Oskar Dirlewanger

Oskar Dirlewanger
Oskar Dirlewanger
	Dirlewanger in 1944
Born	26 September 1895; Würzburg, Bavaria, German Empire
Died	c. 7 June 1945 (aged 49); Altshausen, Baden-Württemberg, Allied-occupied Germany
Allegiance	German Empire; Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Imperial German Army; Freikorps; Spanish Legion; Condor Legion; Waffen-SS;
Years of service	1913–1919; 1919–1921; 1937–1939; 1940–1945;
Rank	SS-Oberführer
Commands held	Dirlewanger Brigade
Battles/wars	World War I; Political violence in Germany (1918–1933); Spanish Civil War; World War II Nazi security warfare in Belarus; Warsaw Uprising; Slovak National Uprising; ;
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross; Clasp to the Iron Cross; Close Combat Clasp (Seen above, left breast pocket); Spanish Cross;
Alma mater	Goethe University Frankfurt
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Oskar Dirlewanger (26 September 1895 – c. 7 June 1945) was a German SS commander and habitual offender,^[1] convicted of rape and other crimes,^[2] he is known for committing numerous war crimes in German-occupied territories during World War II. Dirlewanger was the founder and commander of the SS penal unit, the Dirlewanger Brigade,^[3] considered to be the most brutal and notorious Waffen-SS unit.^[4]^[5] He advocated for the terrorist warfare of the SS in its most brutal form and is regarded as being perhaps the Nazi regime's "most extreme executioner".^[6]

While serving in Poland and Belarus, Dirlewanger has been closely linked to many atrocities, and is considered one of the most cruel and depraved individuals in all of history,^[7] with his unit being responsible for the deaths of at least "tens of thousands" in Poland and the Soviet Union.^[4] His methods included rape and torture,^[8] and he personally kept numerous women as his sex slaves.^[9] According to historian Christian Ingrao, Dirlewanger's unit committed the worst atrocities of the Second World War.^[10] In Belarus alone, he was responsible for up to 200 villages destroyed and over 120,000 people killed.^[11] He also fought in World War I, the post-World War I conflicts, and the Spanish Civil War.^[12] He reportedly died after World War II while in the custody of the Western Allies.

According to the historian Timothy Snyder, "in all the theaters of the Second World War, few could compete in cruelty with Oskar Dirlewanger."^[13] 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."^[5] According to military historian Tim Heath, Dirlewanger was "a living embodiment of evil and depravity and all the proof that anyone could need that monsters do exist".^[14]

^ Kay, Alex J. (2021). Empire of Destruction: A History of Nazi Mass Killing. Yale University Press. p. 271. ISBN 978-0-300-26253-7.
^ Heath, Tim (2023). Sex Under the Swastika: Erotica, Scandal and the Occult in Hitler's Third Reich. Pen and Sword History. p. 81. ISBN 978-1-5267-9145-0.
^ Goldsworthy, Terrence (2006). A sociological and criminological approach to understanding evil: a case study of Waffen-SS actions on the Eastern front during World War II 1941-1945 (PhD thesis). Bond University. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
^ ^a ^b MacLean, French L. (1998). The Cruel Hunters: SS-Sonderkommando Dirlewanger Hitler's Most Notorious Anti-Partisan Unit. Schiffer Military History. pp. 12–13. ISBN 978-0764304835.
^ ^a ^b Bishop, Chris (2003). SS: Hell on the Western Front. Staplehurst: Spellmount. p. 92. ISBN 1-86227-185-2.
^ Stang, Knut (2004). "Oskar Dirlewanger: Protagonist der Terrorkriegsführung". In Mallmann, Klaus-Michael (ed.). Karrieren der Gewalt: Nationalsozialistische Täterbiographien (in German). Darmstadt, Germany: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft. p. 77. ISBN 3-534-16654-X.
^ Heath, Tim (2023). Sex Under the Swastika: Erotica, Scandal and the Occult in Hitler's Third Reich. Pen and Sword History. pp. 80, 84. ISBN 978-1-5267-9145-0.
^ Smesler, Ronald; Davies II, Edward J. (2008). The Myth of the Eastern Front: The Nazi-Soviet War in American Popular Culture. Cambridge University Press. p. 165. ISBN 978-0-521-83365-3.
^ Kuberski, Hubert (2009). "Kryminaliści w mundurach. Powstanie i operacje pacyfikacyjne SS-Sonderkommando Dirlewanger na terenach Polski i Białorusi (1940–1944)". Glaukopis. 15. ISSN 1730-3419.
^ Schlagdenhauffen, Régis, ed. (2018). Queer in Europe During the Second World War. Council of Europe Publishing. p. 32. ISBN 978-92-871-8464-1.
^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Müller, Sven Oliver; Torp, Cornelius, eds. (2011). Imperial Germany Revisited: Continuing Debates and New Perspectives. Berghahn Books. p. 193. ISBN 978-0-85745-252-8.
^ Cite error: The named reference snyder was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1] Kay, Alex J. (2021). Empire of Destruction: A History of Nazi Mass Killing. Yale University Press. p. 271. ISBN 978-0-300-26253-7.

