The Collector’s Encyclopaedia · Signatories · SS & Police
Kurt Daluege (1897–1946): Signature, Documents and Historical Profile
| Born | 15 September 1897, Kreuzburg (Upper Silesia) |
|---|---|
| Died | 23 October 1946, Prague (executed) |
| Key offices | Chief of the Order Police (1936–1943); Generaloberst der Polizei (1942); Deputy Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia (1942) |
| Documents bearing his name | Order Police documents, appointments and awards, Protectorate papers 1942–43 |
| In the collection | 1 piece currently available (see below) |
Kurt Daluege commanded the uniformed Order Police across the Reich and, after Heydrich’s death in 1942, took over his post in Prague. Order Police battalions under his command took part in mass shootings in occupied Europe, and in Bohemia he coordinated the destruction of Lidice and Ležáky.
Who Was Kurt Daluege?
Daluege was born in Kreuzburg in Upper Silesia in 1897. After serving as deputy chief of the German Police, he headed the Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) from June 1936 to 1943 and was promoted to Generaloberst der Polizei in 1942. After Heydrich’s death he became Deputy Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia; sources give June or July 1942 for the appointment.
What Documents Bear Daluege’s Signature?
His signature appears on Order Police documents, appointment and award papers and correspondence, and on Protectorate documents from 1942–43. See original signature or facsimile and Reinhard Heydrich.
What Should Collectors Watch For?
- Order Police documents date from 1936.
- Protectorate documents date from mid-1942.
- Police ranks must fit the date: Generaloberst from 1942.
Responsibility and Fate
Together with Karl Hermann Frank, Daluege coordinated the massacre of the inhabitants of Lidice and Ležáky in 1942. Arrested by British forces in Lübeck in May 1945, he was extradited to Czechoslovakia, sentenced to death by the Prague people’s court on 23 October 1946 and executed the same day.
Collector’s Note
Daluege documents link the regular police to the crimes of the occupation. I describe them in that context, never as simple police memorabilia.
Related Entries and Pieces
Pieces in the Collection
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Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Order Police?
The uniformed police of the Reich, which Daluege headed from 1936 to 1943.
What did Daluege do in Prague?
He succeeded Heydrich as Deputy Reich Protector in 1942 and coordinated the reprisals against Lidice and Ležáky.
What happened to Daluege?
He was sentenced to death in Prague and executed on 23 October 1946.
Historical Responsibility Notice: this entry documents historical figures and artefacts of the National Socialist period for collecting, preservation, education and research. It does not endorse or glorify any ideology, and it is written in memory of the victims of the regime.
References & Further Reading
- Sauer, B. (2022) ‘Daluege, Kurt Max Franz’, NDB-online.