SD-Sonderkommando Tunis - Request

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Re: SD-Sonderkommando Tunis - Request

#16

Post by Michael Miller » 30 Jun 2009, 16:46

That's a great list, Minotauros. May I ask the source, please?

~ Mike

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Re: SD-Sonderkommando Tunis - Request

#17

Post by BB-WA » 01 Jul 2009, 07:46

SD-Sonderkommando Tunis

Sorry I can't post the sources as my old hard drive died and I am unable retreive my bookmark information (very annoying!). If anyone recognises this data I would appreciate the link to the site.

Apparently SD-Sonderkommando Tunis was initially referred to as "Einsatzkommando Egypt" by Karl Wolff on 04.06.1942.

SD-Einsatzkommando Tunis. - HQ Tunis, Tunisia, Nord Afrika (North Africa).: - Eventually used in Tunisia, North Africa. -
Established.: - 29.07.1942. - deployed to Athen, Griechenland (Athens, Greece) awaiting orders 7 officers and 17 NCO's -
Retuned to Berlin .: - 00.09.1942. - because of the retreat to Al-Alamein - unit remained intact -
Re-assigned to Tunisia.: - 00.11.1942. - Tunis, Tunisia, Nord Afrika - assigned 3 more officers and expanded to 100 men - 10 officers and 90 NCO's -
Disbanded.: - 00.00.1943. -
Operational Area.: - beim, Erwin Rommel's Panzerarmee Afrika (PzAA), North Africa (and for later deployment in Mandate Palestine but spent most of it's time in Greece waiting for deployment). Later deployed in Tunisia, North Africa) -

SD-Einsatzkommando Tunis. - HQ Athen, Griechenland (Athens, Greece)
Initially formed with 24 men - 7 officers and 17 NCO's - The main body of SD-EK Tunis formed up on 29.07.1942, under Rauff in Athen, Griechenland for later deployment -
Kommandoführer.: -
00.06.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Obersturmbannführer. "Walther" Hermann Julius Rauff SS# 290 947 -
Stellvertreter.: -
00.00.0000. - 00.00.0000. -
Stab.: -
00.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Sturmbannführer. Wilhelm Beisner -
00.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Sturmbannführer. Franz Hoth - (SD) Military Intelligence -
00.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Obersturmführer. Hans-Joachim Wiese -
00.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Obersturmführer. Kurt Loba - Verwaltung -
00.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Obersturmführer. Herbert Werth - (Gestapo) -
00.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Untersturmführer. Waldemar Menge - Nachtrichten - Communications -

NCO's beim SD-EK Tunis
00.00.0000. - 00.00.0000. - Friederich Pohl - (Gestapo) counter intelligence -
00.00.0000. - 00.00.0000. - Hauptscharführer. Christoph Schölling - Transport Specialist - assigned to transport a number of vehicles from Italy to Africa but due to transportation difficulties they couldn't go on the convoy. Schölling was then ordered to accompany them back to Berlin. - maybe never took up this posting???
29.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - Kriminalsekretär. Hausding - (Gestapo) -
29.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - Kriminalsekretär. Grunert - (Gestapo) -
29.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - Kriminalassistent. Pillasch - (Gestapo) -
29.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - Kriminalassistent. Däumer - (Gestapo) -
00.00.0000. - 00.00.0000. -



Deployed in Tunisia, Nord Afrika in November 1942
Kommandoführer.: -
00.06.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Obersturmbannführer. "Walther" Hermann Julius Rauff SS# 290 947 -
Stellvertreter.: -
00.00.0000. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Hauptsturmführer. Theodor Saevecke (iV) -
Führer im Stab.: -
00.06.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Sturmbannführer. Wilhelm Beisner -
00.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Sturmbannführer. Franz Hoth - (SD) Military Intelligence
00.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Obersturmführer. Hans-Joachim Wiese (SD) -
00.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Obersturmführer. Kurt Loba - Verwaltung
00.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Obersturmführer. Herbert Werth - (Gestapo)
00.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - SS-Untersturmführer. Waldemar Menge - Nachrichten - Communications

And from some notes and assumtions I made - the part relevant to SD-Sonderkommando Tunis. The rest of the notes and assumtions relate to the history leading up to this point and will post if any one is interested. It deals with Haj Amin el-Husseini and his links to Hitler, Himmler and the SD-Hauptamt (come RSHA)

