Oskar Dirlewanger
German military officer (1895–1945) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Oskar Dirlewanger (26 September 1895 – c. 7 June 1945) was a German military officer (SS-Oberführer) and convicted rapist[1] known for committing numerous war crimes. He played a significant role as the founder and commander of the SS penal unit known as the "Dirlewanger" during World War II.
Oskar Dirlewanger | |
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Born | 26 September 1895 Würzburg, Bavaria, German Empire |
Died | c. 7 June 1945(1945-06-07) (aged 49) Altshausen, Baden-Württemberg, Allied-occupied Germany |
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Rank | SS-Oberführer |
Commands held | Dirlewanger Brigade |
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Alma mater | Goethe University Frankfurt |
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While serving in Poland and Belarus, Dirlewanger has been closely linked to many atrocities, being considered one of the most cruel and brutal individuals throughout the course of the Second World War, with his unit being responsible for the deaths of at least "tens of thousands" in Poland and the Soviet Union.[2] He also fought in World War I, the post-World War I conflicts, and the Spanish Civil War. He reportedly died after World War II while in Allied custody.
According to the historian Timothy Snyder, "In Belarus and indeed in all the theaters of the Second World War, few could compete in cruelty with Oskar Dirlewanger."[3] He has also been described as the "most evil man in the SS" and as "perhaps the most sadistic of all commanders of World War II."[4]