry Regiment.
16.10.1904 – 00.11.1905 Assigned to 36th Orla Infantry Regiment of 9th Division (Based in the Poltava
region, Ukraine; served with this unit in Manchuria during the Russo-Japanese War).
00.11.1905 – 00.02.1906 On sick leave.
00.03.1906-01.10.1912 Returned to service with 36th Orla Infantry Regiment, eventually assigned as a company commander in Kremenchug, then as Adjutant to the Commander of IInd Brigade in 9th Infantry Division.
01.10.1912-23.07.1914 Attended the Nikolai War Academy in St. Petersburg, studying theory and
practice of war; studied political science for six months; studies suspended due to the imminent outbreak of World War I.
25.07.1914-10.09.1914 Returned to 36th Orla Infantry Regiment on the Galician Front, assigned as
commander of its 10th Company; immediately assigned to the Fron. It was announced shortly thereafter that he had officially completed his studies at the Nikolai Academy, but with a graduation date of 1915.
10.09.1914-08.03.1915 Assigned to Staff of 4th Army HQ as Liaison Officer between the front and
4th Army HQ.
08.03.1915 – 12.08.1915 Assigned as Senior Adjutant of XXXIst Army Corps HQ (under General
Mishchenko).
12.08.1915 – 19.12.1916 Transferred to 5th Army at Daugavgriva (Latvian: Daugavpils) Fortress to
assist the Fortress Commandant in formation of Latvian Rifle Battalions; placed in command of 1st Daugavgriva Special Battalion of Latvian Riflemen.
05.11.1916 – 19.12.1916 Acting Commander of 2nd Riga Rifle Regiment.
20.12.1916 – 26.01.1917 Divisional Chief of Staff, Combined Latvian Rifle Division / VIth Siberian
Corps / 12th Army.
27.01.1917 – 11.02.1917 Acting Commander of 4th Vidzeme Rifle Regiment.
11.02.1917 – 03.03.1918 Commander of 17th Siberian Rifle Regiment (regiment in Rayon Segewold
[defensive positions near Nurmuisha] at the time of the Bolshevik Revolution in 10.1917).
03.03.1918 Officially released from Imperial Russian Army service.
Summer 1918 – Autumn 1918 Entered White Russian Army service as Chief of Garrison Staff in Ekaterinburg,
then as Chief of Staff, 7th Mountain Rifle Division and 12th Ural Division.
Autumn 1918 – Winter 1919 Commander of 12th Ural Rifle Division (in fighting against the Bolsheviks on
the Ufa front).
00.10.1919 – 00.00.19__ Commanding General of IIIrd Ufa Rifle Corps (HQ: Rayon Tshitas, Baikal
Region, Siberia).
00.00.1920 Commander-in-Chief of the entire Army Group of the Siberian White Army
(under Admiral Alexander Vasilievich Kolchak [1874-1920]). Forced to retreat from the Tshitas area following Bolshevik capture of the Amur railway and Ingodas bridge regions. After crossing the Ingoda River in Northern Mongolia, Bangerskis managed to reach the Manchurian border where the entire White Army laid down its weapons and crossed into China.
00.12.1920 – 00.07.1921 Left White Army service and settled in Harbin, Manchuria, organizing
assistance for former White Army military staff; traveled to Vladivostok and Japan in this capacity.
00.07.1921 – 10.11.1921 Returned to Latvia via Shanghai, Marseilles, and Paris.
00.01.1922 – 00.02.1924 Constructed and served as manager of a mill in Kokenhusen.
29.02.1924 Joined Army of the Republic of Latvia with the rank of Colonel.
