Waldemar Pabst
| Waldemar Pabst | |
|---|---|
Waldemar Pabst c. 1930
|
|
| Born |
24 December 1880 Berlin |
| Died | 29 May 1970 (aged 89) Düsseldorf |
| Nationality | German |
| Other names | Waldemar der Grosse |
| Occupation | Army Officer, Weapons Manufacturer |
| Employer | Rheinmetall Borsig |
| Known for | Freikorps leader |
| Title | Hauptmann (self-declared Major) |
Waldemar Pabst (24 December 1880 in Berlin – 29 May 1970 in Düsseldorf) was a German soldier and political activist, involved in far right and anti-communist activity in both his homeland and Austria. As a serving officer Pabst gained notoriety for ordering the executions of Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg in 1919 as well as for his leading role in the coterie of ultra-nationalist conspirators around Wolfgang Kapp. In Austria he played a central part in organising rightist militia groups before being deported due to his activities. Pabst subsequently faded from public life in Nazi Germany as he was never more than loosely associated with the Nazis.
Born in Berlin, Pabst was the son of a museum director. He attended the Preußische Hauptkadettenanstalt, the training academy for officers in the Prussian Army, as a contemporary of Franz von Papen at the institution and was commissioned as an officer in 1899.
Pabst saw active service in the First World War, mainly on the Western Front in Belgium and most notably at the Battle of Verdun. In 1916 he was withdrawn from the front and redeployed as a member of the German General Staff.
Under the order of General Erich Ludendorff, Pabst joined the Garde-Kavallerie-Schützen-Division in March 1918, late in the war. As chief of general staff, Pabst converted the regiment from cavalry to infantry. The regiment would become noted as the fiercest counter-revolutionary force in Germany at the time.
...
Wikipedia