Hello Micheal,
I recall someone mentioning that you were about the publish a book/CD-ROM pertaining to the German Biographical Reseach (1939-1945). Is this story still true, or am I thinking of someone else? If it is true, can you provide any news about it?
Thanks!
Mike Miller's publication
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Michael Miller
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Leaders of the SS & German Police...
I am in the final stages of work on the first volume of a series detailing all general officers of the SS and German Police. First volume covers all Reichsführer-SS through SS-Gruppenführer with names beginning in "A" (Georg Ahrens) through "M" (Artur Mülverstadt)- it will amount to about 550 pages with approximately 400 photos of the circa 130 officers covered.
Hoping to reach publication by Jan./Feb. 2003.
Thanks for your interest.
Best wishes,
~ Mike Miller / ABR
Hoping to reach publication by Jan./Feb. 2003.
Thanks for your interest.
Best wishes,
~ Mike Miller / ABR
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MICHAELM82
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Niklas Norberg
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Michael Miller
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Michael Miller
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Book Format...
GFM~
Format will be quite similar to that at ABR; photos will appear following the text. I would like to write complete narrative biographies, but the first volume alone will detail 141 officers, so space will not allow for this- and for many of the SS generals covered, little documentation is available (notably obscure Party functionaries who just happened to hold high SS rank, such as Helmuth Friedrichs).
Here is an incomplete sample biosketch (of Werner Best- approximately 8 photos of him at various stages in his career will be included with this information):
Best wishes,
~ Mike Miller
A.B.R.
Dr. jur. Karl Rudolf Werner Best
SS-Obergruppenführer /
Reichsbevollmächtigter / Ministerialdirektor
Born: 10. July 1903 in Darmstadt / Hessen.
Died: 23. June 1989 in Mülheim / Ruhr.
NSDAP-Nr.: 341 338
(Joined 1. Nov. 1930)
SS-Nr.: 23 377
(Joined 1931)
Promotions:
SS-Obergruppenführer: 20. Apr. 1944
SS-Gruppenführer: 9. Nov. 1942
SS-Brigadeführer: 20. Apr. 1939
SS-Oberführer: 9. Nov. 1936
SS-Standartenführer: 20. Apr. 1935
SS-Obersturmbannführer: 4. Jul. 1934
SS-Sturmbannführer: 15. Jun. 1934
SS-Hauptsturmführer: 15. Dec. 1933
SS-Obersturmführer: 9. Nov. 1933
SS-Untersturmführer: 22. Jun. 1933
SS-Anwärter: 1931
Career:
Established first local group of the German National Youth League in Mainz: 191_. Entered Mainz branch of the Deutsche National Volkspartei (DNVP): 192_. One-year volunteer in Reichswehr Jäger-Bataillon Marburg: 1923. Twice imprisoned by French authorities for nationalist political activities in the Ruhrland: End of 1923 to spring 1924. Law studies at Frankfurt am Main, Freiburg, Giessen, and Heidelberg: 1921 - 1925. Promoted Dr. jur.: 1927. Gerichtsassessor (judge) with the State Ministry of Justice, Hessen: 192_ - 1931. Kreisleiter of the NSDAP in Mainz and Bingen: 1931 - 1933. Assigned to Staff of SS-Abschnitt XI: 22. Jun. 1933 - 9. Nov. 1933. Landespolizeipräsident of Hessen (Provincial Police President of Hesse; sacked due to conflict with the Gauleiter of Hessen-Nassau, Jakob Sprenger for"disloyalty"): 9. Sep. 1933 - autumn 1933. SD-Hauptamt (later RSHA): 9. Nov. 1933 - 8. May 1945. Führer SD-Oberabschnitt Süd & Südwest:. Oberregierungsrat and Abteilungsleiter für Verwaltung und Recht (Department Head for Administration & Law) in the geheimen Staatspolizeiamt, Berlin / Deputy to Heydrich: 5. Jan. 1935 - 1936. Member of Lebensborn Society: . Regierungsdirektor