Hellmuth Reinhard
Encyclopedia
Hellmuth Reinhard was head of the Gestapo
in Norway
(1942–1945), and was partly responsible for the deportation of at least 532 Norwegian Jews and was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment in 1967 as an accessory to murder.
, Bezirk Halle in Saxony. In 1913 his family moved to Leipzig. From 1929 he was member of the Hitlerjugend
(Hitler Youth). He then studied in Vienna
, Leipzig
and Berlin
.
in March 1933 (121174) and a member of the NSDAP in May of the same year (2.382.157). The SS was at that time an organisation which recruited younger men distancing themselves from the "hoodlum character of the SA
and the party and who looked upon the SS as an elite order, spiritually and politically"
In 1934 he became a member of the SD
, the intelligence service of the SS and the NSDAP. He became leader of the SD Hauptamt, Partei und Staat in 1938. Appointed "Regierungsassesor" in the same year. On 25 April 1939 he changed his last name to Reinhard. During the war he was stationed in Prague
, then later on, in August 1941, he became leader of the Zentralstelle für jüdische Auswanderung
in Holland. For approximately three months during 1941/42 he was in the Einsatzgruppe C, whereupon he went to Norway
in order to become head of the Gestapo
, Abteilung IV, from 28 January 1942, working under the leader of the Sicherheitspolizei in Norway, Heinrich Fehlis
. He remained in this position until 1 February 1945.
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
(1942–1945), and was partly responsible for the deportation of at least 532 Norwegian Jews and was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment in 1967 as an accessory to murder.
Early years
Reinhard was born Hermann Gustav Hellmuth Patzschke on July 24, 1911 in Unterwerschen, WeissenfelsWeißenfels (district)
Weißenfels was a district in the south of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Neighboring districts were Burgenlandkreis, Merseburg-Querfurt and the Saxon district Leipziger Land.- History :...
, Bezirk Halle in Saxony. In 1913 his family moved to Leipzig. From 1929 he was member of the Hitlerjugend
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
(Hitler Youth). He then studied in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Nazi official
He became a member of the SSSchutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
in March 1933 (121174) and a member of the NSDAP in May of the same year (2.382.157). The SS was at that time an organisation which recruited younger men distancing themselves from the "hoodlum character of the SA
SA
-Organizations:* S.A. , a type of corporation in various countries* Salvation Army, a Christian denomination founded by William Booth* Sewickley Academy, a private school in the United States...
and the party and who looked upon the SS as an elite order, spiritually and politically"
In 1934 he became a member of the SD
Sicherheitsdienst
Sicherheitsdienst , full title Sicherheitsdienst des Reichsführers-SS, or SD, was the intelligence agency of the SS and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. The organization was the first Nazi Party intelligence organization to be established and was often considered a "sister organization" with the...
, the intelligence service of the SS and the NSDAP. He became leader of the SD Hauptamt, Partei und Staat in 1938. Appointed "Regierungsassesor" in the same year. On 25 April 1939 he changed his last name to Reinhard. During the war he was stationed in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, then later on, in August 1941, he became leader of the Zentralstelle für jüdische Auswanderung
Central Office for Jewish Emigration
The Central Office for Jewish Emigration was a designation of Nazi institutions in Vienna, Prague and Amsterdam. Its purpose was to expel Jews from Nazi-controlled areas.- History :...
in Holland. For approximately three months during 1941/42 he was in the Einsatzgruppe C, whereupon he went to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in order to become head of the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
, Abteilung IV, from 28 January 1942, working under the leader of the Sicherheitspolizei in Norway, Heinrich Fehlis
Heinrich Fehlis
Heinrich Fehlis was an SS officer during World War II, most noted for his command of the Sicherheitspolizei and Sicherheitsdienst in Norway during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany....
. He remained in this position until 1 February 1945.
Post-war years
After the war he changed his name back to his original one, which enabled him to avoid further scrutiny from authorities regarding his activities at the time in question. Only in 1964, his true identity became known to the West German police and he was prosecuted in 1967. Released in 1970. Presumed dead in 2001.Source
- "Hellmuth Reinhard" short article in Norwegian War Encyclopedia. (in Norwegian). Accessed 2011-07-29.