Alexander Andrae
Encyclopedia
Alexander Andrae whose first name is often mistakenly given as Waldemar, was a German
military officer from Kösling,
Upper Silesia
. Initially pursuing an Army career, he then joined the security police and eventually the Luftwaffe
. During the Second World War he was appointed military governor of the Greek
island of Crete
. After the war, he was tried and imprisoned for war crime
s committed there during his tenure.
, he served with the 56th Field-Artillery-Brigade
, in the Staffs of the 2nd Army
, the 25th Infantry Division
, the 9th Landwehr Division
and the XVI Army Corps
.
After the end of World War I, he remained in the Reichswehr
, from which he retired in 1920. He then moved to the security police
, where he stayed until 1935 when he re-entered the army. In August 1936, he joined the then newly established Luftwaffe
.
Poland
, Denmark
, the Balkans and Crete
, respectively. In June 1941, he succeeded Kurt Student
as the Commander-in-Chief of Fortress Crete
. Under his command, thousands of civilian residents of
Crete
were tortured or executed. In fall 1942, Andrae was assigned to the RLM
, leaving the command of Crete to paratrooper General Bruno Bräuer
. In May 1943 he retired from service, to be called again for active duty in April 1945 with the 4th Panzer Army.
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
military officer from Kösling,
Upper Silesia
Opole Voivodeship
- Administrative division :Opole Voivodeship is divided into 12 counties : 1 city county and 11 land counties. These are further divided into 71 gminas.The counties are listed in the following table .- Economy :...
. Initially pursuing an Army career, he then joined the security police and eventually the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. During the Second World War he was appointed military governor of the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
island of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. After the war, he was tried and imprisoned for war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s committed there during his tenure.
Early life, World War I and Interbellum
Andrae was born in 1888 and joined the army in 1906. During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he served with the 56th Field-Artillery-Brigade
10th Division (German Empire)
The 10th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Posen in November 1816 as a brigade, became the 9th Division on September 5, 1818, and was renumbered the 10th Division on February 28, 1820. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the V Army Corps...
, in the Staffs of the 2nd Army
II Corps (German Empire)
The II Army Corps was a unit of the Imperial German Army that was stationed in Stettin. At the outbreak of World War I, the corps served on the Western Front.In 1914, the component units of the corps were:*3rd Division*4th Division...
, the 25th Infantry Division
25th Division (German Empire)
The 25th Division , officially the Grand Ducal Hessian Division , was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was headquartered in Darmstadt, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XVIII Army Corps when that corps was formed in 1899...
, the 9th Landwehr Division
9th Landwehr Division (German Empire)
The 9th Landwehr Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed in January 1915 as the Mühlenfels Division , named after its commander, and became the 9th Landwehr Division on February 14, 1915...
and the XVI Army Corps
XVI Corps (German Empire)
The XVI. Armeekorps was a major formation of the German Army before the World War I.-World War I:The XVI Corps, which was a major formation of the Imperial German Army, had its headquarters in the fortress of Metz. This formation fought at the beginning of World War I, with the 7th Army...
.
After the end of World War I, he remained in the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
, from which he retired in 1920. He then moved to the security police
Sicherheitspolizei
The Sicherheitspolizei , often abbreviated as SiPo, was a term used in Nazi Germany to describe the state political and criminal investigation security agencies. It was made up by the combined forces of the Gestapo and the Kripo between 1936 and 1939...
, where he stayed until 1935 when he re-entered the army. In August 1936, he joined the then newly established Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
.
World War II
Serving in the Luftwaffe as the Commander of Air Region Staffs 17 (Poland), 300 (Denmark), Balkans, and Crete, Andrae took part in the campaigns againstPoland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
, Denmark
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
, the Balkans and Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
, respectively. In June 1941, he succeeded Kurt Student
Kurt Student
Kurt Student was a German Luftwaffe general who fought as a fighter pilot during the First World War and as the commander of German Fallschirmjäger during the Second World War.-Biography:...
as the Commander-in-Chief of Fortress Crete
Fortress Crete
Fortress Crete was the term used during World War II by the German occupation forces to refer to the garrison and fortification of the Greek island of Crete, which they had captured after a fierce battle at the end of May 1941...
. Under his command, thousands of civilian residents of
Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
were tortured or executed. In fall 1942, Andrae was assigned to the RLM
Reich Air Ministry
thumb|300px|The Ministry of Aviation, December 1938The Ministry of Aviation was a government department during the period of Nazi Germany...
, leaving the command of Crete to paratrooper General Bruno Bräuer
Bruno Bräuer
Bruno Bräuer was a German paratrooper from Willmannsdorf, Prussian Silesia. In 1905 he joined the army cadets and started his military career. In World War I he received the Iron Cross first and second class whilst serving in the 7th West Prussian Infantry regiment...
. In May 1943 he retired from service, to be called again for active duty in April 1945 with the 4th Panzer Army.
Post-war
After the surrender of Germany in May 1945, Andrae was captured by the British and then extradited to Greece to be tried for war crimes he was responsible for while in Crete. In 1947, he was condemned to four life sentences, but after spending four years in prison, he was released in January 1952. Later, Andrae was one of the founders of the German Reich PartyDeutsche Reichspartei
For the party that existed in Imperial Germany, see Free Conservative Party.The Deutsche Reichspartei was a nationalist political party in West Germany...
.