[:22-2] Heath, Tim (2023). Sex Under the Swastika: Erotica, Scandal and the Occult in Hitler's Third Reich. Pen and Sword History. p. 81. ISBN 978-1-5267-9145-0.

[Anderson-2003-3] Goldsworthy, Terrence (2006). A sociological and criminological approach to understanding evil: a case study of Waffen-SS actions on the Eastern front during World War II 1941-1945 (PhD thesis). Bond University. Retrieved 12 May 2024.

[:4-4] MacLean, French L. (1998). The Cruel Hunters: SS-Sonderkommando Dirlewanger Hitler's Most Notorious Anti-Partisan Unit. Schiffer Military History. pp. 12–13. ISBN 978-0764304835.

[Bishop-5] Bishop, Chris (2003). SS: Hell on the Western Front. Staplehurst: Spellmount. p. 92. ISBN 1-86227-185-2.

[:5-6] Stang, Knut (2004). "Oskar Dirlewanger: Protagonist der Terrorkriegsführung". In Mallmann, Klaus-Michael (ed.). Karrieren der Gewalt: Nationalsozialistische Täterbiographien (in German). Darmstadt, Germany: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft. p. 77. ISBN 3-534-16654-X.

[:62-7] Heath, Tim (2023). Sex Under the Swastika: Erotica, Scandal and the Occult in Hitler's Third Reich. Pen and Sword History. pp. 80, 84. ISBN 978-1-5267-9145-0.

[8] Smesler, Ronald; Davies II, Edward J. (2008). The Myth of the Eastern Front: The Nazi-Soviet War in American Popular Culture. Cambridge University Press. p. 165. ISBN 978-0-521-83365-3.

[9] Kuberski, Hubert (2009). "Kryminaliści w mundurach. Powstanie i operacje pacyfikacyjne SS-Sonderkommando Dirlewanger na terenach Polski i Białorusi (1940–1944)". Glaukopis. 15. ISSN 1730-3419.

[10] Schlagdenhauffen, Régis, ed. (2018). Queer in Europe During the Second World War. Council of Europe Publishing. p. 32. ISBN 978-92-871-8464-1.

[:7-11] Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[12] Müller, Sven Oliver; Torp, Cornelius, eds. (2011). Imperial Germany Revisited: Continuing Debates and New Perspectives. Berghahn Books. p. 193. ISBN 978-0-85745-252-8.

[snyder-13] Cite error: The named reference snyder was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[:2-14] Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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Oskar Dirlewanger
Dirlewanger in 1944
Born	26 September 1895 Würzburg, Bavaria, German Empire
Died	c. 7 June 1945(1945-06-07) (aged 49) Altshausen, Baden-Württemberg, Allied-occupied Germany
Allegiance	German Empire Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Imperial German Army Freikorps Spanish Legion Condor Legion Waffen-SS
Years of service	1913–1919 1919–1921 1937–1939 1940–1945
Rank	SS-Oberführer
Commands held	Dirlewanger Brigade
Battles/wars	World War I Political violence in Germany (1918–1933) Spanish Civil War World War II Nazi security warfare in Belarus Warsaw Uprising Slovak National Uprising
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Clasp to the Iron Cross Close Combat Clasp (Seen above, left breast pocket) Spanish Cross
Alma mater	Goethe University Frankfurt
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