Hans-Caspar Krüger - W-SS Ustuf. from Sweden

[John P. Moore]

The Swedish Waffen-SS Untersturmführer Hans-Caspar Krüger is another example of an officer who had a significantly larger unit file (86 pages of documents) in the SS-Kriegsberichter Abteilung than his NARA SSO/Berlin Document Center file (a two-page Stammkarte). I will post some of the more interesting documents from Krüger’s unit file here because I had not included him in the foreign officers part of my Führerliste der Waffen-SS publication and there is a very detailed investigation for homosexuality against the man while he was assigned to the SS-“Nordland” division. Those of you who have Lennart Westberg’s very good “Swedes at War” book won’t find much about Krüger there besides a photo as all this information about Krüger was new to him when I spoke with him earlier this week. There were rumors among veterans of the SS-Panzer Aufklärungs Abteilung “Nordland” concerning a homosexual officer, but nobody knew or would say who it actually was. This just shows how there is new information out there to be found by researchers in unusual places. (I had heard that there was information about Junkerschule graduates and promotion lists in the NARA SS-Kriegsbeichter Abt. files (publication T-354 rolls 172 - 184) and I found these officers' files as an unexpected surprise)

Note the “Geheim”(Secret) stamp on the cover of Krüger’s unit file. The unit files of other officers did not have a Secret stamp.

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[John P. Moore]

a photo of Krüger

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[John P. Moore]

The first document in Krüger's unit file makes reference to the investigation against him.

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[John P. Moore]

A clarification from an earlier statement made by a witness against Krüger

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[John P. Moore]

Using stationary from the Sweden- America passenger ship line in November 1944 Krüger writes ro the adjutant of the SS-Kriegsberichter Abteilung, Obersturmführer Walther Best, and attempts to refute the charges made against him. A detailed examination of the charges and witness statements will follow. There is even a lengthy statement from an Oberscharführer Erich Kernmayr, who would later write a number of books under the name of "Erich Kern" and was an active member of the post-war HIAG leadership circle.

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[-michael]

It wouldn’t surprise me if there where many, many more of these cases in the Waffen-SS. What did you expect, all these men closely together near the frontline.

Bauweraerts was a Flemish volunteer. I don’t have much information about him; I know that he was a youth-leader within the Vlaamsche Jeugd, a national-socialist orientated youth-movement, before he volunteered for the Waffen-SS. I know that he became SS-Kriegsberichter, but I don’t think he was very active, because I only found one article by him in a Flemish newspaper. On 1.8.1944 he was commanded from the SS-Standarte ‘Kurt Eggers’ to the SS-Junkerschule Tölz, to take part on the 18. Führerbewerber-Lehrgang. It was during this course that he was interrogated. But if I’m not mistaken, not much happened under the sheets? And this all happened within the SS-Kriegsberichter-Zug ‘Nordland’? According to the Stellenbesetzungsliste of the SS-Standarte ‘Kurt Eggers’ from the first half of 1944, Krueger was Zugführer at the time, with the rank of SS-Standartenoberjunker (Rangdienstalter of 1.3.1944), he was later promoted to SS-Untersturmführer (Rangdienstalter of 21.6.1944).

(I have some problems in translating the handwriting.)

[John P. Moore]

Actually I have seen a number of investigations for reported homosexual behavior among company-grade Wafffen-SS officers. At the time punishment was extremely harsh and resulted in the execution of the offender later in the war (Ustuf. Sascha Bibrich from the "HJ" Div.) to prison time reduced to being degraded and sent to a punishment unit in an engineer battalion to be shot down by the British in May 1940 (Hstuf. Rüdiger von Bodungen and Ustuf. Rudolf Klaebe from Junkerschule Tölz)

The incident report below from July i944 started the official investigation against Krüger. Drinking followed by doing something stupid during a Kameradschaftabend is often a common thread in disciplinary actions against Waffen-SS officers.

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[John P. Moore]

back side

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[Regiment Norge]

Interesting documents, but is there a page missing between page 8 and 9 here in Tatbestand?

