Karl Hanke

Karl Hanke
Gauleiter Hanke addresses a new battalion of Volkssturm in Breslau (today Wrocław, Poland), February 1945
Reichsführer-SS
In office 29 April – 8 May 1945
Chancellor	Adolf Hitler Joseph Goebbels
Leader	Adolf Hitler Karl Dönitz
Preceded by	Heinrich Himmler
Succeeded by	Office Abolished
Gauleiter of Lower Silesia
In office 1941–1945
Appointed by	Adolf Hitler
Preceded by	New Region
Succeeded by	None
State Secretary for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
In office 1937–1940
Appointed by	Adolf Hitler
Preceded by	None
Succeeded by	Leopold Gutterer
Oberpräsident of the Province of Lower Silesia
In office 1941–1945
Preceded by	None
Succeeded by	None
Personal details
Born	Karl August Hanke 24 August 1903 Lauban, Kingdom of Prussia (today Lubań, Poland)
Died	8 June 1945 (aged 41) Czechoslovakia
Political party	National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP)
Spouse(s)	Freda von Fircks (married 25 November 1944)
Alma mater	Berufspädagogisches Institut, Berlin
Profession	Nazi Politician, Teacher, Business manager

Karl August Hanke, (24 August 1903 – 8 June 1945) was the last Reichsführer of the Schutzstaffel (Protection Squadron; SS), and an official of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) of Nazi Germany. He served as governor (Gauleiter) of Lower Silesia from 1941 to 1945 and as the final Reichsführer-SS for a few days in 1945. He was shot and killed by Czech partisans on 8 June 1945.

Hanke was born in Lauban (present-day Lubań) in Silesia, on 24 August 1903. His older brother was killed in World War I. Hanke was too young for service in the war and attended Gymnasium through Obersekunda. He served in the Reichswehr as a Zeitfreiwilliger (temporary volunteer) in the 19th Infantry Regiment (von Courbiere) at Frankfurt/Oder from 1920 to 1921.

Hanke obtained an education as a milling engineer by attending the German Millers' School at Dippoldiswalde. He then decided to obtain a year's practical experience as a railway workshop apprentice before returning to milling. From 1921 to around 1926, Hanke mainly worked in the milling industry, serving as a business manager for mills in the vicinity of Silesia, Bavaria, and Tyrol. He later attended the Berufspädagogische Institut in Berlin, receiving a degree that qualified him to teach milling at vocational schools. Later in 1928, he worked in Berlin-Steglitz as a master miller. After this he became a vocational instructor at a technical school in Berlin.

Hanke joined the Nazi Party on 1 November 1928, with membership number 102606. Hanke began his National Socialist career at the somewhat low level of Amtswalter, a low ranking speaker and factory cell organizer in Berlin. He joined the Sturmabteilung (SA) Reserve in 1929; that same year he became a deputy street cell leader. In 1930 he was promoted to street cell leader (Strassenzellenleiter) and then a section leader (Sektionsführer) in Berlin.