SS Ober- gruppenführer Rudolf Querner

[Jody]

Hi folks,
For Christmas my uncle gave me a 3rd Reich hunting liscense belonging to SS-Obergruppenfuehrer und General der Waffen-SS Rudolf Querner.

I know he was born in 1893 and committed suicide on May 27, 1945. In 1919 he joined the Saxon security police. In June 1939 he led the Einsatzgruppe in Bohemia, and on July 1, 1944 he was commander opf Oberabschnitt Mitte and HSSPF Mitte until his capture.

Does anyone have further information on this individual?
Thanks,
Jody

[Rick Research]

Higher SS and Police Leader & Chief of SS Oberabscnitt "Nordsee" 30.4.41-30.1.43,

Same titles for "Donau," 31.1.43-5.10.44, and ended war, same titles, "Mitte" 5.10.44-8.5.44

He was commissioned as a Leutnant in Saxon Infantry Regiment 106, but was a POW 1914-1918, returning to be discharged as an Oberleutnant with EK2 and a post-war bestowed Albert Order-Knight 2nd with Swords. Career Police officer.

He had WW1 EK2, WW2 KVKs 1X & 2X, the AlbertX, WWI Honor Cross X, Austrian WWI Commemorative MedalX, Police 25, Austrian Anschluss 1938, Sudeten Medal with Prague bar 1938/39, 1936 Olympics Decoration 2nd Class, and two more ribboned ???foreign awards I am unsure of from poor quality photo of him, a pinback 1937 type Red Cross Decoration, and a National Sports Badge.

NSDAP # 2,385,386, SS # 308,240. Do you need promotion dates Jody? Rick

[Jody]

Querner

Hi Rick,

Many thanks. If you could provide promotion dates that would be great. Can you post the picture you have of him in uniform, on the liscense he is wearin civilian clothes.

Happy New Year!
Your Friend,
Jody

[Rick Research]

Fähnrich 8.2.13
Leutnant 1914 but I don't know his final seniority

the next info I have, since he only went from the Police into dual SS matching rank in 1938, is as

SS Gruppenführer und Polizei-generalleutnant 9.11.40
SS Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen SS und Polizei 21.6.43

The only "front on" photo I have seen on him was in French L. Maclean's "The Field Men" on Einsatzgruppen officers (and Querner's "Einsatz" command in Czechoslovakia before the war cannot in any way be compared with the mass murder units of WW2), but is unfortunately what looks like a scan of a xerox-- not worth RE-re-re-copying, unfortuntely!!!!!

Mark Yerger probably has vastly more on him. Querner appears in a group photo in one of his books, but not clearly or showing full awards. PM him and see if he can post a good portrait for you.

[David S]

The Mark Yerger book 'ALLGEMEINE-SS' has quite a bit on Querner including a picture.

I don't have time to condense the bio, but will do it on Saturday if no one else has done so.

[Jody]

Querner

Hi guys,

First of all, thank you Rick for your help.

David I would really appreciate any additional help you can give me on this individual. I plan on having his hunting license and a War Merit Cross 2nd Class document he signed, mounted and frammed and his bio added to it.
Regards,
Jody

[David S]

Querner photo

Rudolf Querner, Luftwaffe General Ludwig Wolff, Heinrich Himmler, Karl Wolff, and an unknown party type

Photo from "ALLGEMEINE-SS" by Mark C. Yerger

[David S]

Querner Bio

Rudolf Querner was born in Lehndorf, Saxony on June 10, 1893, the son of an estate owner. He became a cadet in 1906 in Dresden, later attending the war college in Hannover.

Commissioned as a Leutnant in February 1912, during WW1 he was a French prisoner of war from August 1914 to December 1918, and won the Iron Cross, 2nd class.

In September 1919, he joined the Saxony Security Police as a Leutnant and later transferred to the Gendarmerie. Promoted to Hauptmann in 1922, he served as an Adjutant, section, and company commander. He left the Gendarmerie in 1935 having been an Oberstleutnant since 1933.

Also a member of the Hitler Youth from 1930 to 1933, he joined the NSDAP in early May, 1933, and transferred to the Schutzpolizei in mid-March 1935, as an Oberstleutnant. Promoted to Oberst on September 1, 1936, he commanded the Schutzpolizei in Hamburg from that date until the start of April, 1937. He was Inspector of the Schutzpolizei in Hamburg, Bremen, and Oldenburg until the end of October, 1940.

Joining the SS an a SS-Standartenfuhrer on May 22, 1938, he first served on the staff of Oberabschnitt “Nordwest” (later “Nordsee”) until early November, 1940, and was promoted to SS-Oberfuhrer in June 18, 1939. Promoted to SS-Brigadefuhrer on April 20, 1940, he led an Einsatzgruppe in Bohemia during early 1939 as well as being senior commander of the Ordnungspolizei in Prague from March to June, 1939. Again promoted ion April 20, 1939 to Generalmajor der Polizei and on November 9, 1940 to SS-Gruppenfuhrer, he was General Inspector of the Gendarmerie and Schutzpolizei in the Hauptamt Ordnungspolizei from the start of November, 1940, to late April 1941, and also led Oberabschnitt “Nordsee” from April, 1941 to April, 1943. From early May, 1943 to October, 1944 he led Oberabschnitt “Donau” and was HSSPF “Donau” from the start of February, 1943 to October, 1944, being promoted to SS-Obergruppenfuhrer und General der Polizei on June 21, 1943. In the later post he replaced Ernst Kaltenbrunner who left to take command of the RSHA. Given the rank of General der Waffen-SS on July 1, 1944 he was commander of Oberabschnitt “Mitte” and HSSPF “Mitte” from early October, 1944, to the end of the war as a replacement for Hermann Höfle who went to Slovakia.

