Responsibility for Mass Deaths of Soviet POW's

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wolfguy
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Joined: 07 Mar 2006, 22:04
Location: Los Angeles

Responsibility for Mass Deaths of Soviet POW's

#1

Post by wolfguy » 15 Dec 2006, 10:46

Other than Hitler,

Who bears the greatest responsibilty for the mass starvation and neglect of millions of Soviet POW's? The OKW? OKH? Was there a specific department in the Wehrmacht in charge of POW Administration? Who was in charge of it?

David Thompson
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#2

Post by David Thompson » 17 Dec 2006, 00:55

wolfguy -- Those are interesting questions. Here's what I have on the German POW administrative structure. The biographical details are taken from fellow moderator Michael Miller's excellent Axis Biographical Research website at http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/ :

OKW Kriegsgefangenwesen
Amtsgruppe Kriegsgefangenwesen -- Generalmajor Hans von Graevenitz (1 Jan 1942-31 Mar 1944); Generalmajor Adolf Westhoff (1 Apr 1944-May 1945)
Chef des Kriegsgefangenwesens -- SS-Obergruppenführer Gottlob Berger (1 Oct 1944- 8 May 1945)
General z.b.V. für das Kriegsgefangenenwesen -- Generalleutnant Winifried von der Schulenburg (1 Sept 1939-Apr 1943)
Generalinspekteur für das Kriegsgefangenwesen der Wehrmacht -- General der Infanterie Otto Roettig (1 Jul 1943-Dec 1944)

von Altrock, Wilhelm (1887-1952) [Generalleutnant] -- Reichsheer service; commander, 83rd Infantry Regiment 1 Sept 1939; commander of Troop Maneuver Area (Kdt. Tr. Ub. Platz) Neuhammer 1 Mar 1940; commander, 379th Infantry Division (later 379th Field High Command [O.F.K. 379]) 28 May 1940; commander, 559th Army Rear Area (Korueck 559) 5 Mar 1944; service, Army Reserve of IVth Military District (Führ. Res. OKH [Wehrkreis IV]) 8 Aug. 1944; kdrt. zu Wehrkreis IV z. Einarbeitung i.d. Kgf.-Wesen 21 Dec 1944; commander of POW camps in VIth Military District (Wehrkreis VI) 1 Feb 1945; commander of POW camps in XVIIIth Military District (Wehrkreis XVIII) 25 Mar 1945 {died 26 Feb 1952 at Diedersen (ABR-H).}

von Alten, Georg (1875-1950) [Generalmajor] -- Reichsheer service; commander, Stalag IX B 30 Jul 1941; later (später) Oflag XI A und Mannschafts-Stalag XVIII; Aufhebung Mob.-Verwendung 30 Jul 1942; dto. z. V.-Stellung 1943 {died 1950 at Schelenburg (ABR-H).}

Andreas, Moritz (1884-1964) [Generalleutnant] -- Reichsheer service; commander, Landwehr (Ldw. Kdr.) Lübben 30 Jun 1938; commander, 208th Infantry Division 1 Sept 1939-12 Dec 1941; commander, 242nd Field High Command (O.F.K. 242) 9 Jan 1942–14 Sept 1943; commander of POW camps in Army Operational Area II (Kdr. d. Kgf. im Op. Geb.II) 3 Oct 1943; service, Army reserve in IIIrd Military District (Führer Reserve, OKH [Wehrkreis III]) 25 Feb 1944; kdrt. z. Wehrkreis III (z. Verw. f.e. Sonderauftrag) 12 Mar 1944; kdrt. z. WEJ Potsdam (z. Einarb. als WE-Inspekteur) 20 Sept 1944 {died 13 Oct 1964 in Hannover (ABR-H).}

