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Anton Grasser
Born3 November 1891
Bossendorf, Alsace-Lorraine, German Empire
Died3 November 1976(1976-11-03) (aged 85)
Stuttgart, Baden-Württemburg, West Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany
 West Germany
Service/branchImperial German Army
Army
Bundesgrenzschutz
Rank General of the Infantry
Commands held25th Infantry Division
LVI. Panzerkorps
XXVI. Armeekorps
LXXII. Armeekorps
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Other workPolice Officer

Anton Grasser (3 November 1891 – 3 November 1976) was a German general during World War II who commanded several corps. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Grasser joined the Bundesgrenzschutz (Federal Border Guards) in 1951, retiring in 1953.

In the 1950s, Grasser was involved in organizing an illegal underground army set up by Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS veterans in the event of a Soviet invasion of West Germany.[1] Grasser's role, as inspector general of the police and border police, was to provide this secret army with weapons from the police force in case of war. Grasser was connected to it through Albert Schnez, its leader, who had been Grasser's employer in the first post-war years.[2]

Awards and decorations

References

Citations

  1. ^ Wiegrefe, Klaus (14 May 2014). "Files Uncovered: Nazi Veterans Created Illegal Army". Der Spiegel. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  2. ^ Das Gupta, Oliver (11 May 2014). "Wehrmachts- und SS-Veteranen planten Geheimarmee" [Wehrmacht and SS veterans planned secret army]. Sueddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b Thomas 1997, p. 215.
  4. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 146.
  5. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 168.
  6. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 65.

Bibliography

  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • 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.
  • Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
Military offices Preceded byGeneralmajor Sigfrid Henrici Commander of 25. Infanterie-Division 4 February 1942 – 23 June 1943 Succeeded byRenamed 25th Panzergrenadier Division Preceded byPreviously 25th Infantry Division Commander of 25. Panzergrenadier-Division 23 June 1943 – 5 November 1943 Succeeded byGeneralleutnant Dr. Fritz Benicke Preceded byGeneral der Infanterie Friedrich Hoßbach Commander of LVI Panzer Corps 14 November 1943 – 9 December 1943 Succeeded byGeneral der Infanterie Friedrich Hoßbach Preceded byGeneral der Infanterie Martin Grase Commander of XXVI. Armeekorps 15 February 1944 – 11 May 1944 Succeeded byGeneral der Artillerie Wilhelm Berlin Preceded byGeneral der Artillerie Wilhelm Berlin Commander of XXVI. Armeekorps 15 June 1944 – 6 July 1944 Succeeded byGeneral der Infanterie Gerhard Matzky Preceded byGeneral der Infanterie Johannes Frießner Commander of Armee-Abteilung Narwa renamed Armee-Abteilung Grasser 3 July 1944 - 20 October 1944 Succeeded byGeneralleutnant Philipp Kleffel Preceded byGeneralleutnant August Schmidt Commander of LXXII. Armeekorps 22 January 1945 – April 1945 Succeeded byGeneralleutnant Werner Schmidt-Hammer Preceded bynone Inspector of the Bundesgrenzschutz 18 May 1951 – 30 June 1953 Succeeded byBrigadegeneral Kurt Andersen
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