Well educated with interests in Forestry and land management, he was fluent in French and one of the least forceful of the HSSPF.

Awarded both classes of the War Service Cross with Swords, the Olympic Games Decoration 2nd class and the Reich’s Sports Badge in Silver.

He committed suicide in Magdeburg on May 27, 1945.

From "ALLGEMEINE-SS" by Mark C. Yerger & Phil Nix

[Jody]

Querner

Hi David,
Do you have any additional information on Querner? Just kidding, wow, thank you so very much. I really appreciate it. You and Rick have been a great help.

Thank you,
Jody

[Rick Research]

Biblio Verlag is "planning" (so they've been telling us for about 10 years!!!) biographical volumes on Police generals, like the ones they've done on the Luftwaffe and navy's admirals. One of these years...

[Hauptmann]

Just a thought, but have you tried getting the basic background information from this site:

http://members.rogers.com/ssocr/webtv_index_800.html

Personally, I have never used the "service" but it could be a very good starting point. It seems this guy might be able to provide you with numerous dates, appointments, awards, etc for the individual you are wanting information for. Just a thought. If you get a good response, maybe you could let the rest of us know how it turns out and if the information obtained was useful.

[ORPO57]

QUERNER in BOHEMIA

Originally posted by Rick Lundström


The only "front on" photo I have seen on him was in French L. Maclean's "The Field Men" on Einsatzgruppen officers (and Querner's "Einsatz" command in Czechoslovakia before the war cannot in any way be compared with the mass murder units of WW2), but is unfortunately what looks like a scan of a xerox-- not worth RE-re-re-copying, unfortuntely!!!!!
[/B]

Polizeieinsatzgruppe headed by Querner was a field organisation of the orpo (not SIPO SD) created in march 39 for the occupation of the Bohemia Moravia.
set up with companies provided by Schupo of the Landers.
It was disbanded and replaced by Police regiment few months later.

[Thierry Tixier]

SS OGRUF
Rudolf QUERNER

Born on 10 June 1893 at Lehndorf,
Kadett in Dresde in 1906,
Kriegsakademie at Hannovre,
Leutnant (February 1912),
Sachsen IR 106,
POW in France (August 1914-December 1918),
Leave army as Oberleutnant,
Sicherheitspolizei Sachsen in September 1919 as Leutnant, transfered in Gendarmerie (1920-15 March 1935),
Hauptmann d. Gendarmerie (1922),
Oberstleutnant d. Gendarmerie (1933),
HJ service (1930-1933),
NSDAP (2385386) on 1 May 1933,
Transfered in Schutzpolizei as Oberstleutnant,
Oberst d. Schutzpolizei (1 September 1936),
Kdt Schutzpolizei Hamburg until April 1937,
Inspektor d. Schutzpolizei at Hamburg, Breme and Oldenburg until 31 October 1940,
SS (308240) on 22 May 1938 as SS STAF,
Stab SS Oberabschnitt Nordsee until November 1940,
Generalmajor d. Polizei (20 April 1939),
SS OFHR (18 June 1939),
SS BRIG FHR (20 April 1940),
Befehlshaber d. Orpo Prag (March-June 1939),
SS GRUF (9 November 1940),
Generalinspektor d. Gendarmerie u. Schutzpolizei (1 November 1940-April 1941),
HSSPF Nordsee (30 April 1941-30 January 1943),
Kdr SS Oberabschnitt Nordsee (30 April 1941-20 April 1943),
Kdr SS Oberabschnitt Donau u. HSSPF Donau,
SS OGRUF (21 June 1943),
General d. Waffen SS (1 July 1944),
Kdr SS Oberabschnitt Mitte u. HSSPF (5 October 1944-8 May 1945),
Suicided at Magdeburg on 27 May 1945.

- EK-II 1914,
- Sachsen Ritterkreuz Albrechts Orden 2. kl mit Schwertern,.
- Ehrenkreuz des Weltkrieges 1914-1918 mit Schwertern,
- Osterreich Ehrenkreuz des Weltkrieges 1914-1918 mit Schwertern,
- DRL Sportabzeichen in Silber,
- Deutsche Olympia Ehrenzeichen 2. kl,
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13 März 1938,
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1 Oktober 1938,
- Spange «Prager Burg»,
- Ehrenzeichen des Deutschen Volkspflege 1. kl,
- KVK-II mit Schwertern,
- KVK-I mit Schwertern,
- Luftschutz Ehrenzeichen 1. kl (30 January 1943),
- Dienstauszeichnungen d. NSDAP in Bronze,
- Polizei Dienstauszeichnungen in Gold.

[Wolffen]

What that badge that Heinrich Himmler has in the photo above look like LW?

[Wolffen]

Does any one know what that badge could be?