Pics of Rattenhuber and his RSD-members

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dawm
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Pics of Rattenhuber and his RSD-members

#1

Post by dawm » 16 Nov 2002, 01:24

Hi again

Here a few pics of Rattenhuber.
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rattenhuber_johann2.jpg
Rattenhuber
rattenhuber_johann2.jpg (70.63 KiB) Viewed 4919 times
ssere1.jpg
From left: Johann Rattenhuber, Henirich Himmler, Erich Kempka, Adolf Dirr, Franz Schädle, unknown and Peter Högl (courtesy of Mark Costa and others)
ssere1.jpg (61.22 KiB) Viewed 4921 times
Last edited by dawm on 16 Nov 2002, 12:40, edited 1 time in total.

David Thompson
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#2

Post by David Thompson » 16 Nov 2002, 03:58

Rattenhuber, Hans (1897-1967) [SS-Brigadefuehrer und Generalmajor der Polizei] -- commander, Hitler's personal bodyguard {captured by Soviet troops 2 May 1945; put on trial by a Soviet court; convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment; held after May 1950 as war criminal (NYT 7 May 1950:35:3); impending release pursuant to "Adenauer amnesty" announced by Nikita S. Krushchev 9 Sept 1955 (Gulag Archipelago vol. 3, pps. 441-2); released from Soviet captivity 10 Oct 1955 (NYT 11 Oct 1955:48:8); died 1967 (SS: Roll of Infamy p. 139; ABR-SS).}


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#3

Post by Mark Costa » 16 Nov 2002, 06:17

In the group photo above the line up is actually:

Rattenhuber, Himmler, Kempka, Bruno Gesche, Franz Schaedle (the tall blond officer), then the unknown officer and the officer on the end is Peter Hoegl (not bormann). Everyone who has ever published this photo always make the same mistake as they take the word of the person who wrote the caption on the back of the National Archives photo.

Mark

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dawm
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#4

Post by dawm » 16 Nov 2002, 12:33

Thanks you for the correction. I have edited the pics text - It should be correct now.

Dawm

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Michael Miller
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SS-Gruf.u.Gen.Lt.d.Pol. Johann (Hans) Rattenhuber

#5

Post by Michael Miller » 16 Nov 2002, 16:33

A little more on Rattenhuber...

Best wishes,
~ Mike Miller / ABR



Johann (Hans) Rattenhuber
SS-Gruppenführer
und Generalleutnant der Polizei


Born: 30. April 1897 in Oberhaching bei München / Bayern.
Died: 30. June 1957 in München / Bayern; buried in Ostfriedhof, München.

NSDAP-Nr.: 3 212 449
(Joined 1. May 1933)
SS-Nr.: 52 877
(Joined 1933)

Promotions:
SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Polizei: 24. February 1945
SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Polizei: 30. January 1944
SS-Oberführer und Oberst der Polizei: 20. April 1942
SS-Standartenführer: 15. September 1935
SS-Obersturmbannführer: 4. July 1934
Major der Polizei: 20. April 1934
SS-Sturmbannführer: 20. April 1934
Hauptmann der Landespolizei: 1. June 1933
Oberleutnant der Landespolizei 1. August 1925
Leutnant: October 1918

Career:
Attended 4 classes of Volksschule, then Gymnasium; passed his Abitur. Drafted into Royal Bavarian Army, assigned to Bayerischen Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 16 (garrison: Ingolstadt / Bayern): 1916 - 1918. Reichswehr service in Schützen-Regiment 42 and Infanterie-Regiment 13: 1918 - 31. March 1920. Service with Freikorps Detachement “Dentz”: - 31. March 1920. Attended University of München (completed two semesters): September 1919 - 5. September 1920. Landespolizei service in Bayreuth: 15. September 1920 - 10. February 1922. Assigned to Bayerische Landespolizei in München: 10. February 1922 -. Joined SS, assigned as Adjutant to the Reichsführer-SS: 10. March 1933 -. Joined NSDAP: 1. May 1933. Member of the Lebensborn Society: . Assigned to Staff, Reichsführer-SS as Führer of the Reichssicherheitsdienst (RSD; Chief of Hitler’s personal security detail): 30. January 1933 - 8. May 1945.

Postwar Captivity:
Severely wounded in leg during attempted escape from Reichskanzlei, Berlin. Captured by Soviet troops, 2. May 1945 and interned in the USSR until 10. October 1955.

Decorations & Awards:
1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
1914 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Bayerische Militär-Verdienst-Kreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern (WW I)
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen
Deutsche Olympia-Ehrenzeichen 1. Klasse
Dienstauszeichnung der Polizei
SS-Dienstauszeichnungen
Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen in Gold: 12. May 1938
SA-Sportabzeichen in Bronze
Ehrendegen des RF SS
Totenkopfring der SS
Hungarian Remembrance Coin (for WW I)

Notes:
* Religion: Catholic until 19. July 1943, then declared himself “gottgläubig”.
* Married on 24. December 1934 to Paula Dentz (born 6. February 1906 in München). One son (born 26. March 1923; became student at NPEA Neuzelle / Potsdam) and one daughter (born 25. August 1942).

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#6

Post by thomas » 24 Nov 2004, 08:01

Dear all

I have two questions:

David Thompson said that he died 1967 and Michel Miller says he died 1957. What is correct?

