Kurt Meyer
Kurt Meyer (23 December 1910 – 23 December 1961) was an SS commander and convicted war criminal of Nazi Germany. He served in the Waffen-SS (the combat branch of the SS) and participated in the Battle of France, Operation Barbarossa, and other engagements during World War II. Meyer commanded the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend during the Allied invasion of Normandy, and was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.
Kurt Meyer | |
|---|---|
Meyer in 1943 | |
| Born | 23 December 1910 Jerxheim, Lower Saxony, German Empire |
| Died | 23 December 1961 (aged 51) Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany |
| Known for | Ardenne Abbey massacre Spokesperson for HIAG |
| Criminal status | Deceased |
| Conviction(s) | War crimes (3 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | Death; commuted to life imprisonment; further commuted to 14 years imprisonment |
| SS career | |
| Nickname(s) | "Panzermeyer" |
| Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
| Service/ | Waffen-SS |
| Years of service | 1934–1944 |
| Rank | SS-Brigadeführer |
| Service number |
|
| Commands held | 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend |
| Battles/wars | World War II
|
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
After ordering the mass murder of civilians and prisoners of war (POWs) several times during the conflict, Meyer was convicted of war crimes for his role in the Ardenne Abbey massacre (the murder of Canadian POWs in Normandy). He was sentenced to death, but the sentence was later commuted to life in prison.
He became active in HIAG, a lobby group organised by former high-ranking Waffen-SS men, after his release. Meyer was a leading Waffen-SS apologist and HIAG's most effective spokesperson, depicting most of the Waffen-SS as apolitical, recklessly brave fighters who were not involved in the crimes of the Nazi regime. These notions have since been debunked by historians.