Anger, Kurt (1888-1961) [Generalmajor] -- WWI service; police service (Polizeidienst); re-entered military service (Ubernahme Heer) with the 60th Artilley Regiment (A.R.60) 15 Oct 1935; service, 18th Artillery Regiment (A.R.18) 12 Oct 1937 and 1 Sept 1939; commander, Arko 110 30 Sept 1939; commander of POW camps in Wehrkreis XIII (Kdr.d.Kgf. im WK XIII) 1 Aug. 1942 {died 24 March 1961 at Oberstaufen (ABR-H).}

von Beneckendorf und von Hindenburg, Oskar (1883-1960) [Generalleutnant] -- Reichsheer service; retired as Generalmajor 30 Sept 1934; deputy commander, I Army Corps 1 Sept 1939; commander, 422nd Division 25 Oct 1939; commander, 401st Division 1 Mar 1940; commander of POW camps in Wehrkreis I (Kdr. d. Kgf. WK I) 10 Jan 1941-Dec 1944; Aufhebung z.V. – Stellung 28 Feb 1945 {died 13 Feb 1960 at Bad Harzburg (ABR-H).}

Bielfeld, Peter (1888-1963) [Generalleutnant] -- Reichswehr service; Kdt. Tr. Ub. Pl. Altengrabow 1 Apr 1936; commander, 194th Infantry Regiment; commander, 181st Infantry Division; military commander, Posen (Poznan) 10 Jan 1940; Fuehrer Reserve OKH (Wehrkreis XXI) 14 Sept 1943; commander, POW camps in Wehrkreis VII (kdrt. zum Kdr. der Kgf. im W Krs. VII) 10 Feb 1944; commander, POW camps in Wehrkreis XXI 1 Mar 1944; Fuehrer Reserve OKH (Wehrkreis X) 28 Mar 1945 {died 9 Mar 1963 at Gluecksburg (ABR-H).}

Biess, Paul (1872-1949) [Generalleutnant] -- Reichswehr service; commander, Oflag VIIIB POW camp (Kdt. Oflag. VIIIB) 20 Jun 1940; commander, Stalag XIA POW camp 7 Sept 1940; commander, POW camps in Wehrkreis IX (Kdr. der Kgf. in W.K. IX) 6 Oct 1940-25 Apr 1942; Aufhebung Mob. Verwendung 15 Jul 1942 {died 6 Jan 1949 at Berlin (ABR-H).}

von Block, Lothar (1889-?) [Generalmajor] -- Reichswehr service; service, 123rd Frontier Infantry Regiment (Grenz-I.R. 123) 10 Nov 1938; Führer Reserve OKH (Wehrkreis III) 1 Apr 1940; Kdr. der Annahmestelle für Bewerber für d. Offz.-Laufbahn im WK IV 1 Jul 1942; Kdr. Dienststelle für Eignungs-Untersuchungen im WK XX 31 Jan 1943; commander of POW camps in Wehrkreis IV (Kdr. d. Kgf. i. WK IV) 20 Feb 1943; commander of POW camps in Wehrkreis XVII (Kdr. d. Kgf. i. WK XVII) 27 Mar 1945 {still living (Wohnort) 1956 at Blumenkamp (ABR-H).}

Blomeyer, Karl (1884-?) [Generalmajor] -- WWI service as officer; retired as Major (Abschied als char. Major) 31 Dec 1920; service with the military commander of Küstrin (im L-Dienst bei Kdtr. Küstrin) 1 Jul 1925; training leader (Ausb. Leit.) Meseritz 1 Oct 1934; Übernahme E.-Offz. Korps als Major (E) mit RDA 1 Nov 1928-1 Apr 1935; zu den akt. Tr. Offz. überführt mit RDA 1 Oct 1938-1 Jun 1941; service, Frontier Guard District 23 (Grenzwacht-Abschnitt 23) 1 Sept 1939; service, 307th Infantry Regiment 1 Dec 1939; service, 341st Infantry Regiment 6 Nov 1940; Führer Reserve OKH 10 Dec 1942; commander (Kdt.) Stalag 371 15 May 1943; commander (Kdt.) Oflag II C 15 Sept 1943-31 Mar 1944; retired (Abschied) 31 Jul 1944; Volkssturm Inspector (als Gen.Major z.V. Inspekteur des Volkssturmes) summer 1944-8 May 1945 {taken into custody 17 Jun 1946 by Soviet authorities; released from Soviet captivity 18 Jan 1950 (ABR-Croisier-H); still living (Wohnort) 1957 at Löhne (ABR-H).}

von Botzheim, Erich Freiherr (1871-1958) [Generalleutnant] -- Reichswehr service; retired as Generalleutnant 30 Apr 1927; commander, Oflag IVB (Königstein/Pirna) 19 Aug 1940; commander of POW camps in Wehrkreis IV (Kdr. der Kgf. im WK IV) 10 Feb 1941; Aufhebung Mob. Verwendung 31 Aug 1942 {died 28 Mar 1958 at Munich (ABR-H).}