Was he ever sentenced in Germany? If he died really 1957, so it would be very difficult to sentenc him when he came back from Russia 10.10.1955.

Any information would be highly appreciated.

Greetings

thomas

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#7

Post by David Thompson » 24 Nov 2004, 09:57

thomas -- I haven't found anything suggesting that Rattenhuber was put on trial after his return from the USSR. My source for Rattenhuber's death in 1967 is SS: Roll of Infamy p. 139, but Michael Miller's information is more reliable in my opinion. I intend to revise my notes to show Rattenhuber's death in 1955.

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Dieter Zinke
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#8

Post by Dieter Zinke » 24 Nov 2004, 10:29

The pic above is distorted. I tried to improve it. Anybody with the original copy?

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Dieter Zinke
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#9

Post by Dieter Zinke » 24 Nov 2004, 10:36

Mark Costa wrote:In the group photo above the line up is actually:

Rattenhuber, Himmler, Kempka, Bruno Gesche, Franz Schaedle (the tall blond officer), then the unknown officer and the officer on the end is Peter Hoegl (not bormann). Everyone who has ever published this photo always make the same mistake as they take the word of the person who wrote the caption on the back of the National Archives photo.

Mark
Mark,

in a former contribution in this forum (I cannot find it again) I read the following sequence:
Rattenhuber, RFSS, Hans Kempka, Josef Hausner, Bruno Gesche, Franz Schädle, Peter Hoegl.
I' m confused. What is the truth?

Oberstab

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Schmauser
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#10

Post by Schmauser » 25 Nov 2004, 01:41

Here's another Rattenhüber pic...
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Rattenhüber, Hans.jpg
Rattenhüber, Hans.jpg (73.16 KiB) Viewed 4593 times

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#11

Post by Mark Costa » 28 Nov 2004, 06:02

Oberstab:

The correct lineup for the photo above is correct as listed:
Rattenhuber,Himmler, Kempka, Gesche, Schaedle, unknown and then Högl.

This is an interesting photo as it appears that Rattenhuber is inspecting these men along with Himmler. However, Kempka, Schaedle and Gesche were part of the SS Begleitkommando and were not under Rattenhuber's authority. The SSBK were the rivals of Rattenhuber's RSD detectives. If you notice in photos that the SSBK wear Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler sleevebands and the RSD men do not wear any at all. The security of Hitlers' actual "person" rested with the SSBK, which were his old comrades and were picked by him personally from the LSSAH. Gesche was head of the SSBK and was replaced late in 1944 by Richard Schulze.
The SSBK were Hitler's SS adjutants, chaffeurs, valets, servants etc. -- men like Max Wuensche, Hans George Schulze, Ludwig Bahls, Heinz Linge, Karl Krause, Fritz Darges, Hans Junge, Otto Günsche etc etc.

Rattenhuber disliked these men as he considered them amateurs in the area of security. However, Hitler was more confortable around these men and they mostly stayed with him until his death or theirs.
Rattenhuber's RSD men did not always get along with the SSBK boys. However, if the truth be known -- there was a lot of jealousy because as one author put it --- "the SSBK boys were more lucky with the ladies of the FHQ".

Mark Costa

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Dieter Zinke
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#12

Post by Dieter Zinke » 28 Nov 2004, 11:45

Hallo Mark Costa,

thank you very much for the explanation of the differences. Now there is light in the jungle. Our loved forum is irrecoverable indeed.

Oberstab

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Re: Pics of Rattenhuber and his RSD-members

#13

Post by mty » 15 Jan 2010, 10:38

Does anyone know, why Rattenhuber was chosen to command Führerschutzkommando on 15.03.1933? He had no political merits and was not previously publicly associated with NSDAP. Was he somehow distinguished in the field of close protection duties?

When did the term Führerschutzkommando actually appear for the first time? Many sources claim that the unit was established with that name already on 15.03.1933 but I find it rather unlikely that the term "Führer" would have been used in that capacity already in March - Hitler was of course the leader of the NSDAP but he was still more or less regular Reich Chancellor.

My assumption is that the initial nomenclatura was something else, perhaps Kanzlerschutzdienst? That term is sometimes used as a synonyme to FSK/FBK and it sounds plausible that the word Kanzler would have been used instead of Führer during the first year of the Third Reich.

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Re: Pics of Rattenhuber and his RSD-members

#14

Post by Max Williams » 15 Jan 2010, 12:59

Mark Costa wrote:In the group photo above the line up is actually:

Rattenhuber, Himmler, Kempka, Bruno Gesche, Franz Schaedle (the tall blond officer), then the unknown officer and the officer on the end is Peter Hoegl (not bormann). Everyone who has ever published this photo always make the same mistake as they take the word of the person who wrote the caption on the back of the National Archives photo.

Mark
Mark,
Reading this old thread, I don't think the SS-Stubaf. you identify as Bruno Gesche is him. This guy looks nothing like Gesche, who I think is not in the photo.
Regards,
Max.
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Bruno Gesche.jpg (46.67 KiB) Viewed 3217 times
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Re: Pics of Rattenhuber and his RSD-members

#15

Post by Anas sawallha » 15 Jan 2010, 15:23

Yes i agree totally with Max when i see this pic i always wonder how it's Gesche, the man in that pic i can say that he has more concave profile ( looking at the chin ), and Gesche had his nose prominent giving him a more convex profile.

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