# Georg Keppler

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**Georg Keppler** (7 May 1894 – 16 June 1966) was a high-ranking [Waffen-SS](/source/Waffen-SS) commander during [World War II](/source/World_War_II). He commanded the [SS Division Das Reich](/source/SS_Division_Das_Reich), [SS Division Totenkopf](/source/SS_Division_Totenkopf), [I SS Panzer Corps](/source/I_SS_Panzer_Corps), [III SS Panzer Corps](/source/III_(Germanic)_SS_Panzer_Corps) and the [XVIII SS Army Corps](/source/XVIII_SS_Army_Corps).

## Career

Georg Keppler joined the [Royal Prussian Army](/source/Royal_Prussian_Army) in 1913 and took part in [World War I](/source/World_War_I). At the end of the war, he was the [adjutant](/source/Adjutant) of Fusilier Regiment 73 and left the service in 1919 with the rank of *[Oberleutnant](/source/Oberleutnant)*. From 1919, Keppler was a police officer and commanded city and state police units in [Jena](/source/Jena) and [Gotha](/source/Gotha) between 1930 and 1935. On 1 October 1930, he joined the [Nazi Party](/source/Nazi_Party) (membership number 338,211). On 10 October 1935, he joined the party's [paramilitary](/source/Paramilitary) force, the *[SS-Verfügungstruppe](/source/SS-Verf%C3%BCgungstruppe)* (SS number 273,799), eventually leading a battalion in the *Deutschland* regiment. In September 1938, after the *[Anschluss](/source/Anschluss)*, Keppler was promoted to command the newly raised *Der Führer* regiment, becoming a component of the [SS-Verfügungs Division](/source/SS-Verf%C3%BCgungs_Division). Keppler served as Der Führer‘s regimental commander throughout the [invasion of France](/source/Fall_Gelb), [Balkans Campaign](/source/Balkans_Campaign_(World_War_II)) and in [Operation Barbarossa](/source/Operation_Barbarossa). In August 1940, Keppler was awarded the [Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross](/source/Knight's_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross). On 15 July 1941, he took over for injured [Theodor Eicke](/source/Theodor_Eicke) as a commander of the [SS Division Totenkopf](/source/SS_Division_Totenkopf). He went on to command the [SS Division Nord](/source/SS_Division_Nord) and the [SS Division Das Reich](/source/SS_Division_Das_Reich).[1]

From February 1943, Keppler held a number of administrative positions within the [Waffen-SS](/source/Waffen-SS). In August 1944, he was given a field assignment as commander of the [I SS Panzer Corps](/source/I_SS_Panzer_Corps), which he led until October 1944, during the later stages of the [Battle of Normandy](/source/Operation_Overlord). He then returned to the Eastern Front, where he took over the [III Panzer Corps](/source/III_(Germanic)_SS_Panzer_Corps). He remained with this unit until 2 April 1945 when he became the last commander of the [XVIII SS Army Corps](/source/XVIII_SS_Army_Corps), surrendering the unit to the U.S. Army on 2 May 1945. After the war Keppler was interned; he was released in 1948. Keppler died in 1966.[2]

## Awards and decorations

- [Iron Cross](/source/Iron_Cross) (1914)[3] - 2nd class - 1st class
- [Hanseatic Cross](/source/Hanseatic_Cross) of Hamburg[3]
- [Brunswick War Merit Cross](/source/War_Merit_Cross_(Brunswick)), 2nd class with combatants ribbon[3]
- [Wound Badge](/source/Wound_Badge) in silver[3]
- [Silesian Eagle](/source/Silesian_Eagle), 1st and 2nd class[3]
- [Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918](/source/Honour_Cross_of_the_World_War_1914/1918)[3]
- [Clasp to the Iron Cross](/source/Clasp_to_the_Iron_Cross) (1939)[3] - 2nd class - 1st class
- [Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross](/source/Knight's_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross) on 15 August 1940 as SS-*[Oberführer](/source/Oberf%C3%BChrer)* and commander of SS-Standarte "Der Führer"[3][4]

## References

### Citations

1. Miller & Schulz 2015, pp. 467–470.

1. Miller & Schulz 2015, pp. 470–472.

1. Miller & Schulz 2015, p. 472.

1. Scherzer 2007, p. 437.

### Bibliography

- Miller, Michael D. & Schulz, Andreas (2015). *Leaders of the SS & German Police*. Vol. 2 *Reichsführer SS – Gruppenführer* (Hans Haltermann to Walter Kruger). R. James Bender Publishing. ISBN 978-1-932-97025-8.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). *Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives* [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Georg Keppler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Keppler) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Keppler?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.