Walter Reder

Walter Reder (February 4, 1915 - April 26, 1991) was a SS officer during the Nazi regime. He was a Knight's Cross and German Cross in Gold winner.

Related Topics:
February 4 - 1915 - April 26 - 1991 - SS - Nazi regime - Knight's Cross - German Cross

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Walter Reder was born in Jesenik (then Freiwaldau, Austria-Hungary), in the today's Czech Republic. He joined the SS on February 9, 1933 as a former member of the Hitler Youth. He graduated 60th in his class from the SS-Führerschule Braunschweig in 1936 and went on to command various elements of the 3rd Waffen-SS Totenkopf Division during World War Two.

Related Topics:
Jesenik - Austria-Hungary - Czech Republic - February 9 - 1933 - Hitler Youth - Braunschweig - 1936 - Waffen-SS - ''Totenkopf'' Division - World War Two

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He became the commander of 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS which committed war crimes in the "Marzabotto massacre". Reder was also assigned to SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Ausbildungs- und Ersatz-Bataillon 3 in Warsaw during the period when this unit was employed in the liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto from April 19, 1943 to May 16, 1943.

Related Topics:
16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS - War crime - Marzabotto massacre - Warsaw - Liquidation - Warsaw Ghetto - April 19 - 1943 - May 16

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Reder was extradited to Italy in May 1948 for war crimes. He was tried by an Italian military court in Bologna and sentenced to life imprisonment at Gaeta fortress prison, south of Naples, on October 1951 for ordering the destruction of town of Marzabotto and other villages near Bologna in Aug-Sept 1944 during anti-partisan sweeps and for ordering the execution of 2,700 Italian civilians in Tuscany and Emilia during the same period.

Related Topics:
Italy - May - 1948 - Bologna - Gaeta - Naples - October - 1951 - Marzabotto - 1944 - Anti-partisan - Tuscany - Emilia

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Reder expressed profound repentance in a December 1984 letter to the citizens of Marzabotto. He was released from prison on January 24, 1985 and died in Vienna, Austria in 1991.

Related Topics:
December - 1984 - January 24 - 1985 - Vienna - Austria

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