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Maximilian von Herff

Maximilian von Herff
Born 17 April 1893
Hanover, Germany
Died 6 September 1945(1945-09-06) (aged 52)
Ulverston, England
Buried at Cannock Chase German war cemetery
Allegiance  German Empire
 Weimar Republic
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch Army, Waffen-SS
Rank Obergruppenführer
Unit Flag of the Schutzstaffel.svg Schutzstaffel
Commands held Chef des Personalamtes der Waffen-SS
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Maximilian von Herff (17 April 1893 – 6 September 1945) was a high-ranking commander in the SS of Nazi Germany during World War II.

During World War II, Herff served with the Deutsches Afrika Korps in North Africa. He was promoted to Oberst (colonel) and commanded "Kampfgruppe von Herff". For his service in North Africa he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in June 1941.

At the suggestion of Heinrich Himmler he transferred to the Waffen-SS. On 1 April 1942 Herff joined the Nazi Party (member no. 8 858 661) and the SS (member no. 405 894). From 1 October 1942 to 8 May 1945, he was chief of the Persönlicher Stab Reichsführer-SS (Himmler's personal staff). He dealt with internal and financial SS matters.

In his later diary entries, Herff would claim to have had knowledge of the Final Solution but not have played any role in administrative or actual involvement in exterminations or deportations. However, on 14–15 May 1943, Von Herff was in Warsaw during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and supervised its suppression under orders from Himmler. His adjutant, Karl Kaleske wrote of the deportations carried out following the uprising to Auschwitz concentration camp and other camps where "special action" was required. Jürgen Stroop's report on the The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising contains a photograph of Herff and Stroop taken during the May 1943 visit.

On 20 April 1944, Herff was promoted to SS-Obergruppenführer (SS general).

He was captured by British forces in 1945, and held at Grizedale Hall POW camp. He suffered a stroke and died at nearby Conishead Priory Military Hospital. He was later reburied at Cannock Chase German war cemetery, Staffordshire.


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