Sepp Janko
Encyclopedia
Dr. Sepp Janko (born November 9, 1905 Ernsthausen (Banatski Despotovac
) in the Banat
, now Serbia
, † 25 September 2001 in Belgrano
(Buenos Aires
) was Chairman of the Danube Swabian German
Cultural Association (Schwäbisch-Deutschen Kulturbundes) in Yugoslavia
in 1939 and an SS
-Obersturmführer
(First Lieutenant) during World War II
.
), the son of a farmer holding a small plot. He studied law in Graz
, Austria
, and was a rather unassuming personality until his appointment to the presidency of the Cultural Association.
Sepp Janko was a moderate in politics and on 6 June 1939 he was elected the president of the Swabian-German Cultural Association in Yugoslavia
at the suggestion of the Reich
agency Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle (VoMi). On 12 December 1940 Sepp Janko was awarded the Yugoslav Kronen-Orden Class III by the Prime Minister Cvetković.
After the invasion of the Wehrmacht
early in 1941, the Cultural Association was disbanded and VoMi organised the Deutsche Volksgruppe in Serbien und Banat (DVSB) under Janko's leadership. Janko was simultaneously appointed an SS Obersturmführer
in the Nazi occupied Banat
region of Serbia
.
"Like other wartime [German] minority organizations, the DVSB was restructured along the lines of the NSDAP. Its most important branch was the paramilitary formation, the Deutsche Mannschaft, which here, as elsewhere, came under control of the SS. Janko and the DVSB cooperated fully with VoMi, and as a step in the minority's total nazification, it even introduced a system of classifying the local Volksdeutsche similar to that used by the DVL in Poland."
were appalled by Nazi violence and quickly lost interest in the Third Reich.
"The Waffen SS immediately enlisted 600 Volksdeutsche, and in July it announced plans for the formation of an exlcusively German regiment. But in the Banat the SS encountered competition from the Wehrmacht, which had in mind sponsoring its own unit, a militia force fo some 8,000 men. Himmler, alarmed by this development, took the case to Hitler and secured permission not only to create a new, exclusively Volksdeutsche SS division but also to take over the Wehrmacht's militia."
Voluntary enlistment collapsed quickly and in August 1941 the Waffen-SS
enforced conscription and drafted local men into the Waffen-SS.
Janko objected and took the position that the legal obligation to provide services in the German army
for the members of the German ethnic groups (Volksdeutsche) did not exist, because it violated the Hague Regulations on war. Heinrich Himmler
responded with dismay: “Es ist unmöglich, dass Deutsche in Europa irgendwo als Pazifisten herumhocken und sich von unseren Bataillonen beschützen lassen …“ ("It is impossible that Germans can be sitting around somewhere in Europe as pacifists and be protected by our battalions ...") Janko responded by offering to set up a regiment of about three thousand local ethnic Germans, with limited service interaction with the Wehrmacht
and Waffen-SS
.
In April 1942, Himmler created the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen
and beagn to conscript Volksdeutsche from Banat and Romania
. The Division was based in Banat but served across former Yugoslavia.
in Carinthia
. He was interned with the Nazi ambassador in Ustache Zagreb, Siegfried Kasche, and the German minority leader in Croatia
, Branimir Altgayer
. Both were delivered by the British
to Josip Broz Tito
and executed. Janko was able to flee internment to Italy
before his extradition from the camp. In 1951 he fled to Argentina
with a pass from the Red Cross, issued in the name of José Petri. (Jose stands for Joseph, Petri is the maiden name of his wife Leni Petri, with whom he was married in church 1936)
Janko was indicted by the Communist Yugoslav] government for war crimes. At the instigation of the Yugoslav Government was arrested and imprisoned on an island until his extradition. After personal intervention of the Argentinean President Janko was acquitted and released.
Janko remained in Belgrano
until his death. There he found a job at a dairy operation and published books.
Banatski Despotovac
Banatski Despotovac is a village in Serbia. It is located in the Zrenjanin municipality, in the Central Banat District, Vojvodina province...
) in the Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
, now Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, † 25 September 2001 in Belgrano
Belgrano
- People :* José Denis Belgrano , Spanish painter* Manuel Belgrano, Argentine politician and military leader* Mario Belgrano, Argentine historian- In Argentina :* General Belgrano, Buenos Aires, a city in the Buenos Aires Province...
(Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
) was Chairman of the Danube Swabian 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...
Cultural Association (Schwäbisch-Deutschen Kulturbundes) in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in 1939 and an SS
Schutzstaffel
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...
-Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi party that was used by the SS and also as a rank of the SA. Translated as “Senior Assault Leader”, the rank of Obersturmführer was first created in 1932 as the result of an expansion of the Sturmabteilung and the need for an additional rank in...
(First Lieutenant) 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...
.
Life
Janko was born on 9 November 1905 in Ernsthausen (Banatski DespotovacBanatski Despotovac
Banatski Despotovac is a village in Serbia. It is located in the Zrenjanin municipality, in the Central Banat District, Vojvodina province...
), the son of a farmer holding a small plot. He studied law in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, and was a rather unassuming personality until his appointment to the presidency of the Cultural Association.
Sepp Janko was a moderate in politics and on 6 June 1939 he was elected the president of the Swabian-German Cultural Association in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
at the suggestion of the Reich
Reich
Reich is a German word cognate with the English rich, but also used to designate an empire, realm, or nation. The qualitative connotation from the German is " sovereign state." It is the word traditionally used for a variety of sovereign entities, including Germany in many periods of its history...
agency Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle (VoMi). On 12 December 1940 Sepp Janko was awarded the Yugoslav Kronen-Orden Class III by the Prime Minister Cvetković.
