Hans Jüttner
| Hans Jüttner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
2 March 1894 Schmiegel, Posen |
| Died |
24 May 1965 (aged 71) Bad Tölz, West Germany |
| Allegiance | |
| Service/branch |
 Schutzstaffel |
| Years of service |
|
| Rank | Obergruppenführer |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross in Silver with Swords |
.svg.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=small}
Hans Jüttner (2 March 1894 – 24 May 1965) was a high-ranking functionary in the SS of Nazi Germany who served as the head of the SS Führungshauptamt (SS Leadership Main Office).
Early life and career
Jüttner was born in Schmiegel (Śmigiel) in the Province of Posen. After finishing high school, Jüttner joined the army as a volunteer and took part in World War I. By 1915 he had been promoted to lieutenant, and he was discharged from the army in 1920 with the rank of first lieutenant.
Career in the Nazi Party
In 1933 Jüttner became a university sport teacher in Breslau (Wrocław). At this time he also joined the SA and was installed in the SA Collegiate Office. In 1934, Jüttner became the leader of the SA training body in Munich. In May 1935, he switched to the SS combat support force (SS-Verfügungstruppe or SS-VT), which later became known as the Waffen-SS. Jüttner was promoted on 1 September 1936 to SS-Sturmbannführer and appointed to the SS-VT inspection department in Berlin. By 1939, he had become the Inspector of Reserve Troops of the SS-VT-Division. From early 1940, Jüttner lead the SS-VT command office.
In the summer of the same year, Jüttner was promoted to chief of staff of the newly created SS Leadership Main Office (SS-Führungshauptamt), which was responsible for the Waffen-SS's organizational and administrative leadership. This was separate from the administration of Nazi concentration camps, the SS Economic and Administrative Main Office (SS-Wirtschafts-Verwaltungshauptamt),[1] and from the SS Reich Main Security Office which administered the Gestapo, Kripo and SD. Shortly after taking office, Jüttner was instrumental in wresting control of the militarized Death's Head regiments (Totenkopfstandarten) from Concentration Camps Inspectorate chief Theodor Eicke and amalgamating them into the Waffen-SS.[2] In June 1942, after having been promoted to SS-Obergruppenführer, Jüttner was also given the rank of General der Waffen-SS.
On 30 January 1943, Jüttner became Leader of the SS Leadership Main Office. Heinrich Himmler appointed Jüttner Chief of "Army Armament and Commander of the Reserve Army". Hereafter, Jüttner was Himmler's deputy in this area of command. Jüttner was one of those responsible for building the many prisoner of war camps in which Soviet prisoners of war were held.
Post war years
On 17 May 1945, Jüttner was taken prisoner by British forces. In 1948 he was sentenced to 10 years in a labour camp. In appeal proceedings in 1949 the punishment was lowered to 4 years. In 1961 Jüttner testified for the prosecution in the trial of Holocaust architect Adolf Eichmann.[3] Later Jüttner was the proprietor of a sanatorium in Bad Tölz,[4] where he died.
References
- ↑ Until 1941, the Inspektion des Konzentrationslagern, which reported directly to the SS-Hauptamt.
- ↑ Sydnor, Charles W, Soldiers of Destruction: The SS Death's Head Division, 1933-1945. Princeton University Press (1990) pp. 132-136.
- ↑ "Eichmann trial: Testimony taken abroad".
- ↑ "Eichmann trial: Testimony taken abroad".