Christian Peder Kryssing

Christian Peder Kryssing (July 7, 1891 – July 7, 1976), commonly known as C.P. Kryssing, was a Danish artillery officer and an ardent anti-communist but not a member of the Danish Nazi party, DNSAP.

Kryssing became the first commander of the Frikorps Danmark June 29, 1941 but was discharged as commander on February 23, 1942 because of disagreements between him and more Nazi minded officers in the Frikorps Danmark. His replacement was a more pro-Nazi Dane, Christian Frederik von Schalburg.

Kryssing was then transferred to other German units, first 3rd SS Division Totenkopf and later 5th SS Division Wiking. In February 1944 he became commander of SS-Kampfgruppe Küste but resigned in June the same year because of personal issues. His wife had been injured during a bomb attack, and his two sons had been killed in battle in 1942 and 1944.

Kryssing ended up being the highest ranked foreigner in Waffen-SS as a SS-Brigadeführer.

In May 1945 Kryssing surrendered to the British forces and was handed over to the Danish Police in June 1946. On October 27, 1947 he was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for his membership of Waffen-SS but was released in May 1948.