1. Max Simon was a German SS commander and war criminal during World War II.
11 Facts About Max Simon
1. 2.
Max Simon rose through the ranks of the SS, and became a corps commander during World War II.
3.
Max Simon served in Macedonia and on the Western Front, being awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class.
4.
Max Simon's unit was later incorporated into the Reichswehr as the 16th Cavalry Regiment and Simon was promoted to Unterfeldwebel.
5.
In July 1941, Max Simon took part in the invasion of Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, as part of Army Group North, taking Kraslava and breaking through the Stalin Line, where Max Simon was wounded.
6.
In December 1942 Max Simon was promoted again to Brigadefuhrer, prior to being given command of the SS Division Reichsfuhrer-SS.
7.
The division fought against partisans behind the lines, perpetrating several major atrocities against civilians, for which Max Simon was awarded the Oakleaves for the Knight's Cross and the German Cross in Gold, in October 1944.
8.
In November 1944, Max Simon was promoted and was given command of the XIII SS Corps.
9.
Max Simon ordered the execution of Friedrich Hanselmann, Leonhard Gackstatter and Leonhard Wolfmeyer for Wehrkraftzersetzung on 10 April 1945.
10.
Max Simon had ordered that the bodies be left hanging for four days.
11.
Max Simon was tried three times by West German courts for the killings in Brettheim and other crimes, but, "to the horror of the West German public," was found not guilty.