Günther Merk

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Günther Merk
Born14 March 1888
Münsterberg (today,
Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Cause of deathExecution by firing squad
Allegiance 
SS and Police Leader, "Charkow"
Ordnungspolizei Commander, "Krakau"
Commander, 6th SS Police Regiment
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsIron Cross, 1st and 2nd class
Clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st and 2nd class
Wound Badge, in black

Günther Friedrich Wilhelm Merk (14 March 1888 – 16 January 1947) was a German lawyer and SS-

war crimes
.

Early life and career

Merk was born in Münsterberg (today,

Frankfurt am Main and, from 1938, in Dortmund as chief of police with the rank of Oberst of police.[1]

Since 1932 a member of the Nazi Party (membership number 1,346,722), Merk on 1 November 1939 joined the Allgemeine SS with the rank of SS-Standartenführer (SS number 347,133), and also the Waffen-SS as a Standartenführer of reserves.[2] From that time to December 1940, he served on the staff of SS-Abschnitt (District) XXV, headquartered in Dortmund. He next was transferred to SS headquarters in Berlin where he worked in the SS Personnel Main Office.[1]

Second World War

Promoted to SS-

Operation Typhoon, the failed attempt to capture Moscow. While serving on active duty with this division, he was awarded the Clasp to the Iron Cross in both classes.[1]

From January 1942 to September 1943 Merk was attached to the main office of the

SS-Obergruppenführer Friedrich-Wilhelm Krüger, based in Krakau (today, Kraków). From 18 October 1943 to April 1944 he was the Ordnungspolizei commander in Krakau. He briefly left police service at that point but, due to the deteriorating military and manpower situation, was recalled to service. From August 1944 he was Inspector for defensive position construction in Krakau, and again commander of the Ordnungspolizei from December 1944 to the city's liberation by the Red Army on 18 January 1945.[3]

Postwar capture and execution

On 20 February 1945, Merk fell into Soviet hands as a

firing squad on 12 November 1946. Specifically, it was charged that while SSPF, units under his command in the Kharkov region were involved in shooting and hanging more than 200 Soviet citizens, including about 100 Soviet soldiers, as well as burning down over 1,000 buildings and abducting about 5,000 youths to Germany for forced labor. After the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet rejected his plea for clemency on 7 January 1947, Merk was executed on 16 January.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c Yerger 1997, p. 113.
  2. ^ Schiffer Publishing Ltd. 2000, p. 25.
  3. ^ Yerger 1997, pp. 64, 113.
  4. ^ Müller et al. 2015, p. 452.

Sources

  • Müller, Klaus-Dieter; Schaarschmidt, Thomas; Schmeitzner, Mike; Weigelt, Andreas (2015). Todesurteile Sowjetischer Militärtribunale Gegen Deutsche (1944-1947): Eine Historisch-biographische Studie. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
    ISBN 978-3-525-36968-5
    .
  • Schiffer Publishing Ltd., ed. (2000). SS Officers List: SS-Standartenführer to SS-Oberstgruppenführer (As of 30 January 1942). Schiffer Military History Publishing.
    ISBN 0-7643-1061-5
    .
  • Schulz, Andreas; Wegman, Günter; Zinke, Dieter (2012). Deutschlands Generale und Admirale: Teil V/Band 3: Die Generale der Waffen-SS und der Polizei. (Lammerding - Plesch). Biblio-Verlag.
    ISBN 978-3-764-82375-7
    .
  • Yerger, Mark C. (1997). Allgemeine-SS: The Commands, Units and Leaders of the General SS. Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
    ISBN 0-7643-0145-4
    .
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