Franz Kutschera



Franz Kutschera (22 February 1904 in Oberwaltersdorf in Lower Austria – 1 February 1944 in Warsaw, Poland) was an SS General and Gauleiter of Carinthia. As SS and Police Leader of the Poland's Warsaw district, he was sentenced to death by Armia Krajowa ((AK) Polish Home Army) in agreement with the Polish government in exile and assassinated.

Life and career
Kutschera was a shipboy in 1918 in the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Afterwards, he became a gardener. In the 1920s, he lived in Czechoslovakia. He joined the NSDAP in late 1930 and the SS in late 1931.

From 1935 until March 1938 Kutschera was leader of the 90th SS Standard Carinthia, which became known after his death as Franz Kutschera. During Anschluss with Nazi Germany, he was for a short time (February to May 1938) managing Gauleiter of Carinthia, and thereafter first acting Gauleiter, and then finally Gauleiter in 1940-1941. After Anschluss he became a member of the Reichstag, remaining such until his death. Early in 1939 he became an honorary judge at the People's Court.

Kutschera was appointed an SS-Brigadeführer in 1940 and late in 1942 a Major-General of the police. He distinguished himself in the fight against the Resistance with his fanaticism and skill. Hence, he was appointed SS and Police Leader, first from April 1943 in the Mogilev district of the Soviet Union and then as of September 1943, and until his death on 1 February 1944, the Police leader of the District of Warsaw in the occupied Poland.

Assassination by the Polish resistance
Kutschera was sentenced to death by the secret Special Court of the Polish Underground State for the crimes against Polish nation, in particular mass murders of civilians in occupied Warsaw. The death sentence was approved by the Polish government in exile and the execution order was given by the commander of KeDyw, Gen. Emil August Fieldorf “Nil”. The assassination, code named Operation Kutschera a part of Operation Heads, was carried out in front of Kutschera’s Warsaw residency and near the Warsaw SS headquarters. He was succeeded by Paul Otto Geibel.