and Chef of the Amt für Verwaltung und Recht (Administration and Law) in the Hauptamt Sicherheitspolizei: 1936 - 1940. Ministerialdirigent in the HauptamtSicherheitspolizei, Reichsministerium des Innern: 6. Oct. 1937 -. Member of the Preußischen Prüfungskommission für höhere Verwaltungsbeamte (Prussian testing commission for higher administrative officials): 23. Nov. 1938 -. Chef Amt I (Personal / Personnel) / RSHA: 27. Sep. 1939 - 12. Jun. 1940. Volunteer for Heer service (infantry): 1940. Ministerialdirektor in the Reichsministerium des Innern (Representative of the Reichsführer-SS und Chef der deutschen Polizei): 1940. Kriegsverwaltungschef, in charge of the second of two Verwaltungsstab sections (responsible for civilian matters- agriculture, transportation, justice, police, etc.) under the "Militärbefehlshaber in Frankreich", Paris: 1. Aug. 1940 - 1942. Ministerialdirektor in the Auswärtigen Amt: Aug. 1942 - 1945. Deutscher Reichsbevollmächtigter (German Reich Plenipotentiary) in Dänemark (HQ: Copenhagen): 5. Nov. 1942 - 5. May 1945.
Postwar Prosecution:
Tried by Danish court and sentenced to death, Copenhagen, 1946. Sentence commuted to 12 years' imprisonment, 20. Jul. 1949. Released, 29. Aug. 1951. Fined 70.000 DM by a Berlin de-Nazification court for his activities during the Third Reich. Detained in Mar. 1969 for a new investigation into his role in Aktion AB (the murder of Polish intelligentsia and Jews in 1939/40). Finally charged in Feb. 1972, he was released in Aug. 1972 for medical reasons, but the charges were not withdrawn. They were completely dismissed in 1982.
Postwar Activities:
Legal advisor to Hugo Stinnes A.G. in Kahlheim as of 1962. Consultant to West German Foreign Ministry.
Published Works:
Die Deutsche Polizei , L.C. Wittich Verlag, Darmstadt, 1941 (the standard textbook of the German Police).
Decorations & Awards:
Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern
Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange “Prager Burg”
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
Deutsche Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen
Deutsche Olympia-Ehrenzeichen I. Klasse
Dienstauszeichnungen der NSDAP in Silber und Bronze
SS-Dienstauszeichnungen
SA-Sportabzeichen in Bronze
Ehrendegen des RF SS
Totenkopfring der SS
Notes:
* Son of a senior postmaster who was killed in action in 1914. Parents moved to Dortmund, 1912, then to Mainz (where Best completed his education).
* Foreign language proficiency: French.
* Married to Hildegard Regner (born 23. May 1909 in Mainz), 1930. Two sons (born 18. Jul. 1934 and 19. Jun. 1942); three daughters (born 5. Mar. 1932; 15. Jun. 1936; and 28. Jul. 1939).
* Forced to resign from his post as a judge with the Ministry of Justice in Hessen, 1931 when he was found in possession of the Boxheim documents. These were named for the estate of Boxheim, near Worms, where Best and other Nazis had held meetings to develop a blueprint for a counter-revolution in the event of a communist revolution in Germany; the documents were signed by Best, and discussed, among other things, the execution of political opponents. The discovery of the papers was a major embarrassment for Hitler, who was at that time making every effort to achieve power through legal means. The plans were given to the police, and Best was subsequently forbidden to practice in Hessen. In Oct. 1931 the Leipzig High Court chose not to proceed against him further due to "lack of evidence."
* Wrote in 1930: "The fight itself is essential and permanent; the aims of that fight are temporary and changeable. There can therefore be no question of success in our fight... the yardstick of the new code of morality, therefore, is not its content- not 'what' but how'."
