Kurt Daluge
GermanyBiography of Kurt Daluge
Kurt Daluge was born in Germany as the son of a civil servant. He received his education at a real gymnasium and the Higher Technical School in Charlottenburg. After completing his education, Daluge worked in the mining industry, technical and trade departments of the Imperial Ministry of Agriculture, and on the construction of canals and railways.
During World War I, Daluge served as a participant and was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class for his military achievements. In 1919, he joined one of the organizations called "Volunteer Corps" led by Rossbach. Daluge was one of the first members to join the NSDAP (Party Membership No. 31981) and played an instrumental role in creating the first SA formation in Berlin, serving as its leader until 1928.
After leaving the SA, Daluge joined the SS (Membership No. 1119). From April 24, 1932, he became a member of the Prussian Landtag. On January 30, 1933, he was appointed as the Ministerial Director and Head of the Police Department in the Ministry of the Interior of Prussia. Later, on September 13, 1933, Daluge became the Chief of the Land Police in Prussia.
In November 12, 1933, he was elected as a deputy of the Reichstag from East Berlin. After the NSDAP came into power, on May 5, 1933, Daluge was appointed as the Ministerial Director of the Imperial Ministry of the Interior and on September 15, 1933, he became a Prussian State Counsellor, attaining the rank of Lieutenant General of Police.
From May 11, 1934, Daluge served as the Head of the Police Department in the Imperial Ministry of the Interior. After the establishment of the Main Police and Order Office, which was responsible for the leadership of the Security Police, local police, and gendarmerie, on June 26, 1936, Daluge was appointed as its Chief. At the same time, he held the position of Imperial Commissioner and State Secretary of the Prussian Government.
On June 4, 1942, following the death of R. Heydrich, Daluge was appointed as the Imperial Protector of Bohemia and Moravia. He organized mass terror in Czechoslovakia, including punitive actions carried out after Heydrich's assassination. During these actions, approximately 15,000 hostages were arrested within a few days, and 700 of them were executed. Daluge was directly responsible for the mass extermination of the population in the village of Lidice, which was conceived as an "act of revenge" for Heydrich's death. Out of the 494 inhabitants of the village, 173 were executed on the spot.
After Germany's defeat, Daluge was arrested by the Allies and handed over to the Czechoslovak government. He was sentenced to death by the Court of the Czechoslovak People's Republic and subsequently hanged.
