Theodor Berkelmann

Theodor Berkelmann
File:BerkelmannTheo.jpg
Höherer SS- und Polizeiführer
Personal details
Born	17 April 1894 Metz, Alsace-Lorraine, Germany
Died	Poznań, Poland
Political party	National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP)
Military service
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1914-1943
Rank	40px Obergruppenführer
Battles/wars	World War I World War II

Theodor Berkelmann (17 April 1894 – 28 December 1943) was a German general, who held the rank of Obergruppenführer during World War II.

Biography

Theodor Berkelmann was born in Le Ban-Saint-Martin near Metz, in Alsace-Lorraine, which was then part of Germany. He joined the army at twenty years old. During the First World War, he served in the German Army. Berkelmann served as a soldier, before being promoted officer. He was awarded the Iron Cross Ist class.

In 1934, Theodor Berkelmann was promoted to SS-Brigadeführer (Major General), and SS-Gruppenführer (Lieutenant General) in 1936. At the beginning of the Second World War, Berkelmann was appointed "Höherer SS und Polizeiführer" (SS and Police Leader) in Saarland and Moselle. In 1942, he was eventually promoted to the grade of "SS-Obergruppenführer" (General officer). Theo Berkelmann died in Poznań, in 1943.

Awards

• Eisernes Kreuz (1914) II. und I. Klasse
• Goldenes Parteiabzeichen der NSDAP
• Kriegsverdienstkreuz (1939) II. und I. Klasse mit Schwertern
• Ehrendegen des RFSS
• Totenkopfring der SS

Sources

• (de) Ruth Bettina Birn: Die Höheren SS- und Polizeiführer. Himmlers Vertreter im Reich und in den besetzten Gebieten. Droste Verlag, Düsseldorf, 1986.
• (de) Joachim Lilla : Statisten in Uniform. Die Mitglieder des Reichstags 1933-1945, Droste, Düsseldorf 2004.
• (de) Erich Stockhorst: 5000 Köpfe - Wer war was im Dritten Reich, Kiel 2000.
• (de) Klaus D. Patzwall (Hg.): Das Goldene Parteiabzeichen und seine Verleihungen ehrenhalber 1934 -1944, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt 2004.

External links

• (de) Theo Berkelmann auf Saarländische Biografien
• (de) Datenbank der deutschen Parlamentsabgeordneten