Kurt Meyer (* 23 December 1910 in Jerxheim; "† 23 December 1961 in Hagen, Westphalia), also admits as Panzermeyer, was a general of the weapon SS.

Career

Kurt Meyer occurred end 20's the police service. On 1 September 1930 it joined the NSDAP and later then also the SS. He came first to 22. SS-banner after Schwerin, until it became in the year 1932 it changed 1934 to the still young body banner (LSSAH) and 1936, after the transport to the he got the command over the 14. Antitank defense company of the banner, which had at this time regiment strength.

it went through 1939 still the rank of a in the course of the war a rapid career. It took first as a boss of the 14. Antitank defense company of the body banner at the Poland campaign part. On 20 September 1939 the iron cross of second class was lent to it. Since the tasks were not appropriate for it in the antitank defense company however, it changed then later to the Krad reconnaissance aircraft and participated with its new company in the west campaign, in whose process on 8 June 1940 the iron cross of first class was lent to it. 1941 it was already carried to the and received due to its achievements the knight cross. Meyer fought during the war with its soldiers in Greece, at the east front and with the invasion in normandy again in France.

First it became as fast Meyer admits, since it surprised friend and enemy again and again as a commander of the clearing-up department of the LSSAH and later than commander of a regiment and/or a combat team by its very fast maneuvers and successes resulting from it. Starting from 1944 its pointed name was Panzermeyer.

1944 it was carried to the SS-group leader and general of the weapon SS and was considered thereby as the youngest general of the German armed forces. He took over the command during the fights in normandy over the 12. SS-armored division Hitler Youth, which had been set up 1943 and recruited with exception of the officers and senior in rank of NCOs from the Hitler Youth.

First Meyer the SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 25 of the 12 was subordinate. SS-armored division. He took over, after Fritz Witt was killed with an artillery impact, the command of the division. After the fights directly after the invasion, he was included with his men in Caen. It succeeded to Meyer to vacate with approximately still 5,000 from originally 22,000 men, Caen. With the remainders of its division it participated now in the fights for Falaise, was again included there and from the allied ones bombarded nearly nonstop. Despite the situation offering no prospects again, now with only approximately 1,500 men, the outbreak succeeded to it. For these unusual achievements, Meyer was distinguished on 27 August 1944 with oak leaves with swords.

Meyer turned out for the allied one in September 1944 into the hands of partisans and from these was then handed over.

After end of war

After he became to hand over from partisans to the allied ones, he is spent first into a camp in France. From there it is transferred later into a camp to England, where it is several times cross-examined. To some time it is finally flown to Aurich, Germany and brought there to a prison of the allied ones. Here on 10 December 1945 by the Canadians, in whose shank it is now, the process is then made for it. The charges read as follows:

• 1. that Meyer committed war crimes in the Kingdom of Belgium and the Republic of France, in the course of the yearly 1943 and before 7 June 1944, when commander of the SS-Panzergrenadierregimentes 25, in infringement of the laws and customs of the war, by instigating and advising troops under its instruction, allied troops Pardon to refuse.
• a war crime in normandy committed 2. that Meyer, by being responsible as a commander of the SS-Panzergrenadierregimentes 25 for the killing of seven prisoners of war in the proximity of its command post in the monastery Ancienne Abbaye Ardenne.

Here it is to be mentioned that one was e.g. a judge a Kommandierender general of the Canadian troops, which fought against the troops of Meyer. Meyer is finally condemned at the end of the process to death by shooting. While Meyer sit in the the cell, strive itself a a set of people for his life, under it among other things the the bishop of Clemens August count of Galen. The death penalty finally converted into life imprisonment. Since Meyer of prisoners of the Canadians is, he is brought after transformation of the death sentence after Dorchester, Canada into a prison. In the time which it sits there in detention, uses themselves again a whole row humans for it. On 17 October 1951 it is then shifted from Dorchester to Werl, Germany.

Meyer will dismiss on 6 September 1954, after 9 years promptly from the detention. It publishes finally, also its book encourages infantry by the jubilant receipt, which against-struck it with the return to its homeland municipality! , in which it describes its experiences during the war and its time in detention. It engages it in exposed position in the HIAG. At the age of 51 years it dies at a cardiac infarct.

Honors

• Honouring gene of the realm leader SS
• Dead head ring of the SS
• Medal for memory of 1 October 1938 with clip Prager castle
• Medal for memory at the 13. March 1938
• Medal winter battle in the east 1941/42
• unique denomination in the armed forces report
• Iron cross (1939) 2. and 1. Class
• German cross in gold
• Knight cross of the iron cross with oak leaves and swords
  • Knight cross (18. May 1941)
  • Oak leaves (23 February 1943)
  • Swords (27 August 1944)

Works

• Kurt Meyer: Infantry!. - Sign publishing house, 10. Edition 2004, ISBN 3880141088

Literature

• Kurt Meyer (June.): One cries, if the head off is. - Herder 1998, ISBN 3451048663

Related links

• Article over Panzermeyer

Articles in category "Kurt Meyer"

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