[nicoH]

Hi John


Could I ask if the SS-rttf Cassee, mentioned in document -Kruger Hans-caspar---8.jpg, a member of the KB Zug Nordland is further identified in these documents.

I have a dutchman Cornelis Hendrik Jan Cassee, born 22-03-1920 in Bloemendaal as a dutchman in the SSPK formations (unclear in what function).

It would be nice to know if the mentioned SS-RTTF is indeed him.

Best regards

Nico

[Marc Rikmenspoel]

In the English edition of Herbert Poller's SS-PAA 11 book, as edited and expanded by Martin Mansson and Lennart Westberg, on page 88 it mentions that Erik Wallin was asked to become a war reporter during the spring or summer of 1944. His company commander, Hans Gösta Pehrsson, didn't like this idea. Pehrsson is quoted as telling Wallin, "Hell, you're not going to that damn, d--k-licking, company..."

This shows that rumors of events in the KB Zug of Nordland were getting around. The book then explains that an unnamed Swedish volunteer had been outed for engaging in homosexual activity. He was "invited" to "do the only right thing" and commit suicide/Freitod. The volunteer refused to do this, and requested a trial, which was duly held, and in which he was acquitted. He then continued to serve until the end of the war.

That's all the book says, and I was intrigued after reading that section. Now, just days later, we are finding out the background thanks to John's documents. I'll be curious to see what these documents say about the verdict of not guilty.

[John P. Moore]

Here is the continuation of the charge sheet that Regiment Norge was asking about. Three incidents are described. In the first there is a shortage of bunks so Krüger invites Strm. Wolff to sleep on the sofa in the common room with him. Wolf declined. In the next incident Krüger invites Strm. Wolff to his private room to watch a movie. In the last incident following drinking at a unit party Krüger locked Strm. Wolf in his private room after giving him a bottle of schnaps. Wolf couldn't get out and he fell asleep in Krügers bed. Wolff was awakened later by Krüger who asked him to remove his clothes and get back in bed with him. Wolff said that he was not Krüger's wife and declined. Krüger asked Wolff again to get in bed with him, saying how much he missed his wife. I will be adding some statements from other Aufkl.Abt. "Nordland" members as the investigation progressed.

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[John P. Moore]

Since Nico asked, I will post next the statement of Rttf. Cornelius Cassée. He tells of a birthday party for Ustuf. Kurt Alber, a former platoon leader in the Nordland’s Kriegsberichter platoon. The company commander of the 3./AA 11, Ostuf Hans- Gosta Pehrsson, another Swede, was also present at the party where there was some drinking. Ustuf. Alber ordered Rttf. Cassée to drive Ostuf. Pehrsson back to his unit. Around midnight Ustuf. Krüger approached Rttf. Cassée outside and told him that he did not need to take Ostuf. Pehrsson back that night and that they should go urinate against a tree……………… The last paragraph describes how Ustuf. Krüger suddendly came up behind Rttf. Cassée and put his arms around his chest (Some of the words used in the statement exceed my regular German language skills and perhaps some of the native German speakers on the forum can add some details from their understanding of what they are reading)

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[John P. Moore]

The last part of Rttf. Cornelius Cassée's statement decribes Ustuf. Krüger as a "warm Bruder" and how he was known throughout the entire platoon as a "schwuhl" following the incident at Ustuf. Alber's birthday party. Both of those words are German slang for a homosexual. Then Cassée mentions how Ustuf. Krüger received a teletype message to pack his backs and immediately report back to the headquarters of the SS-Kriegsberichter Abt. in Berlin. He was gone by noon the next day.

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[nicoH]

John,

many thanks for publising these documents, for not only confirm the document my Rttf Cassee, but also shows that the KB-Zug Nordland contained Dutchmen (Cassee and Angenent), Flemings(bauweraerts) and other nationailities.

It would be nice if Marc Rikmenspoel could give the whole composition of this Zug at the time Kruger was there.

Nico