Fritz Schlessmann, born Georg Friedrich Schlessmann was a Nazi Deputy Gauleiter of Gau Essen and served as Acting Gauleiter for most of the Second World War.
17 Facts About Fritz Schlessmann
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Fritz Schlessmann left school in 1914 without attaining his diploma and worked as an apprentice locksmith in the Krupp factory until May 1916.
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Fritz Schlessmann then volunteered for service with the Imperial German Navy in the First World War.
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Fritz Schlessmann was stationed first in Kiel, then in Wilhelmshaven with the U-boat fleet and assigned to U-100 until discharged after the end of the war in November 1918.
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Fritz Schlessmann returned to work as a locksmith in Heidelberg and Wertheim am Main.
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On 17 December 1922, Fritz Schlessmann became a member of the Nazi Party co-founding the Ortsgruppe in Essen and becoming the Deputy Ortsgruppenleiter.
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Fritz Schlessmann resumed his duties as Deputy Ortsgruppenleiter and SA leader in Essen, reaching the rank of SA-Standartenfuhrer in 1927.
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In May 1930 Fritz Schlessmann left the SA and joined the SS.
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From April 1932 to October 1933 Fritz Schlessmann sat as a member of the Landtag of Prussia.
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Fritz Schlessmann was named acting Polizeiprasident in Bochum on 27 October 1933; his appointment was made permanent on 1 April 1934.
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On 9 November 1939, Fritz Schlessmann was again appointed to the position of Deputy Gauleiter in Essen under Terboven.
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At his own request, Fritz Schlessmann was relieved of his police post on 31 December 1939 in order to devote himself full-time to his work as a Party official.
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Fritz Schlessmann then became Acting Gauleiter, charged with administering the Gau in Terboven's absence.
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On 30 January 1942, Fritz Schlessmann was promoted to SS-Gruppenfuhrer and assigned to the staff of Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler.
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Fritz Schlessmann was promoted to the rank of SS-Obergruppenfuhrer on 9 November 1944.
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Fritz Schlessmann underwent denazification in Dusseldorf and was categorized as Category III.
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Fritz Schlessmann then worked as a salesman and gas station proprietor in Dortmund.