Artur Phleps
Encyclopedia
Artur Martin Phleps was an Austro-Hungarian
-born Romania
n and German
officer who held the rank of Obergruppenführer
in the Waffen-SS
during World War II
. An Austro-Hungarian Army
officer in World War I
, he served in the Romanian Army during the interwar period
, before joining the military forces of Nazi Germany
in 1941. Seeing action with the 5. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Wiking, he was later a commander of the 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen
and the V SS Mountain Corps
. Phleps was the recipient of numerous decorations, including the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub
and the German Cross
in Gold.
), near Sibiu
(Hermannstadt) - a region densely populated by ethnic Germans
commonly referred to as Transylvanian Saxons
. His father was a physician who came to Transylvania
from Austrian Silesia
. After finishing primary school in Sibiu, Phleps attended the Military Academy in Pressburg
. Following graduation, he continued officer training and later fought during World War I
in the Austro-Hungarian Army, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel
of the general staff.
After the war, and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Phleps returned to his native Transylvania
, that became part of Romania
and joined the Romanian Army. Initially, he was assigned to the Romanian Military Academy in Bucharest
and later, as a Lieutenant general
, was put in charge of mountain troops, transforming them into elite units within the Romanian Army (see Vânători de Munte
).
. Under his mother's maiden name Stolz, he joined the staff of the 5. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Wiking. He rose quickly in the divisional ranks and after the death of Hilmar Wäckerle
, he was given command of the SS-Regiment Westland
. Thanks to his organizational skills Phleps was soon promoted to SS-Gruppenführer
and in 1942 was tasked by Heinrich Himmler
with the organization of a new SS unit composed of Volksdeutsche
, or German minorities, from Yugoslavia
, Hungary
and Romania
.
was introduced. Beginning in October 1942, the 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen
fought continuously against the Partisans
in so-called Banden- und Partisanenbekämpfung and was involved in numerous war crimes against the civilian population.
In recognition of his abilities as a commander of Prinz Eugen
, on 21 June 1943 Phleps was promoted to SS-Obergruppenführer
und General der Waffen-SS and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. A short time later he was also given command of the newly formed V.SS-Gebirgs-Korps
.
, Phleps' new command included a number of other mountain units, including the notorious Bosnian Muslim 13. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS Handschar
. As Prinz Eugen before, the Korps was deployed on anti-partisan duties, mostly in the vicinity of Mostar
in Bosnia
, against the Partisans.
In September 1943, Phleps was promoted to Höherer SS- und Polizeiführer. In 1944 he returned to Romania in order to personally oversee the preparations against the Red Army
's oncoming Jassy-Chişinău offensive. While in the field, trying to get an overview of the situation, Phleps and his aides were captured by the Soviets near Arad
. While the exact details of his death are not known, it is likely that the Soviet troops were unaware of his true identity, and killed him during a German air raid — in all probability to prevent his escape.
Ironically, his disappearance was initially treated as absence without leave, and an arrest warrant for Phleps was issued. Outraged, Heinrich Himmler
personally conducted the investigation into Phleps' "desertion" and only after his personal belongings were recovered was he officially listed as killed in action
. Posthumously, Phleps was awarded the Oak leaves
to his Knight's Cross
and was chosen as a patron of the SS Freiwilligen Gebirgsregiment 13. This unit was allowed to bear a special cuff title
with his name. Although the band was manufactured, no war-time photos of it surfaced as of 2004.
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
-born Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n and German
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...
officer who held the rank of Obergruppenführer
Obergruppenführer
Obergruppenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the SA and until 1942 it was the highest SS rank inferior only to Reichsführer-SS...
in the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. An Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
officer in World War I
World 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 in the Romanian Army during the interwar period
Interwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
, before joining the military forces of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in 1941. Seeing action with the 5. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Wiking, he was later a commander of the 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen
7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen
The 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. was formed on March 1942 from Volksdeutsche volunteers from Vojvodina, Croatia, Hungary and Romania, it was initially called the SS-Freiwilligen-Division Prinz Eugen....
and the V SS Mountain Corps
V SS Mountain Corps
V SS Mountain Corps was a Waffen SS, formation at the end of World War II.The Corps fought on the Oder line as part of the 9th Army, in the Frankfurt am Oder area and in the Battle of Berlin that followed...