Danhauser, Paul (1892-?) [Generalleutnant] -- Reichswehr service; staff, 106th Infantry Regiment; commander, 214th Infantry Regiment 1 Sept 1939; commander, 550th Infantry Regiment 10 Jun 1940; commander, 36th Infantry Regiment 20 Aug 1940; commander, 427th Infantry Regiment 5 Oct 1940; commander, 256th Infantry Division 14 Feb 1942-24 Nov 1943; commander, 271st Infantry Division 10 Dec 1943; commander of POW camps in Wehrkreis XII (Kdr. d. Kgf. i. W.Krs. XII) Oct 1944 [Knights Cross] {still living 1957 in Landshut (ABR-H).}

Dauber, Julius (?-1946) [Generalmajor] – commander of POW Camps, Wehrkreis XI {captured by allied troops; died in allied captivity Apr 1946 at Tschechowetz (ABR-Croisier).}

Detmering, Rolf (1889-?) [Generalleutnant] -- Reichswehr servive; commander, 17th Infantry Regiment 6 Oct 1936; Insp. W.E.J. Erfurt 1 Apr 1938; Insp. W.E.J. Frankfurt 1 Mar 1939; commander, OFK. 603 21 Jul 1943-11 Aug 1944; commander of POW camps in Wehrkreis VIII (Kdr. Kgf. i. W.Krs. VIII) 21 Dec 1944 {still living 1957 at Giessen (ABR-H).}

von Ditfurth, Wilhelm (1874-1949) [Generalmajor] -- WWI service as infantry officer; retired as Lieutenant Colonel (verabschiedet als char. Obstlt.) 10 Sept 1919; z. akt. Wehrdienst einberufen 23 Feb 1940; commander, Stalag XIB 1 Mar 1940; commander of POW Region XII in France (Kgf. Bez. XII Frankreich) 25 Jul 1940; commander of POW Region II in France (Kgf. Bez. II Frankreich) 3 Aug 1940; commander, POW Region Brussels (v Kgf. Bez. F. Brüssel) 15 Sept 1940; chief of staff to the German military commander in Denmark (Chef Gen.St. b. Befehlsh. d. Tr. in Dänemark [m.W.d.G.b.]) 13 Dec 1940; chief of staff, High Command XXXVII (Chef Gen.St. Höh. Kdo. XXXVII) 18 Feb 1941-14 Feb 1943; Mob. Best. Aufgehoben 1 Apr 1943 [Pour le mérite 1918] {died 1949 at Lemmie (ABR-H).}

von Döhren, Georg (1884-?) [Generalmajor] -- WWI service as infantry officer; retired as Major and entered service with the Bremen police (Verabschiedet als char. Major u. Übertritt z. Polizei Bremen) 1 Oct 1919; re-entered military service as Colonel commanding 58th Infantry Regiment (Übernahme ins Heer als Oberst [Pat. 1. 6. 34] u. Kdr. I.R. 58) 1 Oct 1935; replacement training leader (Überführt z.d. E. Offz. u. Ausb. Ltr.) Wiesbaden 1 Feb 1937; commander, 313th Infantry Regiment 1 Sept 1939; commander, 712th Infantry Division 3 May 1941-15 Apr 1942; Überführt z.d. akt. Tr. Offz. 1 Jun 1941; commander of POW camps in Wehrkreis VI (Kdr. Kgf. W.Krs. VI) 1 Jun 1942-May 1944; released from military service (entlassen) 31 Jan 1945 {still living 1957 at Wiesbaden (ABR-H).}

