SS-Obergruppenführer Gottlob Berger

[Georg_S]

Hi all,

I just wanted to post a very nice photo of SS-Ogruf Gottlob Berger
with all of his awards. For those who don´t know he was Chef SS-Hauptamt and also Chef der Kriegsgefangenwesen. Its a book written about Berger as chef KGW and I can highly recomend it.

Reg.

Georg

[Daniel L]

Hi Georg,

very nice photo. Can you tell me the title of the book?

Best regards/ Daniel

[Starinov]

Very nice picture indeed, Georg. Could you tell which unit Gottlob Berger is inspecting? Was it common for him to do?

[Matt Gibbs]

Date of Pic is probably around mid 44.
He is wearing nearly all his awards.
There is no spange to the EK1 which he was awarded on September 18th 1944, there is no Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross which was awarded on September 26th 1944.
He was awarded the HJ golden honour badge on 30th Jan 1944 which means the pic is taken after this!
I take it the throat order is the Olympic games decoration 1st Class he was awarded on 16th august 1936, but what is the breast star...?

Regards
Matt Gibbs

[Daniel L]

Matt, I believe it's the Star of the Grand Cross. Atleast it looks so.

Best regards/ Daniel

[Michael Miller]

The following are the foreign decorations received by G.B. I believe the neck order is the Grand Cross with Swords and Star of the Order of the Holy Crown (Hungary)- not sure if that's the correct nomeclature- have doubts about the "Star" part, but I forget where I got the info. The breast star is the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir (NDH).

~ Mike / ABR


Mannerheim Cross 1st Class (Finland): 10.09.1941
Commander’s Cross 1st Class with Swords and Star of the Order of the White Rose of Finland: 26.08.1942
Grand Cross with Swords and Star of the Order of the Holy Crown (Hungary): 1.10.1942
Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir (Croatia): 12.07.1943
Knight’s Cross of the War Victory Cross (Slovakia): 20.09.1944

[Matt Gibbs]

Many many thanks for this info folks! I wondered what the heck that danged neck order could be, and I forgot about foreign decorations!!
In his list of decorations in Mark Yergers DKiS of SS + Pol these are not listed...must be because they are not deutsche awards..? [unless he does not yet know, but I assume he does!]

Kind regards
Matt Gibbs

[Georg_S]

Hello Daniel,

It´s not from a book it´s from the paper "Der Freiwillige" year 1975,


Reg.

Georg

[Mikko H.]

Mannerheim Cross 1st Class (Finland): 10.09.1941

This is incorrect. Mannerheim Cross 1st Class was awarded only twice (to Mannerheim himself and Gen. Erik Heinrichs). Could this be the Finnish Cross of Liberty 1st Class?

[Hans N]

The neck-cross on the pic looks like the Finnish White Rose 1 class Commanderscross!! He is apparently not wearing the Star to it.

I agree with Mikko that it must be incorrect since only 2 persons was awarded with Mannerheim Cross 1st Class!

Regards
Hans N

[Michael Miller]

Gentlemen~

Thanks for the correct information / apologies for the errors in mine.

Best wishes,
~ Mike

[Matt Gibbs]

I believe there is another photo which may be from the same date in Mark Yergers book on the SS DKiS winners, it looks like it to me, a slightly more close up view...
regards
Matt Gibbs

[David Thompson]

The NMT war crimes judgment against Berger in the "Ministries Case" is now posted at:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=62789

[steve248]

Berger's medals and decorations were:

26.11.14 EK II
21.05.15 Goldene württembergische Militär-Verdienstmedaille
01.06.16 Verwundetenabzeichen schwarz
21.08.18 EK I
04.05.18 Ritterkreuz des Militärs-Verdienstordens
18.06.18 Verwundetenabzeichen mattweiss
08.11.18 Friedrich-Orden mit Schwertern
Sturmmedaille Ypern
16.11.35 Ehrenzkreuz für Frontkämpfer
01.11.39 KVK II mit Schwertern
01.07.40 KVK I mit Schwertern
10.09.41 Mannerheim-Kreuz I. Klasse (Finnland)
05.06.42 Medaille Militaire de la Fortune (Rumänien)
26.08.42 Kommandeurkreuz I. Klasse m. Schwertern und Stern der "Weissen Rose von Finnland"
01.10.42 Grosskreuz m. Schwertern und Stern vom Orden der Heiligen Krone Ungarns
01.07.43 Deutsches Kreuz in Silber
12.07.43 Grosskreuz des Ordens der Krone des Königs Zvonimir mit Schwertern, Stern und Ritteltitel (Kroatien)
15.09.44 Spange zum EK II
18.09.44 Spange zum EK I
20.09.44 Ritterkreuz des slowakischen Kriegs-Siegerkreuzes
26.09.44 Ritterkreuz zum Kriegsverdienstkreuz m. Schwertern

source: Robert Küber (ed.), "CHEF KGW. Das Kriegsgefangenenwesen unter GOTTLOB BERGER - Nachlass", Askania Verlag, Lindhorst, 1984,
p. 214.

[steve248]

must remember to check my spellings when submitting -
two errors

1.) 12.07.43 - read "Rittertitel" not Ritteltitel"

2.) author's name: Robert Kübler