01.03.1924 – 23.12.1924 Commanding General of 1st Kurzeme Division (Base: Libau).
23.12.1924 – 24.12.1925 Latvian Minister of Defense in the Government of Hugo Celmins.
24.12.1925 – 19.12.1926 At the disposal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army.
19.12.1926 – 23.01.1928 Minister of Defense in the Government of Margers Skujenieks.
23.01.1928-6.07.1928 At the disposal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army.
6.07.1928-31.07.1928 Commanding General of 3rd Latgale Division.
4.08.1928-30.09.1928 Commanding General of 4th Zemgale Division.
30.09.1929 – 02.08.1930 Commanding General of 3rd Latgale Division.
04.08.1930 – 27.09.1930 Commanding General of the Technical Division of the Latvian Army.
27.09.1930 – 25.10.1933 Commandant of the Latvian Higher War Academy.
25.10.1933 – 00.10.1936 Commanding General of 4th Zemgale Division (HQ: Daugavpils).
00.10.1936 – 30.01.1937 On extended leave.
30.01.1937 Retired from the Latvian Army (due to reaching maximum service age).
00.00.1937 – 00.03.1940 Employed in the brickmaking industry as Chairman of the Board of Kiegelis Co.
(until the company was nationalized).
00.03.1940 – end of 05.1940 Employed as deputy to the technical engineer in a state-owned industrial trust
(in the brickmaking industry).
00.05.1940 – 14.06.1940 Head of production planning and technical matters in the brickmaking industry
13./14.06.1940 Investigated and nearly arrested by the NKVD (Soviet secret police).
00.06.1940 – 07.07.1940 Fled from Riga and employed as a farm laborer in Kurzeme Province.
07.07.1941 – 15.12.1941 Returned to Riga, again as manager of a brickmaking trust; temporary chief
executive officer for the Rayon Kalnzeem Company.
15.12.1941 – 13.03.1943 Referent in the General Directorate for Justice (under Alfreds Valdmanis) of the Latvian self-administration.
13.03.1943 Joined the Waffen-SS, assigned as senior Latvian officer of the 1.Division der
Lettische SS-Freiwilligen-Legion (1st Division of the Latvian SS Volunteer Legion). On 19.03.1943, SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Peter Hansen signed an order confirming Himmler’s appointment, with effect from 01.03.1943, of Bangerskis as “Legions-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Lett. SS-Freiw.-Legion”, however Bangerskis never actually commanded the Division. The Aufstellungstab (Formation Staff) of the Latvian SS Legion was led by Hansen from 25.02.1943 to 01.05.1943.
19.03.1943 – 20.02.1945 Generalinspekteur of the lettischen SS-Freiwilligen-Legion (Latvian SS
Volunteer Legion).
30.01.1944 – 20.02.1945 Chef of the SS-Ersatzkommando Lettland (SS Recruiting Command, Latvia).
This was one of two recruiting units set up under the Recruiting Inspectorate Ostland under the HSSPF, Friedrich Jeckeln; the second unit was for volunteers from Estonia and was headed by Waffen-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Johannes Soodla.
20.02.1945 – 21.06.1945 President of the “Lettische Nationalistische Kommittee” (Latvian Nationalist
Committee), a provisional Latvian government established under German auspices at Potsdam, to assume jurisdiction over the province of Kurzeme [Ger.: Kurland], the sole region of the country not yet taken by the Soviet Army)