Drobnig, Walter (1888-?) [Generalmajor] -- WWI service as artillery officer; retired as Captain and entered police service (als Hptm. ausgeschieden u. z.Polizei übergetreten) 1920; re-entered military service as Colonel (Übernahme ins Heer als Oberst [Pat. 1. 6. 35]) 1 Oct 1935; commander of Armed Forces Recruiting District (Kdr. W.B.K.) Waldenburg; commander, 354th Infantry Regiment 1 Sept 1939; commander, 708th Infantry Division 3 May 1941-28 Feb 1942; commander of POW camps in Wehrkreis XIII (Kdr. Kgf. W.Krs. XIII) 1 Apr 1942; commander of POW camps in Operational Area III (Kdr. Kgf. Op.Geb. III) 30 Jun 1942; commander of POW camps in Operational Area IV (Kdr. Kgf. Op.Geb IV) 3 Jul 1942-9 Jun 1944; commander of POW camps in Wehrkreis X (Kdr. Kgf. W.Krs. X) Jul 1944 {still living 1957 at Munich (ABR-H).}

Ehrenberg, Hans (1888-?) [Generalmajor] -- WWI service as infantry officer; Reichswehr service; commander, 86th Infantry Regiment 1 Oct 1936; commander, 409th Division 25 Oct 1939-31 Mar 1943; commander, Feldkommandantur (FK) 248 1 Jun 1943; commander, Oflag XIII A. Dec 1943 {still living 1957 at Eschwege (ABR-H).}

von Enckevort, Gerhard (1868-1945) [Generalmajor] -- WWI service as officer; Reichwehr service; commander, 3rd Mounted Regiment 1 Oct 1919; retired as Generalmajor (Abschied als char. Gen.Maj.) 30 Jun 1932; commander, Stalag III B Sept 1939; commander, Stalag III D 8 Aug 1940-24 Apr 1942; Mob. Best. aufgehoben 31 Aug 1942; z.V. Stellung aufgehoben 30 Apr 1943 {taken prisoner by Soviet forces; died in Soviet captivity 16 Dec 1945 at Sachsenhausen (ABR-Croisier-H; ABR-H).}

Erler, Heinrich (1877-?) [Generalmajor] -- WWI service as railway engineer; Reichwehr service; serrvice, Transportation Detachment 6 (Krftf. Abt. 6) 1 Apr 1928; retired (verabschiedet) 31 Oct 1930; re-entered military service as Colonel on the staff of IV Army Corps (wieder eingestellt als Oberst b. St. IV A.K.) 1 Oct 1933; staff, III Army Corps (Stab III A.K.) 1 May 1939; commander of POW Camps in Zone 4 (Kdr. d. Kgf. Bez. 4); discharged from duty (ausgeschieden) 1942 (ABR-H)

Feichtmeier, Josef (1883-1945) [Generalleutnant] -- Austrian Army service (österr.Bundesheer); commander, Lds. Schtz. R. 1/XVII 1 Sept 1939; commander, 664th Infantry Regiment 10 Mar 1940; staff, Military District South (Abschn. Stab Süd 27 Aug 1940; Kgf. Verf. St. Wien 24 Jun 1941; commander of POW camps in the Ukraine (Kdr Kgf. i. d. Ukraine) 1941-22 Nov 1942; Mob.Best.aufgeh 31 Mar 1943; z.V.Stellung aufgeh. 31 Aug 1943 {kidnapped or abducted 1945 by Soviet authorities and thereafter missing ("1945 verschleppt u. seitdem vermisst") (ABR-H); ("von Sowjet.verschleppt") (ABR-Croisier-H).}

Fuerst, Friedrich (1889-?) [Generalleutnant] -- Reichswehr service; commander, 103rd Infantry Regiment 1 May 1937; commander, 6th Mounted Rifle Regiment (Kav. Schtz. R. 6) 10 Nov 1938; commander, 6th Rifle Brigade (6 Schtz. Brig.) 14 Sept 1939; commander, 7th Rifle Brigade 19 Oct 1939; commander, 14th Infantry Division 6 Oct 1940-15 Aug 1941; commander, 34th Infantry Division 18 Oct 1941; commander, 171st Reserve Division 20 Sept 1942-5 Jan 1944; commander, 442nd Division 20 Feb-26 Jul 1944; Ltr. Aufst. St. I.D. Mähren 9 Aug 1944; commander of POW camps, Wehrkreis IX 21 Dec 1944 (ABR-H)