. Phleps was the recipient of numerous decorations, including the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
and the German Cross
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold.
Early life
Artur Phleps was born in Birthälm (present-day BiertanBiertan
Biertan is a commune in central Romania, in the north of the Sibiu County, 80 km north of Sibiu and 15 km east of Mediaş. Biertan is one of the most important Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, having been on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1993...
), near Sibiu
Sibiu
Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
(Hermannstadt) - a region densely populated by ethnic Germans
Germans of Romania
The Germans of Romania or Rumäniendeutsche were 760,000 strong in 1930. They are not a single group; thus, to understand their language, culture, and history, one must view them as independent groups:...
commonly referred to as Transylvanian Saxons
Transylvanian Saxons
The Transylvanian Saxons are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania from the 12th century onwards.The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Géza II of Hungary . For decades, the main task of the German settlers was to defend the southeastern border of the...
. His father was a physician who came to Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
from Austrian Silesia
Czech Silesia
Czech Silesia is an unofficial name of one of the three Czech lands and a section of the Silesian historical region. It is located in the north-east of the Czech Republic, predominantly in the Moravian-Silesian Region, with a section in the northern Olomouc Region...
. After finishing primary school in Sibiu, Phleps attended the Military Academy in Pressburg
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
. Following graduation, he continued officer training and later fought during World War I
World 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...
in the Austro-Hungarian Army, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
of the general staff.
After the war, and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Phleps returned to his native Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, that became part of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and joined the Romanian Army. Initially, he was assigned to the Romanian Military Academy in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
and later, as a Lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
, was put in charge of mountain troops, transforming them into elite units within the Romanian Army (see Vânători de Munte
Vânatori de Munte
The vânători de munte |Huntsmen]]) are the elite mountain troops of the Romanian Land Forces. They were first established as an independent Army Corps in 1916 during World War I, and became operational in 1917 under Corpul de Munte designation....
).
5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
In 1941, Phleps decided to enlist into the German ArmyWehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. Under his mother's maiden name Stolz, he joined the staff of the 5. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Wiking. He rose quickly in the divisional ranks and after the death of Hilmar Wäckerle
Hilmar Wäckerle
Hilmar Wäckerle was a German soldier in both the German Imperial Army and the Waffen-SS and the first commandant of Dachau concentration camp.-War service:...
, he was given command of the SS-Regiment Westland
5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
The 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking was one of the elite Panzer divisions of the thirty eight Waffen SS divisions. It was recruited from foreign volunteers, from Scandinavia, Finland, Estonia, The Netherlands, and Belgium under the command of German officers...
. Thanks to his organizational skills Phleps was soon promoted to SS-Gruppenführer
Gruppenführer
Gruppenführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party, first created in 1925 as a senior rank of the SA.-SS rank:...
and in 1942 was tasked by Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
with the organization of a new SS unit composed of Volksdeutsche
Volksdeutsche
Volksdeutsche - "German in terms of people/folk" -, defined ethnically, is a historical term from the 20th century. The words volk and volkische conveyed in Nazi thinking the meanings of "folk" and "race" while adding the sense of superior civilization and blood...
, or German minorities, from Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen
Largely because of the origin of its soldiers and its military character as a mountain unit, Phleps' new command was designed for anti-partisan warfare and deployed in occupied Yugoslavia. Initially, all its soldiers were to be volunteers, but as the division struggled to fill its ranks, conscriptionConscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
was introduced. Beginning in October 1942, the 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen
7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen
The 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. was formed on March 1942 from Volksdeutsche volunteers from Vojvodina, Croatia, Hungary and Romania, it was initially called the SS-Freiwilligen-Division Prinz Eugen....
fought continuously against the Partisans
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
in so-called Banden- und Partisanenbekämpfung and was involved in numerous war crimes against the civilian population.
In recognition of his abilities as a commander of Prinz Eugen
7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen
The 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. was formed on March 1942 from Volksdeutsche volunteers from Vojvodina, Croatia, Hungary and Romania, it was initially called the SS-Freiwilligen-Division Prinz Eugen....
