Franz Kutschera SS Brigadeführer (9 November 1940) and Major General of Police Date of Birth: 22.02.1904 Country: Germany

1. Biography of Franz Kutcher
2. Nazi Party and SS
3. Leadership Roles
4. World War II
5. War Crimes and Assassination

Biography of Franz Kutcher

Franz Kutcher was born on February 22, 1904, into a gardener's family. He joined the Austro-Hungarian Navy in 1918 and graduated from the School of Marine Mechanics in Budapest. After his demobilization in 1919, Kutcher worked as a gardener. From 1920 to 1928, he lived in Czechoslovakia.

Nazi Party and SS

On December 5, 1930, Kutcher joined the Nazi Party (membership number 363,031), and on November 1, 1931, he became a member of the SS (membership number 19,659). In February 1933, he was promoted to SS Hauptsturmführer. From 1934, he served as the Deputy Gauleiter of Carinthia.

Leadership Roles

From July 1, 1935, to March 16, 1938, Kutcher was the commander of the 90th SS Standarte "Carinthia" in Klagenfurt. After the Nazi Party was banned in Austria, he served as the Gauleiter of Carinthia from February 1938 to November 1941 and later as the Deputy Gauleiter until March 1938.

World War II

From March 1938 to June 1943, Kutcher served at the headquarters of the 30th SS Division in Kassel. In April 1938, he was elected as a deputy in the Reichstag. From September 22, 1939, he was appointed as the Commissioner of Defense for the 18th Military District. Kutcher also held various positions within the SS and police during this time.

War Crimes and Assassination

In April 1941, Kutcher became the Chief of the Civil Administration of Krajina, which was previously part of Yugoslavia. In January 1943, he issued an order for the seizure of livestock, crops, and labor during the "Franz" operation against partisans. From April 1943 to September 1943, Kutcher was in charge of the SS and police in the Mogilev district of Army Group Center. He later became the head of the SS and police in the "Warsaw" district.

In December 1943, the Warsaw Underground Command issued a death sentence for Kutcher for his involvement in organizing public executions. However, the assassination attempt on January 29, 1944, was unsuccessful as Kutcher did not leave his residence that day. The operation was rescheduled for February 1, 1944, and Kutcher was successfully assassinated.

After Kutcher's death, the Germans imposed a contribution of 100,000 zlotys on the city, and later that evening, they publicly executed 100 hostages from the Pawiak prison. In October 1944, the 90th SS Standarte in Klagenfurt was given the honorary name "Franz Kutcher."