Gaissert, Victor (?-1945) [Generalleutnant] – commander of POW camps, Ostland (Kdr. Kgf. W.B.F. Ostland) {died of health problem or other natural cause 21 Mar 1945 at Wiesbaden (ABR-Croisier).}

Gercke, Hubert (?-1942) [General der Infanterie] – commander, POW camps in Wehrkreis I (Kdr. Kgf. W.K. I) {died of health problem or other natural cause 7 Dec1942 at Goerlitz (ABR-Croisier).}

Goeldner, Paul (?-1945) [Generalleutnant] – commander of POW camps, Wehrkreis III (Kdr. Kgf. W.K. III) {taken prisoner by allied forces; died in American captivity 13 Dec 1945 (ABR-Croisier).}

Gunzelmann, Emil-Heinrich (1887-?) [Generalleutnant] – commander of POW camps for special duties in the Generalgouvernement (Kdr. der Kriegsgefangenenlager z.b.V. in Generalgouvernement) 1 May 1944 {still living 1957 on Tegernsee (ABR-H).}

Ihssen, Hugo (1887-?) [Generalmajor] -- WWI service as artillery officer; Reichswehr service; commander, 11th Artillery Regiment 12 Nov 1936; Artillery Weapons Development Inspectorate I (Art. Geräte Inspiz. I) 12 Oct 1937; retired (ausgeschieden) 31 Jul 1938; commander, 2nd Artillery Replacement Regiment 1 Sept 1939; commander, 70th Artillery Regiment 16 Nov 1939-31 Oct 1940; Ordnance Command III (Fldzg. Kdo. III) 15 Sept 1941-31 Dec 1942; commander, POW camps in Wehrkreis XX (Kdr. Kgf. W. Krs. XX) 1 May 1943 {still living 1957 at Dohnsen (ABR-H).}

Janusz, Johann (1882-1952) [Generalmajor] -- WWI service as artillery officer; service, Austrian Army (österr. Bundesheer); commander, Austrian 1st Artillery Regiment (Kdr. 1. A. R. 1) 1 Feb 1934; artillery Brigadier General in the Austrian 2nd Division (Art. Brigadier d. 2 Div.) 1 Oct 1936; entered the German Army as Generalmajor (Übernahme ins Reichsheer als Gen.Maj. z. V. [Pat. 27. 6. 37]) 13 Mar 1938; commander, forward POW camp 230 (Frontstalag 230) 23 Jul 1940; commander of POW camps in Region III and (later) Serbia (Kgf. Bez. III Serbien) 5 Sept 1940; commander, Oflag VIII Johannesbrunn 1 Jul 1941-19 May 1942; Mob. Verw. aufgeh. 31 Jul 1942 {died 1952 at Vienna (ABR-H).}

Klemm, Kuno (?-1945) [Generalmajor] – commander of POW camps, Norway (Kdr. Kgf. in Norwegen) {suicide May 1945 at Oslo (ABR-Croisier).}

Morawetz, Rudolf (?-1942?) [Generalmajor] – commander, POW transit camp (Durchgangslager -- Dulag) 151 {MIA 23 Nov 1942 near Tschirr (ABR-Croisier-H).}

von Stockhausen, Wilhelm-Hunold [Generalleutnant] – commander, POW camps in Wehrkreis I {taken prisoner by Yugoslav forces May 1945; released from captivity 1952 (ABR-Croisier).}

Unger, Anton (?-1945) [Generalmajor] – commander, Oflag XVII A {died of health problem or other natural cause 1945 (ABR-Croisier).}

See also:

Documents on German treatment of Soviet POWs
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=62262
Annihilation of Soviet prisoners of war in Belorussia
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=8034
Another cause of death of Soviet POWs
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=9173

Sumy POW Camp, Ukraine
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=41839
Khorol POW Camp, Ukraine
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=41853
Kremenchuk POW Camp, Ukraine
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=41857
Rovno POW Camp, Ukraine
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=41861
Starokonstantinov POW Camp, Ukraine
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=41899
Tyvrov POW Camp, Ukraine
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=41905
Lvov POW Camps, Ukraine
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=41915


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