Fritz Darges

Fritz Darges
Darges in early 1945
Born	(1913-02-08)8 February 1913 Dülseberg, Germany
Died	25 October 2009(2009-10-25) (aged 96) Celle, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1933—1945
Rank	Obersturmbannführer
Unit	SS Division Das Reich Führerbegleitkommando
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Fritz Darges (8 February 1913 – 25 October 2009) was an Obersturmbannführer (lieutenant colonel) in the Waffen-SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He served as an adjutant to Martin Bormann and later was a personal adjutant to Adolf Hitler.

He was born in Dülseberg near Salzwedel. After attending school, Darges volunteered to join the SS in April 1933. By 1934 he had been selected to become an officer and attended the SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tölz. After graduation in April 1935 he was promoted to Untersturmführer (second lieutenant). In 1936 he was named Adjutant to Reichsleiter Martin Bormann. In May 1937 he joined the NSDAP (Nazi Party), and in September of that same year he was promoted to Obersturmführer (first lieutenant).

In October 1939 he returned to the Waffen-SS as a company commander in the Deutschland and Der Führer Regiments in the SS-VT. He fought in the Battle of France and was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class in July 1940 and promoted to Hauptsturmführer (captain).

Darges was then posted to the newly formed SS Division , took part in Operation Barbarossa and was awarded the Iron Cross 1st class in August 1942. In March 1943 he became a personal adjutant to Adolf Hitler. He was assigned to the Führerbegleitkommando, an SS bodyguard unit which provided personal security for Hitler. He was promoted to Obersturmbannführer (lieutenant colonel) in January 1944.