Wehrpass Romanian Waffen-SS volunteer Flak gunner Kommandostab Reichsführer-SS

(D22347)

Georg Kast, Waffen-SS Flak gunner (SS-Oberkanonier) SS upper command unit

Wehrpass, 31.7.43. With Waffen-SS uniform pass photo.

Farmer born 1925 in Blutroth (Berghin) Romania. Waffen-SS volunteer with Romanian nationality. He served: Jun.-Jul.43 with SS-Grenadier-Ersatz-Bataillon Ost in Breslau, replacements unit for the units attached to Kommandostab Reichsführer-SS; from Jul.43 onwards with Flak-Abteilung II Kommandostab Reichsführer-SS.

Kommandostab Reichsführer-SS (“Command Staff Reichsführer-SS”) was a paramilitary organisation within the SS under the personal control of Heinrich Himmler. Established in 1941 it consisted of the Waffen-SS security forces deployed in the occupied territories. The purpose of the formation was to conduct so-called “pacification operations” in the Army Group Rear Areas and civilian-administered territories. In the former function, the units activities were indistinguishable from the Einsatzgruppen mobile death squads and the Police Regiments, such as the Police Regiment Centre. Historian Yehoshua Büchler described the formations under the Kommandostab as “Himmler’s personal murder brigades”. The units of the Kommandostab were normally assigned to the Höhere SS und Polizeiführer (HSSPF) (regional SS and police commanders) and very rarely operated as a combined unit. The unit was involved in a large number of atrocities in connection with the anti-partisan operations and it also supported the Einsatzgruppen in the murder of Jews.