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Arthur FlepsOne of the leaders of the SS, SS Obergruppenführer
Date of Birth: 29.11.1881
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Biography of Arthur Phleps
Arthur Martin Phleps (born November 29, 1881 in Birtel, Semigrad, Austro-Hungary - died September 21, 1944 near Arad, Semigrad, Romania) was one of the leaders of the SS. He held the rank of SS-Obergruppenführer and SS general (June 21, 1943). Phleps was the son of a Romanian Volksdeutsche. He completed his education at the Cadet Corps and the Military Academy in Vienna (1907). On August 18, 1900, he joined the 3rd Tyrolean Jäger Regiment of the Austro-Hungarian army. In 1901, he was promoted to lieutenant. From 1902 to 1905, he served in the 11th Hungarian Jäger Battalion. On May 1, 1908, he joined the General Staff. Phleps participated in World War I, serving in the staffs of the 32nd Infantry Division, General Ror von Denta's army group, and the 10th Army. In 1916, he became the chief of staff of the 72nd Infantry Division. On November 1, 1918, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the General Staff. From November 1918 to February 1919, he was a member of the Volunteer Corps. On April 1, 1919, he joined the Romanian army as a lieutenant colonel. In 1919, he became the chief of staff of the 16th Romanian Division. On May 15, 1923, he was transferred to the Romanian General Staff. From April 1, 1929, he commanded the 23rd Cavalry Regiment in Călărași, and from April 1, 1930, he commanded a brigade in Constanța. From September 1930, he commanded the 1st Mountain Infantry Brigade in Sinaiya. From 1935, he served as the inspector of reinforcements for the 5th Territorial Command. On June 5, 1935, he became the commander of the 12th Romanian Infantry Division in Southern Bessarabia, and on October 13, 1936, he became the commander of the 21st Infantry Division in Southern Moldavia. On November 1, 1937, he became the commander of the Romanian Mountain Rifle Corps. On June 30, 1939, he was promoted to the rank of Romanian army lieutenant general. On August 6, 1940, he was placed in the reserve. On June 30, 1941, he joined the SS division "Viking" as an Oberführer, and became a member of the SS (membership number 401 214); he had the nickname "Scholz". From July 1942, he served as the commander of the SS "Westland" Grenadier Regiment within the SS division "Viking". From December 1, 1942, he became the commander of the 7th Volunteer Mountain Rifle Division "Prince Eugene" in the SS. On July 4, 1943, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. From July 4, 1943, until September 21, 1944, he served as the commander of the V SS Mountain Corps. Simultaneously, from September 16 to 18, 1944, he was the highest leader of the SS and police in Semigrad. In November 1944, he was captured by Soviet forces and executed. On November 24, 1944, he was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross, and later, the 13th SS Mountain Regiment was named after him.