, on 21 June 1943 Phleps was promoted to SS-Obergruppenführer
Obergruppenführer
Obergruppenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the SA and until 1942 it was the highest SS rank inferior only to Reichsführer-SS...
und General der Waffen-SS and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. A short time later he was also given command of the newly formed V.SS-Gebirgs-Korps
V SS Mountain Corps
V SS Mountain Corps was a Waffen SS, formation at the end of World War II.The Corps fought on the Oder line as part of the 9th Army, in the Frankfurt am Oder area and in the Battle of Berlin that followed...
.
V.SS-Gebirgs-Korps
In addition, to the Prinz Eugen Division7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen
The 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. was formed on March 1942 from Volksdeutsche volunteers from Vojvodina, Croatia, Hungary and Romania, it was initially called the SS-Freiwilligen-Division Prinz Eugen....
, Phleps' new command included a number of other mountain units, including the notorious Bosnian Muslim 13. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS Handschar
13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian)
The 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar was one of the thirty-eight divisions fielded as part of the Waffen-SS during World War II. Its recruits were composed of Muslim Bosniaks. The Handschar division was a mountain infantry formation, the equivalent of the German "Gebirgsjäger" ...
. As Prinz Eugen before, the Korps was deployed on anti-partisan duties, mostly in the vicinity of Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
in Bosnia
Bosnia (region)
Bosnia is a eponomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders. The other eponomous region, the southern, other half of the country is...
, against the Partisans.
In September 1943, Phleps was promoted to Höherer SS- und Polizeiführer. In 1944 he returned to Romania in order to personally oversee the preparations against the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
's oncoming Jassy-Chişinău offensive. While in the field, trying to get an overview of the situation, Phleps and his aides were captured by the Soviets near Arad
Arad, Romania
Arad is the capital city of Arad County, in western Romania, in the Crişana region, on the river Mureş.An important industrial center and transportation hub, Arad is also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features two universities, a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary, a training...
. While the exact details of his death are not known, it is likely that the Soviet troops were unaware of his true identity, and killed him during a German air raid — in all probability to prevent his escape.
Ironically, his disappearance was initially treated as absence without leave, and an arrest warrant for Phleps was issued. Outraged, Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
personally conducted the investigation into Phleps' "desertion" and only after his personal belongings were recovered was he officially listed as killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
. Posthumously, Phleps was awarded the Oak leaves
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
to his Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield....
and was chosen as a patron of the SS Freiwilligen Gebirgsregiment 13. This unit was allowed to bear a special cuff title
Cuff title
A cuff title is a form of insignia placed on the sleeve, near the cuff of German military and paramilitary uniforms, most commonly seen in the Second World War but also seen postwar....
with his name. Although the band was manufactured, no war-time photos of it surfaced as of 2004.
Dates of rank
- SS-MannMann (military rank)Mann , was a paramilitary rank used by several Nazi Party paramilitary organizations between 1925 and 1945. The rank is most often associated with the SS, and also as a rank of the SA where Mann was the lowest enlisted rank and was the equivalent of a Private.In 1938, with the rise of the...
: 30 June 1941 - SS-OberführerOberführerOberführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party dating back to 1921. Translated as “Senior Leader”, an Oberführer was typically a Nazi Party member in charge of a group of paramilitary units in a particular geographical region...
: 30 June 1941 - SS-BrigadeführerBrigadeführerSS-Brigadeführer was an SS rank that was used in Nazi Germany between the years of 1932 and 1945. Brigadeführer was also an SA rank....
und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS: 30 November 1941 - SS-GruppenführerGruppenführerGruppenführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party, first created in 1925 as a senior rank of the SA.-SS rank:...
und Generaleutnant der Waffen-SS: 20 April 1942 - SS-ObergruppenführerObergruppenführerObergruppenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the SA and until 1942 it was the highest SS rank inferior only to Reichsführer-SS...
und General der Waffen-SS: 21 June 1943
Notable decorations
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
Second (1917) and First (1941) Classes - Clasp to the Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
Second Class (1941) - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(1943) - Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves - posthumous (1944)
- German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold (1944) - Eastern Front MedalEastern Front MedalThe Eastern Front Medal, , more commonly known as the Ostmedaille was instituted on May 26, 1942 to mark service on the German Eastern Front during the period November 15, 1941 to April 15, 1942...