* As Reich Plenipotentiary in Denmark, Best played a key role in one of the most incredible rescue operations of the war by helping to sabotage the Nazi plan to deport the country’s 6,500 Jews. Upon learning of Hitler’s plan for the deportation of Denmark’s Jews, Best sent a telegram to the Foreign Ministry in which he argued “The King and Parliament would cease to take part in the government of the country. In addition we cannot discount the possibility of a general strike.” In further correspondence, he stated, “From the political point of view the evacuation of Jews will undoubtedly lead to a serious increase in the state of tension in Denmark. There may be riots and possibly a general strike.” This troublesome forecast was sufficient to prompt Reich Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop to submit them to the Führer. Hitler, however, was unimpressed. Ambassador Walter Hewel, Foreign Ministry representative to Führer Headquarters, reported back to Best, “The Führer doubts whether the operation will have the results anticipated.” Consequently, two battalions of Ordnungspolizei troops were sent to Denmark and the ship “Wartheland” was docked in Copenhagen in order to take the Jews aboard for deportation. Upon learning of the date on which the Danish Jews were to be deported, he conferred with his shipping expert Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz (a holder of the Golden Badge of the NSDAP) and told him to alert the Jews. Duckwitz met with leaders of the Danish resistance in Copenhagen and directed them to warn the Danish Jewish community leadership. The word spread throughout the city and all but a minority were helped to safety by boat over the Kattegat and to neutral Sweden. Best also instructed the Sipo commander that his policemen were to simply ring the doorbells rather than entering Jewish homes, stating that "since the vast majority of Jews are no longer living in their own houses, breaking into empty dwellings would have made an unpleasant impression and might have given rise to thefts which would then have been laid at our door." On 1. and 2. Oct. 1943, a mere 477 (mostly elderly Jews who had not heard Best's warnings) of the anticipated 6,500 Danish Jews were evacuated by the SS and Polizei. Most of these 477 deportees survived the war as Best had maneuvered to have them sent to the camp of Theresienstadt rather than to the death camps of Poland. Following the operation, Best wrote to Berlin: "1. Anti-Jewish action in Denmark carried out without incident during the night 1 / 2 October 1943. 2. As of today Denmark can be regarded as Judenfrei [free of Jews]." To the angered outbursts of the RSHA in Berlin, Best responded on 5. October 1943: "The Sicherheitspolizei Commander and I had foreseen that only very few Jews would be caught. Since the real object of action in Denmark was to free the country of Jews rather than have a good man-hunt, it must be recorded that the operation achieved its object."
Format will be quite similar to that at ABR; photos will appear following the text. I would like to write complete narrative biographies, but the first volume alone will detail 141 officers, so space will not allow for this- and for many of the SS generals covered, little documentation is available (notably obscure Party functionaries who just happened to hold high SS rank, such as Helmuth Friedrichs).
Here is an incomplete sample biosketch (of Werner Best- approximately 8 photos of him at various stages in his career will be included with this information):
Best wishes,
~ Mike Miller
A.B.R.
Dr. jur. Karl Rudolf Werner Best
SS-Obergruppenführer /
Reichsbevollmächtigter / Ministerialdirektor
Born: 10. July 1903 in Darmstadt / Hessen.
Died: 23. June 1989 in Mülheim / Ruhr.
