Wilhelm Koppe
Wilhelm Koppe | |
|---|---|
Koppe, c. 1938 | |
| State Secretary for Security General Government | |
| In office 9 November 1943 – January 1945 | |
| Preceded by | Friedrich-Wilhelm Krüger |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Reichstag deputy | |
| In office 12 November 1933 – 8 May 1945 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Karl Heinrich Wilhelm Koppe 15 June 1896 Hildesheim, Province of Hanover, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire |
| Died | 2 July 1975 (aged 79) Bonn, West Germany |
| Resting place | Rüngsdorfer Friedhof |
| Occupation | Wholesaler |
| Civilian awards | Golden Party Badge |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | German Empire Nazi Germany |
| Branch/service | Imperial German Army Waffen-SS |
| Years of service | 1914–1918 1932–1945 |
| Rank | Leutnant SS-Obergruppenführer and General of the Waffen-SS |
| Unit | 9th Pioneer battalion |
| Commands | Higher SS and Police Leader (HSSPF), "Warthe" HSSPF, "Ost" (HSSPF) "Süd" |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Military awards | Clasp to the Iron Cross, 2nd class War Merit Cross, 1st and 2nd class with swords Wound Badge |
Karl Heinrich Wilhelm Koppe (15 June 1896 – 2 July 1975) was a German Nazi Party politician and an SS-Obergruppenführer and a General of the Waffen-SS. He held several high-level commands, including as the Higher SS and Police Leader in Reichsgau Wartheland and in the General Government during the German occupation of Poland in World War II. He was responsible for numerous atrocities against Jews and Poles during his tenure, including sending an estimated 145,000 of them to their deaths at the Chelmno extermination camp. After the end of the war, he escaped detection and arrest until 1960. Although West Germany began a criminal prosecution in 1964, it was terminated due to Koppe's ill health and he was never convicted.