Ludolf von Alvensleben
Encyclopedia
Ludolf-Hermann Emmanuel Georg Kurt Werner von Alvensleben (March 17, 1901 – March 17, 1970) was a Nazi
official in the rank of SS-Gruppenführer
and Major General
of the Police. His familiar name was "Bubi" (Little Boy).
to the lower German noble family von Alvensleben. His father was a Prussian Major General Ludolf von Alvensleben
, his mother, Antoinette von Alvensleben, née Freiin von Ricou. Alvensleben belonged to the Prussian cadet
corps since 1911, and in 1918 he joined the Hussar
regiment and fought during World War I
. Between 1923 and July 1929, he belonged to the nationalist paramilitary organization Stahlhelm
.
After the First World War, Alvensleben graduated with a degree in Agriculture
. After the death of his father in December 1912, the family's Schochwitz castle
, which had been inherited from Alvensleben's grandfather, the Prussian general Hermann von Alvensleben, became his own. He wed on May 3, 1924; the marriage produced four children. He also later fathered illegitimate children under orders from Nazi officials to procure a master race
.
in 1933; on April 5, 1934, he became commander of the 46th SS Regiment in Dresden
. Later on, Alvensleben was made first adjutant of the Reichsführer SS. His career continued with appointments to commander of the SS and police in Crimea
and commander of the Selbstschutz
(“Self-Defense”) paramilitary forces of Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia
, presiding over mass executions during Intelligenzaktion in Pomerania
in "Fordon Valley of Death
", mass murders in Piaśnica
and other atrocities.
captivity. At the end of 1945, he made an escape from the internment camp at Neuengamme
. After a short stay in Schochwitz, he fled with his family to Argentina
in early 1946. Although there is no precise data on the date of their arrival in the country, a 2000 documentary film records that on November 27, 1952, the government of Juan Domingo Perón granted Alvensleben citizenship under the name of Carlos Lücke. He lived until July 1956 in Buenos Aires
, then he moved to Santa Rosa de Calamuchita
. From November 1952, he served as inspector of fish farming.
In January 1964, the district court of Munich
put out an arrest warrant for Alvensleben for the killing of at least 4,247 people in Poland
by units of the Selbstschutz under von Alvensleben's command in the autumn of 1939. Attempts by the prosecution had no consequences for Alvensleben and he died in 1970 without having been brought to trial.
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
official in the rank of SS-Gruppenführer
Gruppenführer
Gruppenführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party, first created in 1925 as a senior rank of the SA.-SS rank:...
and Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
of the Police. His familiar name was "Bubi" (Little Boy).
Background
Alvensleben was born in HalleHalle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
to the lower German noble family von Alvensleben. His father was a Prussian Major General Ludolf von Alvensleben
Ludolf von Alvensleben (Major General)
Ludolf Arthur Herman von Alvensleben was a Prussian major general from the German noble family von Alvensleben who was born in Potsdam and died in Halle an der Saale...
, his mother, Antoinette von Alvensleben, née Freiin von Ricou. Alvensleben belonged to the Prussian cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
corps since 1911, and in 1918 he joined the Hussar
Hussar
Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
regiment and fought during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Between 1923 and July 1929, he belonged to the nationalist paramilitary organization Stahlhelm
Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten
The Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten also known in short form as Der Stahlhelm was one of the many paramilitary organizations that arose after the defeat of World War I in the Weimar Republic...
.
After the First World War, Alvensleben graduated with a degree in Agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. After the death of his father in December 1912, the family's Schochwitz castle
Schochwitz castle
The Schochwitz Castle, located in Schochwitz, Germany was built in the 12th century...
, which had been inherited from Alvensleben's grandfather, the Prussian general Hermann von Alvensleben, became his own. He wed on May 3, 1924; the marriage produced four children. He also later fathered illegitimate children under orders from Nazi officials to procure a master race
Lebensborn
Lebensborn was a Nazi programme set up by SS leader Heinrich Himmler that provided maternity homes and financial assistance to the wives of SS members and to unmarried mothers, and also ran orphanages and relocation programmes for children.Initially set up in Germany in 1935, Lebensborn expanded...
.
Nazi career
Alvensleben became a member of the ReichstagReichstag (Weimar Republic)
The Reichstag was the parliament of Weimar Republic .German constitution commentators consider only the Reichstag and now the Bundestag the German parliament. Another organ deals with legislation too: in 1867-1918 the Bundesrat, in 1919–1933 the Reichsrat and from 1949 on the Bundesrat...
in 1933; on April 5, 1934, he became commander of the 46th SS Regiment in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. Later on, Alvensleben was made first adjutant of the Reichsführer SS. His career continued with appointments to commander of the SS and police in Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
and commander of the Selbstschutz
Selbstschutz
Selbstschutz stands for two organisations:# A name used by a number of paramilitary organisations created by ethnic Germans in Central and Eastern Europe# A name for self-defence measures and units in ethnic German, Austrian, and Swiss civil defence....
(“Self-Defense”) paramilitary forces of Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia
Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia
The Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia was a Nazi German province created on 8 October 1939 from the territory of the annexed Free City of Danzig, the annexed Polish province Greater Pomeranian Voivodship , and the Nazi German Regierungsbezirk West Prussia of Gau East Prussia. Before 2 November 1939,...
, presiding over mass executions during Intelligenzaktion in Pomerania
Intelligenzaktion in Pomerania
The "Intelligenzaktion Pommern" was a Nazi action aimed at the elimination of the Polish intelligentsia in Pomeranian Voivodeship and other adjacent areas, at the beginning of World War II...
in "Fordon Valley of Death
Valley of Death (Bydgoszcz)
Valley of Death in Fordon, Bydgoszcz, northern Poland, is a site of Nazi German mass murder and a mass grave of 5,000 – 6,600 Poles and Jews murdered in October and November 1939 by the local Germans and the Gestapo...
", mass murders in Piaśnica
Mass murders in Piaśnica
The mass murders in Piaśnica were a set of mass executions carried out by Germans, during World War II, between the fall of 1939 and spring of 1940 in Piasnica Wielka in the Darzlubska Wilderness near Wejherowo. Standard estimates put the number of victims at between twelve thousand and fourteen...
and other atrocities.
Post war flight
In April 1945, Alvensleben was captured and held in BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
captivity. At the end of 1945, he made an escape from the internment camp at Neuengamme
Neuengamme
The Neuengamme concentration camp, a Nazi concentration camp, was established in 1938 by the SS near the village of Neuengamme in Bergedorf district within the City of Hamburg, Germany. It was in operation from 1938 to 1945. By the end of the war, more than half of its estimated 106,000 prisoners...
. After a short stay in Schochwitz, he fled with his family to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
in early 1946. Although there is no precise data on the date of their arrival in the country, a 2000 documentary film records that on November 27, 1952, the government of Juan Domingo Perón granted Alvensleben citizenship under the name of Carlos Lücke. He lived until July 1956 in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, then he moved to Santa Rosa de Calamuchita
Santa Rosa de Calamuchita
Santa Rosa de Calamuchita is a small village in the . It has about 10,000 inhabitants as of the . The village is located in the center of the Calamuchita Valley, in the middle of a landscape that includes hills as well as rivers and lakes; the area is a major tourist attraction...
. From November 1952, he served as inspector of fish farming.
In January 1964, the district court of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
put out an arrest warrant for Alvensleben for the killing of at least 4,247 people in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
by units of the Selbstschutz under von Alvensleben's command in the autumn of 1939. Attempts by the prosecution had no consequences for Alvensleben and he died in 1970 without having been brought to trial.