NSDAP-Nr.: 341 338
(Joined 1. Nov. 1930)
SS-Nr.: 23 377
(Joined 1931)
Promotions:
SS-Obergruppenführer: 20. Apr. 1944
SS-Gruppenführer: 9. Nov. 1942
SS-Brigadeführer: 20. Apr. 1939
SS-Oberführer: 9. Nov. 1936
SS-Standartenführer: 20. Apr. 1935
SS-Obersturmbannführer: 4. Jul. 1934
SS-Sturmbannführer: 15. Jun. 1934
SS-Hauptsturmführer: 15. Dec. 1933
SS-Obersturmführer: 9. Nov. 1933
SS-Untersturmführer: 22. Jun. 1933
SS-Anwärter: 1931
Career:
Established first local group of the German National Youth League in Mainz: 191_. Entered Mainz branch of the Deutsche National Volkspartei (DNVP): 192_. One-year volunteer in Reichswehr Jäger-Bataillon Marburg: 1923. Twice imprisoned by French authorities for nationalist political activities in the Ruhrland: End of 1923 to spring 1924. Law studies at Frankfurt am Main, Freiburg, Giessen, and Heidelberg: 1921 - 1925. Promoted Dr. jur.: 1927. Gerichtsassessor (judge) with the State Ministry of Justice, Hessen: 192_ - 1931. Kreisleiter of the NSDAP in Mainz and Bingen: 1931 - 1933. Assigned to Staff of SS-Abschnitt XI: 22. Jun. 1933 - 9. Nov. 1933. Landespolizeipräsident of Hessen (Provincial Police President of Hesse; sacked due to conflict with the Gauleiter of Hessen-Nassau, Jakob Sprenger for"disloyalty"): 9. Sep. 1933 - autumn 1933. SD-Hauptamt (later RSHA): 9. Nov. 1933 - 8. May 1945. Führer SD-Oberabschnitt Süd & Südwest:. Oberregierungsrat and Abteilungsleiter für Verwaltung und Recht (Department Head for Administration & Law) in the geheimen Staatspolizeiamt, Berlin / Deputy to Heydrich: 5. Jan. 1935 - 1936. Member of Lebensborn Society: . Regierungsdirektor and Chef of the Amt für Verwaltung und Recht (Administration and Law) in the Hauptamt Sicherheitspolizei: 1936 - 1940. Ministerialdirigent in the HauptamtSicherheitspolizei, Reichsministerium des Innern: 6. Oct. 1937 -. Member of the Preußischen Prüfungskommission für höhere Verwaltungsbeamte (Prussian testing commission for higher administrative officials): 23. Nov. 1938 -. Chef Amt I (Personal / Personnel) / RSHA: 27. Sep. 1939 - 12. Jun. 1940. Volunteer for Heer service (infantry): 1940. Ministerialdirektor in the Reichsministerium des Innern (Representative of the Reichsführer-SS und Chef der deutschen Polizei): 1940. Kriegsverwaltungschef, in charge of the second of two Verwaltungsstab sections (responsible for civilian matters- agriculture, transportation, justice, police, etc.) under the "Militärbefehlshaber in Frankreich", Paris: 1. Aug. 1940 - 1942. Ministerialdirektor in the Auswärtigen Amt: Aug. 1942 - 1945. Deutscher Reichsbevollmächtigter (German Reich Plenipotentiary) in Dänemark (HQ: Copenhagen): 5. Nov. 1942 - 5. May 1945.
Postwar Prosecution:
Tried by Danish court and sentenced to death, Copenhagen, 1946. Sentence commuted to 12 years' imprisonment, 20. Jul. 1949. Released, 29. Aug. 1951. Fined 70.000 DM by a Berlin de-Nazification court for his activities during the Third Reich. Detained in Mar. 1969 for a new investigation into his role in Aktion AB (the murder of Polish intelligentsia and Jews in 1939/40). Finally charged in Feb. 1972, he was released in Aug. 1972 for medical reasons, but the charges were not withdrawn. They were completely dismissed in 1982.
Postwar Activities:
Legal advisor to Hugo Stinnes A.G. in Kahlheim as of 1962. Consultant to West German Foreign Ministry.
Published Works:
Die Deutsche Polizei , L.C. Wittich Verlag, Darmstadt, 1941 (the standard textbook of the German Police).
Decorations & Awards:
Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern
Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange “Prager Burg”
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
Deutsche Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen
Deutsche Olympia-Ehrenzeichen I. Klasse
Dienstauszeichnungen der NSDAP in Silber und Bronze
SS-Dienstauszeichnungen
SA-Sportabzeichen in Bronze
Ehrendegen des RF SS
Totenkopfring der SS
Notes:
* Son of a senior postmaster who was killed in action in 1914. Parents moved to Dortmund, 1912, then to Mainz (where Best completed his education).
* Foreign language proficiency: French.