After the invasion of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
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:...
early in 1941, the Cultural Association was disbanded and VoMi organised the Deutsche Volksgruppe in Serbien und Banat (DVSB) under Janko's leadership. Janko was simultaneously appointed an SS Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi party that was used by the SS and also as a rank of the SA. Translated as “Senior Assault Leader”, the rank of Obersturmführer was first created in 1932 as the result of an expansion of the Sturmabteilung and the need for an additional rank in...
in the Nazi occupied Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
region of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
.
"Like other wartime [German] minority organizations, the DVSB was restructured along the lines of the NSDAP. Its most important branch was the paramilitary formation, the Deutsche Mannschaft, which here, as elsewhere, came under control of the SS. Janko and the DVSB cooperated fully with VoMi, and as a step in the minority's total nazification, it even introduced a system of classifying the local Volksdeutsche similar to that used by the DVL in Poland."
World War II
After an initial burst of enthusiasm to join the German sponsored Selbschutz (self defence force) the devoutly religious Danube SwabiansDanube Swabians
The Danube Swabians is a collective term for the German-speaking population who lived in the former Kingdom of Hungary, especially alongside the Danube River valley. Because of different developments within the territory settled, the Danube Swabians cannot be seen as a unified people...
were appalled by Nazi violence and quickly lost interest in the Third Reich.
"The Waffen SS immediately enlisted 600 Volksdeutsche, and in July it announced plans for the formation of an exlcusively German regiment. But in the Banat the SS encountered competition from the Wehrmacht, which had in mind sponsoring its own unit, a militia force fo some 8,000 men. Himmler, alarmed by this development, took the case to Hitler and secured permission not only to create a new, exclusively Volksdeutsche SS division but also to take over the Wehrmacht's militia."
Voluntary enlistment collapsed quickly and in August 1941 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...
enforced conscription and drafted local men into the Waffen-SS.
Janko objected and took the position that the legal obligation to provide services in the German army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
for the members of the German ethnic groups (Volksdeutsche) did not exist, because it violated the Hague Regulations on war. 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...
responded with dismay: “Es ist unmöglich, dass Deutsche in Europa irgendwo als Pazifisten herumhocken und sich von unseren Bataillonen beschützen lassen …“ ("It is impossible that Germans can be sitting around somewhere in Europe as pacifists and be protected by our battalions ...") Janko responded by offering to set up a regiment of about three thousand local ethnic Germans, with limited service interaction with the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
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:...
and 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...
.
In April 1942, Himmler created the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain 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 beagn to conscript Volksdeutsche from Banat 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...
. The Division was based in Banat but served across former Yugoslavia.
Escape
Janko was able to escape from the Communist onslaught in late 1944 to Austria. There he was arrested by the Americans and taken to the camp WolfsbergWolfsberg
Places named Wolfsberg include:*Wolfsberg, Carinthia, a district capital in Carinthia, Austria*Wolfsberg , a district of Carinthia, Austria*Wolfsberg im Schwarzautal, a municipality in Styria, Austria...
in Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
. He was interned with the Nazi ambassador in Ustache Zagreb, Siegfried Kasche, and the German minority leader in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Branimir Altgayer
Branimir Altgayer
Branimir Altgayer was a German minority leader in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Independent State of Croatia, and an SS officer during World War II.-Life:According to postwar interrogations Altgayer was born in Galicia, where his father, a native of...
. Both were delivered by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
and executed. Janko was able to flee internment to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
before his extradition from the camp. In 1951 he fled to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
with a pass from the Red Cross, issued in the name of José Petri. (Jose stands for Joseph, Petri is the maiden name of his wife Leni Petri, with whom he was married in church 1936)
Janko was indicted by the Communist Yugoslav] government for war crimes. At the instigation of the Yugoslav Government was arrested and imprisoned on an island until his extradition. After personal intervention of the Argentinean President Janko was acquitted and released.
Janko remained in Belgrano
Belgrano
- People :* José Denis Belgrano , Spanish painter* Manuel Belgrano, Argentine politician and military leader* Mario Belgrano, Argentine historian- In Argentina :* General Belgrano, Buenos Aires, a city in the Buenos Aires Province...
until his death. There he found a job at a dairy operation and published books.
Works
- 1943: Reden und Aufsätze
- 1982: Weg und Ende der deutschen Volksgruppe in Jugoslawien
- 1983: Weg und Ende der deutschen Volksgruppe in Jugoslawien, 2. Auflage
Literature
- Karner, Stefan, Die deutschsprachige Volksgruppe in Slowenien. Aspekte ihrer Entwicklung 1939-1997, (Klagenfurt u. a. 1998), Anm. 95, Page. 45 (nachfolgend zit. als: Karner, Die deutschsprachige Volksgruppe19)
- Arnold Suppan, Jugoslawien und Österreich 1918-1938: bilaterale Aussenpolitik , S:721ffVerlag für Geschichte und Politik Oldenbourg
- Hans Rasimus, Als Fremde im Vaterland, (München 1989)
- Bundesarchiv Koblenz: R57/165
- Sepp Janko, Weg und Ende der deutschen. Volksgruppe in Jugoslawien. 2. Auflage. (Leopold Stocker Verlag, Graz—Stuttgart)
- Anton Scherer, Suevia-Pannonica, (Graz 2009)
- Valdis O. Lumans, Himmler's Auxiliaries, The Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle and the German Minorities of Europe, 1939-1945 (1993)