 |
Paul DargelGerman politician and statesman
Date of Birth: 28.12.1903
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Paul Darge: A Nazi Figure in the Third Reich
- Gauleiter and Reichsstag Member
- Role in the Occupation of Ukraine
- Assassination Attempt and Later Career
- Post-War Fate
Paul Darge: A Nazi Figure in the Third Reich
Early Life and Political RisePaul Darge, a prominent figure in the Nazi regime, was born in 1900. After completing secondary school, he worked as a timber merchant while attending business school. In the late 1920s, Darge joined the Nazi Party (NSDAP). In 1930, he became the district leader (Kreisleiter) of the NSDAP in Königsberg and a member of the Prussian Landtag.
Gauleiter and Reichsstag Member
In 1932, Darge ascended to the post of Gauamtsleiter (regional administrative head) in East Prussia. After the Nazis seized power in 1933, he became the Gauorganisations- und Schulungsleiter (organizational and training leader) for the East Prussia region, a role he held until 1945. In 1934, Darge was appointed to the Prussian Provincial Council.
Despite being included in the "Führer's List" of candidates for the 1936 Reichstag election, Darge initially failed to secure a seat. However, he entered the Reichstag in 1937 as a replacement for a retiring deputy. He represented the Eastern Prussia constituency until the end of the war.
Role in the Occupation of Ukraine
From 1940, Darge held positions as government president in Ciechanów, Poland. In 1941, he was appointed Chief of Main Department II (administration) of the Reichskommissariat Ukraine, based in Rivne. A year later, he became the deputy to Reichskommissar Erich Koch, who also served as Gauleiter and Oberpräsident of East Prussia.
Assassination Attempt and Later Career
In 1943, Darge was the target of an assassination attempt by Soviet spy Nikolai Kuznetsov. A grenade thrown by Kuznetsov left Darge severely injured, resulting in the loss of both his legs. He was subsequently evacuated to Berlin.
Despite his injuries, Darge remained in his post until 1944. He then served in the Party Chancellery and later as a liaison to General Andrey Vlasov. In 1944, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Volkssturm in East Prussia and decorated with the Gold German Cross without Swords.
Post-War Fate
The whereabouts of Paul Darge after the war are uncertain. According to some accounts, he lived in Hanover, Germany.