(1942) - Infantry Assault BadgeInfantry Assault BadgeThe Infantry Assault Badge was a German war badge awarded to Waffen SS and Wehrmacht Heer soldiers during WWII. This decoration was instituted on December 20th 1939 by the Oberstbefehlshaber des Heeres, Generalfeldmarschall von Brauchitsch...
in Bronze (1943) - Order of the Star of Romania, Officer’s Cross with Swords on the Ribbon of Military Virtue (1920)
- Order of the Star of Romania, Commander’s Cross (1933)
- Order of the Crown of Romania, Commander’s Cross (1927)
- Order of the Crown of Romania, Grand Cross (1939)
- Romanian Commemorative Cross of the 1916-1918 War (?)
- Croatian Order of the Iron TrefoilMilitary Order of the Iron TrefoilMilitary Order of the Iron Trefoil , also known under name Croatian Cross, was the highest military decoration of Independent State of Croatia, and it was rewarded for "acts of war, achieved by personal incentive, for efforts and good leadership in ventures, which had remarkable success against the...
, 1st Class (?) - Order of the Crown of Yugoslavia, 2nd Class (1933)
- Czechoslovakian War CrossCzechoslovakian War CrossThe Czechoslovak War Cross is a military decoration of the former state of Czechoslovakia which was issued as a service medal of both World War I and World War II...
(1928) - Bulgarian Military Merit OrderOrder of Military Merit (Bulgaria)The Order of Military Merit is a Bulgarian order during the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Republic of Bulgaria. In is the third highest order in the Republic of Bulgaria along with the Order of Civil Merit and the Order of the Madara Rider.-History:...
, 2nd Class (1934) - Austrian Franz Joseph Order, Officer’s Cross with War Decoration and Swords (1918)
- Austrian Order of the Iron CrownOrder of the Iron Crown (Austria)The Austrian Imperial Order of the Iron Crown , was restablished in 1815 by Emperor Franz I. The Order of the Iron Crown had previously been an order of the Napoleanic Kingdom of Italy.-History:...
, 3rd Class with War Decoration and Swords (1917) - Austrian Military Merit CrossMilitary Merit Cross (Austria-Hungary)The Military Merit Cross was a decoration of the Empire of Austria and, after the establishment of the Dual Monarchy in 1867, the Empire of Austria-Hungary. It was first established on October 22, 1849 and underwent several revisions to its design and award criteria over the years of its existence...
, 3rd Class with War Decoration and Swords: (1915) - Austrian Military Merit MedalMilitary Merit Medal (Austria-Hungary)The Military Merit Medal was a military decoration of the Empire of Austria-Hungary. It was founded by Emperor Franz Joseph I on March 12, 1890...
on the Ribbon of the Bravery Medal with Swords in Silver (1916) and Bronze (1914) - Austrian Red Cross Decoration, 2nd Class with War Decoration: (1915)
- Austrian Wound Medal with One Stripe(?)
- Austrian Commemorative Cross 1912-1913 (?)
- Austrian Military Jubilee Cross 1848-1908 (1908)
Further reading
- The Waffen-SS (4): "24. to 38. Divisions, & Volunteer Legions" (Men-at-Arms) by Gordon Williamson and Stephen Andrew (Osprey Publishing (11 November 2004), ISBN 1-84176-592-9, ISBN 978-1-84176-592-1).
- The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror: The Full Story From Street Fighters to the Waffen-SS by Gordon Williamson (Motorbooks International, (March 1994), ISBN 0-87938-905-2, ISBN 978-0-87938-905-5).
- Gebirgsjäger: German Mountain Trooper 1939-45 (Warrior) by Gordon Williamson and Stephen Darko Pavlovic (Osprey Publishing (23 July 2003), ISBN 1-84176-553-8, ISBN 978-1-84176-553-2).
- Die Ritterkreuzträger der Gebirgstruppe, Band 2: L-Z by Franz Thomas & Günter Wegmann(Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, Germany, 1994) - in German.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit. Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
See also
- Kurt WaldheimKurt WaldheimKurt Josef Waldheim was an Austrian diplomat and politician. Waldheim was the fourth Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981, and the ninth President of Austria, from 1986 to 1992...
(Appeared in a wartime photograph with Artur Phleps)