* Married to Hildegard Regner (born 23. May 1909 in Mainz), 1930. Two sons (born 18. Jul. 1934 and 19. Jun. 1942); three daughters (born 5. Mar. 1932; 15. Jun. 1936; and 28. Jul. 1939).
* Forced to resign from his post as a judge with the Ministry of Justice in Hessen, 1931 when he was found in possession of the Boxheim documents. These were named for the estate of Boxheim, near Worms, where Best and other Nazis had held meetings to develop a blueprint for a counter-revolution in the event of a communist revolution in Germany; the documents were signed by Best, and discussed, among other things, the execution of political opponents. The discovery of the papers was a major embarrassment for Hitler, who was at that time making every effort to achieve power through legal means. The plans were given to the police, and Best was subsequently forbidden to practice in Hessen. In Oct. 1931 the Leipzig High Court chose not to proceed against him further due to "lack of evidence."
* Wrote in 1930: "The fight itself is essential and permanent; the aims of that fight are temporary and changeable. There can therefore be no question of success in our fight... the yardstick of the new code of morality, therefore, is not its content- not 'what' but how'."
* As Reich Plenipotentiary in Denmark, Best played a key role in one of the most incredible rescue operations of the war by helping to sabotage the Nazi plan to deport the country’s 6,500 Jews. Upon learning of Hitler’s plan for the deportation of Denmark’s Jews, Best sent a telegram to the Foreign Ministry in which he argued “The King and Parliament would cease to take part in the government of the country. In addition we cannot discount the possibility of a general strike.” In further correspondence, he stated, “From the political point of view the evacuation of Jews will undoubtedly lead to a serious increase in the state of tension in Denmark. There may be riots and possibly a general strike.” This troublesome forecast was sufficient to prompt Reich Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop to submit them to the Führer. Hitler, however, was unimpressed. Ambassador Walter Hewel, Foreign Ministry representative to Führer Headquarters, reported back to Best, “The Führer doubts whether the operation will have the results anticipated.” Consequently, two battalions of Ordnungspolizei troops were sent to Denmark and the ship “Wartheland” was docked in Copenhagen in order to take the Jews aboard for deportation. Upon learning of the date on which the Danish Jews were to be deported, he conferred with his shipping expert Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz (a holder of the Golden Badge of the NSDAP) and told him to alert the Jews. Duckwitz met with leaders of the Danish resistance in Copenhagen and directed them to warn the Danish Jewish community leadership. The word spread throughout the city and all but a minority were helped to safety by boat over the Kattegat and to neutral Sweden. Best also instructed the Sipo commander that his policemen were to simply ring the doorbells rather than entering Jewish homes, stating that "since the vast majority of Jews are no longer living in their own houses, breaking into empty dwellings would have made an unpleasant impression and might have given rise to thefts which would then have been laid at our door." On 1. and 2. Oct. 1943, a mere 477 (mostly elderly Jews who had not heard Best's warnings) of the anticipated 6,500 Danish Jews were evacuated by the SS and Polizei. Most of these 477 deportees survived the war as Best had maneuvered to have them sent to the camp of Theresienstadt rather than to the death camps of Poland. Following the operation, Best wrote to Berlin: "1. Anti-Jewish action in Denmark carried out without incident during the night 1 / 2 October 1943. 2. As of today Denmark can be regarded as Judenfrei [free of Jews]." To the angered outbursts of the RSHA in Berlin, Best responded on 5. October 1943: "The Sicherheitspolizei Commander and I had foreseen that only very few Jews would be caught. Since the real object of action in Denmark was to free the country of Jews rather than have a good man-hunt, it must be recorded that the operation achieved its object."
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Birgitte Heuschkel
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I'm honestly intrigued. By reading recollections of Danish resistance fighters as well as the generally them bad we poor victims school lessons I've been subjected to over time, I did have a feeling that for a governor, the SS officer Best was by far not the worst we could have ended up with -- but that he actually assisted Jews in escaping, that one I had certainly not heard before.
Can this be proved and documented?
Can this be proved and documented?