Anton Grasser

Anton Grasser (3 November 1891 – 3 November 1976) was a German general during World War II who commanded several corps. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Grasser joined the Bundesgrenzschutz (Federal Border Guards) in 1951, retiring in 1953.

Anton Grasser
Born	3 November 1891 Bossendorf, Alsace-Lorraine, German Empire
Died	3 November 1976(1976-11-03) (aged 85) Stuttgart, Baden-Württemburg, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire Nazi Germany West Germany
Branch	Imperial German Army German Army Bundesgrenzschutz
Years of service	1913–1918 1936–1945 1951–1953
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands	25th Infantry Division LVI Panzer Corps XXVI Army Corps LXXII Army Corps
Battles / wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Uman Battle of Moscow Battle of Kursk Battle of Smolensk (1943) Battle of Narva (1944) Prague Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Other work	Police Officer

In the 1950s, Grasser was involved in organizing an illegal underground army set up by Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS veterans in the event of a Soviet invasion of West Germany.^[1] Grasser's role, as inspector general of the police and border police, was to provide this secret army with weapons from the police force in case of war. Grasser was connected to it through Albert Schnez, its leader, who had been Grasser's employer in the first post-war years.^[2]

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (18 June 1915) & 1st Class (6 June 1916)^[3]
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (21 May 1940) & 1st Class (8 June 1940)^[3]
• German Cross in Gold on 11 March 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 25. Infanterie-Division^[4]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 16 June 1940 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 119^[5]
  • Oak Leaves on 5 December 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 25. Panzergrenadier-Division^[6]
• Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1953)