Formation of SD-Einsatzkommando Tunis .: -
On 01.06.1942, SS-Oberführer Walter Schellenberg, Amtschef, Amt VI Ausland-SD (Foreign Intelligence), RSHA and RFSS Heinrich Himmler discussed the formation of an Einsatzkommando for planned deployment in Egypt. Later the same day Himmler gave a one hour presentation to Hitler at his field headquarters at FHQ Wolfschanze (Wolf's Lair). It can be assumed approval was given during the meeting as SS-Obergruppenführer Karl Wolff (Chef, Hauptamt Persönlicher Stab RFSS - Head of Himmler's Personal Staff) immediatly contacted the Wehrmacht High Command (Oberkommando Wehrmacht - OKW) as the Einsatzkommando was to be attached to Erwin Rommel's Panzerarmee Afrika (PzAA) in North Africa.

On 04.06.1942, Wollf reported that a OKW order would be issued the next day on "Einsatzkommando Egypt". Wolff's reference to "Einsatzkommando Egypt" probably reflected the the anticipation of the British being defeated by Rommel in Egypt and then the Einsatzkommando would be initially deployed there. Had this occurred Cairo and Alexandria would have become a major German garrisons controlling the Eastern Mediterranean and the Suez Canal. However the OKW order wasn't issued till 13.06.1942 with the OKW noting the scope envisioned for the Einsatzkommando. The order, as with previous Einsatzkommando attachments to army groups in Poland and Russia, gave the Einsatzkommando operational autonomy to carry out its orders issued from the Chef, Sipo u. SD "on its own responsibility against the civilian population". The OKW knew from previous attachments to Armee Gruppen in Poland 1939 and Russia 1941 what was being proposed for the Einsatzkommando and as previously tried to limit its responsiblity to supplies ie. food, ammunition, fuel etc and occasional tactical support.

SS-Obersturmbannführer. "Walther" Hermann Julius Rauff was selected as Commander for the SD-Einsatzkommando and the unit formed up in early/mid July 1942 in Berlin. The initial SD-Einsatzkommando consisted of only 24 men (7 officers and 17 NCO's) and was ready for deployment in Egypt following the successful advance of Rommel. This seems a small amount a small amount of manpower for the task it was to perform but experience had shown, especially in Russia and the Baltics, that local collaboration with German supervision worked extemely effectively. Reports received by the RSHA indicated that there were large numbers of the Arab population that were likely to participate in the operations. It was envisionaged it would move from Egypt into to the Mandate Palestine. The SD-Einsatzkommando's role was to be primarily directed against the Jews that had sought refuge there and the indiginous Jewish population, Estimated at Ca. 500, 000, to prevent the establishment of a Jewish State. Their operations would also encompass neighbouring Arab countries.

The SD-Einsatzkommando must have been formed by mid July because on 20.07.1942, Rauff boarded a flight to Tobruk in Libya, ie. Rommel's forward HQ. This was to place the SD-Einsatzkommando officially under Erwon Rommel's command at the AOK (Armee Oberkommando - Army High Command) Afrika, a.k.a. "Afrikakorps", and to receive instructions for deployment in the upcoming operations. Rauff at this time wouldn't have placed his command with Rommel personally, just his HQ, as Rommel was some hundreds of kilometers East pushing the British back into Egytian territory. Rauff's deployment of course required the successful advance of Rommel and the British defeat in Egypt and then to be deployed in Egypt and then move into the Mandate Palestine.

On 29.07.1942, the SD-Einsatzkommando was sent to Athens, Greece to await deployment. After two months waiting in Athens for deployment the unit was recalled to Berlin in September 1942, as the Germans experienced a major setback at El Alamein and Rommel was forced to retreat. It remained in Berlin intact for another two months.

Finally Deployment.: -
In November 1942, SD-Einsatzkommando Tunis was finally operationaly deployed to Tunis, Tunisia at the same strength (7 + 17). In Tunis at least three more officers were assigned and personnel were also expanded to from the original 24 to 100 (ie. 10 + 90). Rauff's operations were immeadiatly compromised because of Italian considerations. The Germans accepted that Tunisia was an Italian sphere of interest and the Jews with Italian citizenship were to be spared any excesses of normal Einsatz operations. With a sparse and mostly Arab population as well as a further loss of German "territory" Rauff was limited in his actions. Deportation of any Jews to various Konzentrationslager was further compromised by the lack of German / Italian air support and shipping availability in the Mediterranean. Instead SD-Einsatzkommando Tunis was put to work registering the Jews and putting them to work as forced labourers on the construction of fortifications.

