Otto Rasch

Otto Rasch
Otto Rasch at the Einsatzgruppen trial
Born	7 December 1891 Friedrichsruh, German Empire
Died	1 November 1948(1948-11-01) (aged 56) Wehrstedt, Lower Saxony, Germany
Allegiance	German Empire  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kaiserliche Marine Schutzstaffel
Rank	Brigadeführer
Other work	Lawyer, Mayor

SS-Brigadeführer Emil Otto Rasch (7 December 1891 – 1 November 1948) was a high-ranking Nazi official in the occupied Eastern territories, commanding Einsatzgruppe C (northern and central Ukraine) until October 1941. After World War II, Rasch was indicted for war crimes, but the case was discontinued for medical reasons in 1948. He died in 1948 while in custody.

Rasch was born in Friedrichsruh, Northern Germany. He fought in the First World War as a naval lieutenant. He studied philosophy, law, political science and received doctorates in law and political economy. With two university doctorates, Rasch was known as "Dr Dr Rasch", in accordance with German academic tradition. He became a lawyer in 1931 in Dresden and practiced law in the private sector. In 1933 he became mayor of Radeberg and in 1935 lord mayor of Wittenberg.

Rasch joined the NSDAP on 1 October 1931 with membership number 620,976. He joined the SA in 1933 and the SS on 10 March 1933; with membership number 107,100. Beginning in 1936 he was employed full-time by the Sicherheitsdienst (SD). On 1 October 1937, as commissioner, Rasch assumed leadership of the State Police (Stapo) in Frankfurt am Main. In March 1938, again as commissioner, Rasch became director of security (based in Linz) for Upper Austria. In June 1938, Rasch was assigned various responsibilities within the RSHA and was appointed chief of the Security Police (SiPo) and SD in Prague.