Postwar Internment:
Arrested by British Intelligence agents, 21.06.1945, after denunciation by another Latvian as a “Nazi.” Confined to a room at the Hotel-Restaurant Bleiche, Goslar. Interned in the Goslar jail from 02.07.1945, then transferred to a prison in Braunschweig. From there, sent to the POW camp, at Westertimke, 19.07.1945, then to POW camp Sandbostel, 23.07.1945. Transferred from Sandbostel, 20.11.1945, and moved to the POW camp for Latvians at Westerbuhr / Kreis Aurich / Friesland. Released from Allied confinement, 24.12.1945, then lived in Ohmstede bei Oldenburg.

Published Work:
Mana muza atminas (Memoirs of My Life)(4-volumes; the second two volumes detail his service with the Latvian
Legion of the Waffen-SS).

Decorations & Awards:
15.07.1944 1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
19.07.1944 Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern (with effect from 15.07.1944)
1943 or ’44 Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern
00.00.19__ War Order of the Lacplesis (Bearslayer) 3rd Class (Latvia)
00.00.19__ Triju Zvaigznu Ordenis (Order of the Three Stars) 2nd & 3rd Class (Latvia)
00.00.19__ Cross of Merit of the Aizsargi Organization (Latvia)
10.09.1914 Order of St. Vladimir 4th Class with Lances, with notation “for achievements in
battle” (Russia)
00.00.19__ Order of St. Stanislaus 2nd Class with Lances (Russia)
00.00.19__ Order of St. Stanislaus 3rd Class with Lances (Russia)
00.00.19__ Order of St. Anna 2nd Class with Lances (Russia)
00.00.19__ Order of St. Anna 3rd Class with Lances (Russia)
00.00.19__ Order of St. Anna 4th Class (Russia)
00.11.1917 Cross of St. George 4th Class (Russia)(for leadership of his regiment in combat
during a reconnaissance action on 02.11.1917)
00.01.1917 Sword of St.George (“Gold Sword”; presented for action during the Christmas
Battles of 1916)
00.00.19__ Order of St. George 4th Class (of Admiral Kolchak’s Government)
00.00.19__ Order of St.Vladimir 3rd Class with Lances (of Admiral Kolchak’s Government)
00.00.19__ Cross of Liberty (Estonia)
00.00.19__ Order of the Eagle 2nd Class (Estonia)
00.00.19__ Kaitselita Cross 2nd Class (Estonia)
00.00.19__ Estonian War Of Liberation Commemorative Badge
00.00.19__ Order of the Cross of Vytis, 1st Class, 2nd Grade (Lithuania)
00.00.19__ 10 years of Independance Anniversary Commemorative Medal (Lithuania)
00.00.19__ Polonia Restituta Order 2nd Class (Poland)
00.00.19__ Commandeur Legion d’Honneur (France)

Notes:
* Third of eight children of the farmer Karlis Bangerskis (born 23.12.1841 in Ergli Parish, Latvia) and his wife (since their marriage on 06.12.1874), Ilze Admens (a farmer’s daughter, born 19.06.1856 in Plateri Parish). His father was innkeeper of the Lica Inn in Taurupe Parish at the time.
* It is unknown at this time of writing if General Bangerskis ever married. He did have an adopted daughter, Zelma Bangerskis (born Silins). The date and reasons for the adoption are unknown.
* Height: 6 ft.

User avatar
VJK
Member
Posts: 4900
Joined: 07 Apr 2002, 16:50
Location: Riga, Latvia

Re: SS-Gruppenführer Rudolf Bangerskis

#4

Post by VJK » 14 Dec 2011, 16:20

Hi Mike,

As always, you've done a super job. I can add these couple of award dates:

Estonian Cross of Liberty III-1. Class: 20 Feb 1925
Estonian Order of the Eagle, II class: 4 Aug 1932

Best regards,

Valdis

User avatar
Michael Miller
Forum Staff
Posts: 9023
Joined: 10 Mar 2002, 23:05
Location: California
Contact:

Re: SS-Gruppenführer Rudolf Bangerskis

#5

Post by Michael Miller » 14 Dec 2011, 16:26

Thank you, Valdis. If you'll recall, you provided great assistance to me with this one, hence your inclusion in the acknowledgments (your brother is mentioned for his help with the Hungarian generals of the Waffen-SS).

~ Mike

Keessmit
Member
Posts: 432
Joined: 30 Mar 2005, 21:51
Location: Amsterdam
Contact:

Re: SS-Gruppenführer Rudolf Bangerskis

#6

Post by Keessmit » 14 Dec 2011, 20:59

Photo from: Arthur Sligailis' LATVIAN LEGION, Riga, 2006
Attachments
Bangerskis.pdf
(144.55 KiB) Downloaded 86 times

Keessmit
Member
Posts: 432
Joined: 30 Mar 2005, 21:51
Location: Amsterdam
Contact:

Re: SS-Gruppenführer Rudolf Bangerskis

#7

Post by Keessmit » 14 Dec 2011, 21:03

Bangerskis
Attachments
Bangerskis.JPG

dan051
Member
Posts: 48
Joined: 05 Nov 2011, 17:49

Re: SS-Gruppenführer Rudolf Bangerskis

#8

Post by dan051 » 28 Dec 2011, 09:15

I am very very happy.
Thank you very much.

Post Reply

Return to “The Phil Nix SS & Polizei section”