On 09.05.1943, SD-Einsatzkommando Tunis was withdrawn to Naples, Italy before the German surrender on 13.05.1943. From here it was sent to Corsica for security and anti-partisan duties until September 1943. After September it appears SD-Einsatzkommando Tunis was disbanded and personnel reassigned. Rauff then became Kommandeur des SIPO Gruppe Oberitalien-West (Sipo Group Upper Italy-West) under BdS, Italien, Dr. jur. Wilhelm Harster

Any comments or corrections welcome
Regards
Brian


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Minotauros
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Re: SD-Sonderkommando Tunis - Request

#18

Post by Minotauros » 01 Jul 2009, 09:25

My source is the book "Halbmond und Swastika" by Klaus-Michael MALLMANN and Martin CUPPERS.

Here are the list of forced labor camps for Jews controlled and supervised by the SIPO und SD Sonderkommando Tunis but guarded by Heer troops:

Lager Belvedere
Lager Bizerte
Lager El Aouina
Lager Massicault (Borj el Amri)
Lager Mateur
Lager Port de Tunis

Lager Cheylus
Lager Enfidaville
Lager Kondar
Lager Mohammedia
Lager Saouaf
Lager Sainte-Marie du Zit
Lager Zaghouan

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Re: SD-Sonderkommando Tunis - Request

#19

Post by BB-WA » 01 Jul 2009, 11:30

Hi Minotauros

Thanks for the reply.

My data is not the from same source as it didn't list any of the forced labor camps you mentioned but this is a valuable addition to the file I had. You also listed some additional names and ranks in your previous post I didn't have.

In my post I have doubts about SS-Hauptsturmführer Theodor Saevecke being Stellvertreter while they were in Tunis (maybe this refers to Corsica? or later in Italy?) can anyone clear this up?

Reason
The Kommandeur of the ("Einsatzkommando Egypt") SD-Einsatzkommando Tunis SS-Obersturmbannführer. "Walther" Hermann Julius Rauff (Gruppenleiter, Gruppe VI F, SD-Ausland) and SS-Sturmbannführer Wilhelm Beisner (Leiter, VI B??, Gruppe VI B, SD-Ausland), were considered specialists and were transferred to form this group, along with SS-Obersturmführer Hans-Joachim Wiese.

Gruppe VI B.: -

VI B ?? Arabischen Staaten - Sub-Section Arabian States.:-
Leiter.: -
summer 1941. - 00.07.1942. - SS-Sturmbannführer. Wilhelm Beisner- Trans. beim, SD-Einsatzkommando Tunis
00.01.1941. - summer 1941. - SS-Obersturmführer. Hans-Joachim Weisse - Replaced by Beisner and became stellvertreter
Steelvertreter: -
summer 1941. - 00.00.1941. - SS-Obersturmführer. Hans-Joachim Weisse - Trans. as Verbindungsoffizer Amt VI, RSHA und der Großmufti der Jerusalem Haj Amin el-Husseini (the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem) a Palastinian and Arab nationalist with close SS connections - Later 00.07.1942, Trans. beim, SD-Einsatzkommando Tunis

Also
Beisner, seeing as he outranked Saevecke, and coming from Amt VI, RSHA that was the specialist section in question before his posting to SD-Einsatzkommando Tunis, should have been stellvertreter?

Any info on the officers and NCO's previously mentioned by Minotauros and myself greatly appreciated.
Regards
Brian

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Re: SD-Sonderkommando Tunis - Request

#20

Post by Panzermahn » 02 Apr 2010, 04:35

In Osprey's title on German Afrika Korps, there is a color plate drawing of a SD-Sonderkommando Tunis personnel. If anyone interested, I could scan it and post it here

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Re: SD-Sonderkommando Tunis - Request

#21

Post by Puck » 12 Aug 2021, 12:16

BB-WA wrote:
01 Jul 2009, 07:46
NCO's beim SD-EK Tunis
00.00.0000. - 00.00.0000. - Hauptscharführer. Christoph Schölling - Transport Specialist - assigned to transport a number of vehicles from Italy to Africa but due to transportation difficulties they couldn't go on the convoy. Schölling was then ordered to accompany them back to Berlin. - maybe never took up this posting???
Probably not - he told the allies only about a stay in Reggio Calabria from 03.1943 to 07.1943 (Crawcass Dentention Lists 16-20)

SS-Hschaf Christoph Schölling (*04.09.1909)
00.0000-02.1943 Stapo Münster
02.1943-07.1943 Sipo Nordafrika (Reggio Calabria)
07.1943-10.1943 BdS Paris
10.1943-05.1945 unknown KdS in France, then unknown KdS in Norway
Schölling, Christoph.jpg
Regards Puck

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Re: SD-Sonderkommando Tunis - Request

#22

Post by steve248 » 12 Aug 2021, 13:41

With KdS Montpellier from Oct 1943; retreated with its personnel which became zbV Kommando 21 under Tanzmann to Norway where became KdS Narvik.
Feb 1943 and there was not much point in taking vehicles to Tunis when the Allied armies were not too far from Tunis.
I think he stretched his stay in Reggio Calabria (Feb-July 1943) because Rauff (former head of the SD Kommando in Tunis) arrived back in Naples in May 1943. Maybe it took 6-8 weeks to drive the vehicles back to Berlin and then posted to BdS Paris.

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Re: SD-Sonderkommando Tunis - Request

#23

Post by Minotauros » 20 Oct 2021, 10:06

Hello,
29.07.1942. - 00.00.0000. - Kriminalsekretär. Grunert - (Gestapo) -
I wonder whether this "Grunert" was in fact SS-Sturmscharführer und Kriminalsekretär Wilhelm „Willi“ GRÜNERT (date nad place of birth unknown), who worked later in the Referat IV D of KdS Warschau (1943-1944). He survived the war and lived in Duisburg.

Regards,

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Re: SD-Sonderkommando Tunis - Request

#24

Post by steve248 » 20 Oct 2021, 14:25

“Die dem Kommando Ägypten zugeteilten Angehörigen der Staatspolizeistelle Berlin – KOA Hausding, KOS Grünert, KrimAnge Illasch und KrimAnge Däumer – sind am 29.7.1942 in Marsch gesetzt worden”.
source: Mitteilungsblatt f.d. Staatspolizeileitstelle Berlin, Nr 33, dated 14 August 1942.

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Re: SD-Sonderkommando Tunis - Request

#25

Post by Puck » 31 Oct 2023, 00:55

steve248 wrote:
20 Oct 2021, 14:25
“Die dem Kommando Ägypten zugeteilten Angehörigen der Staatspolizeistelle Berlin – KOA Hausding, KOS Grünert, KrimAnge Illasch und KrimAnge Däumer – sind am 29.7.1942 in Marsch gesetzt worden”.
source: Mitteilungsblatt f.d. Staatspolizeileitstelle Berlin, Nr 33, dated 14 August 1942.
Full names are
- KOA Willi Grunert
- KOA Alfred Hausding
- Kraftfahrer Paul Däumer
- Kraftfahrer Willi Pillasch (SS #50844, 1938 SS-Scharführer with SD-Hauptamt)
.
1942-08-14 Stapo Berlin - Einsatz Ägypten.jpg
.
Minotauros wrote:
20 Oct 2021, 10:06
I wonder whether this "Grunert" was in fact SS-Sturmscharführer und Kriminalsekretär Wilhelm „Willi“ GRÜNERT (date nad place of birth unknown), who worked later in the Referat IV D of KdS Warschau (1943-1944). He survived the war and lived in Duisburg.
KS (at least in 1941) Wilhelm Grünert (*05.06.1903 Wanne-Eickel) 1942 in Frankfurt/Oder) and Willi Grunert (came back in may 1942 from BdS Metz to Stapo Berlin) should be two different persons.

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Re: SD-Sonderkommando Tunis - Request

#26

Post by steve248 » 01 Nov 2023, 18:25

Wilhelm Grünert (5 June 1903, Wanne Eickel) spent autumn 1941 to Aug 1944 with KdS Warschau, Abt IV (Paßwesen).

Willi Grunert (no umlaut) of unknown DOB/POB from Stapoleitstelle Berlin and BdS Metz was the guy with EK Afrika: SS-Oschaf KOA.

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