Max Liedtke
Encyclopedia
Max Liedtke was a German
journalist and officer. He was honoured as Righteous Among the Nations
for his resistance against the "liquidation" of the Ghetto of Przemyśl
.
Liedtke was born in Preussisch Holland, East Prussia
(today Pasłęk, Poland) to a Lutheran Vicar
. He passed his Abitur in Gumbinnen (today Gusev, Russia) and started to study Lutheran theology at the University of Königsberg
but volunteered for the Imperial Army
at the outbreak of World War I
. After the war he worked as a journalist and became the chief editor of a local newspaper in Greifswald
. He was dismissed in 1935 because of his critical attitude towards the Nazis, and was conscripted into the Wehrmacht
in 1939. He was deployed in Poland
, Belgium
and Piraeus
(Greece
).
In July 1942, he became the military commander of Przemyśl. On 26 July 1942, the SS prepared to launch their first large-scale “resettlement” action against the Jews of Przemyśl. Liedtke's adjutant, Oberleutnant
Albert Battel
, gave orders to block the bridge over the River San
, the only access into the Jewish ghetto
. As the SS attempted to cross to the other side, the Wehrmacht troops under Liedtke's command threatened to open fire unless the SS withdrew.
The same afternoon, an army detachment under the command of Battel broke into the cordoned-off area of the ghetto and evacuated up to 100 Jews and their families to the barracks of the local military command. These Jews were placed under the protection of the Wehrmacht and were thus sheltered from deportation to the Belzec extermination camp
.
Liedtke was dismissed as military commander of Przemyśl on 30 September 1942, most likely because of this incident. He was thereafter deployed to the 1st Panzer Army, which fought in the Caucasus
. Liedtke remained in service and was evacuated to Bornholm
in early 1945. After the end of World War II, he was transferred to the Soviet Union
and sentenced for alleged war crimes. Liedtke died in Soviet custody in 1955.
On 24 June 1993 Yad Vashem
officially recognized Liedtke as Righteous Among the Nations.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
journalist and officer. He was honoured as Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
for his resistance against the "liquidation" of the Ghetto of Przemyśl
Przemysl
Przemyśl is a city in south-eastern Poland with 66,756 inhabitants, as of June 2009. In 1999, it became part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship; it was previously the capital of Przemyśl Voivodeship....
.
Liedtke was born in Preussisch Holland, East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
(today Pasłęk, Poland) to a Lutheran Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
. He passed his Abitur in Gumbinnen (today Gusev, Russia) and started to study Lutheran theology at the University of Königsberg
University of Königsberg
The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina....
but volunteered for the Imperial Army
German Army (German Empire)
The German Army was the name given the combined land forces of the German Empire, also known as the National Army , Imperial Army or Imperial German Army. The term "Deutsches Heer" is also used for the modern German Army, the land component of the German Bundeswehr...
at the outbreak of 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...
. After the war he worked as a journalist and became the chief editor of a local newspaper in Greifswald
Greifswald
Greifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
. He was dismissed in 1935 because of his critical attitude towards the Nazis, and was conscripted into the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in 1939. He was deployed 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...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
(Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
).
In July 1942, he became the military commander of Przemyśl. On 26 July 1942, the SS prepared to launch their first large-scale “resettlement” action against the Jews of Przemyśl. Liedtke's adjutant, Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
Albert Battel
Albert Battel
Dr. Albert Battel was a German Wehrmacht army lieutenant and lawyer recognized for his resistance during World War II to the Nazi plans for the 1942 liquidation of the Przemyśl Jewish ghetto. He was posthumously recognized as Righteous Among the Nations in 1981.-Biography:Battel was born in...
, gave orders to block the bridge over the River San
San River
The San is a river in southeastern Poland and western Ukraine, a tributary of the Vistula River, with a length of 433 km and a basin area of 16,861 km2...
, the only access into the Jewish ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
. As the SS attempted to cross to the other side, the Wehrmacht troops under Liedtke's command threatened to open fire unless the SS withdrew.
The same afternoon, an army detachment under the command of Battel broke into the cordoned-off area of the ghetto and evacuated up to 100 Jews and their families to the barracks of the local military command. These Jews were placed under the protection of the Wehrmacht and were thus sheltered from deportation to the Belzec extermination camp
Belzec extermination camp
Belzec, Polish spelling Bełżec , was the first of the Nazi German extermination camps created for implementing Operation Reinhard during the Holocaust...
.
Liedtke was dismissed as military commander of Przemyśl on 30 September 1942, most likely because of this incident. He was thereafter deployed to the 1st Panzer Army, which fought in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
. Liedtke remained in service and was evacuated to Bornholm
Bornholm
Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea located to the east of the rest of Denmark, the south of Sweden, and the north of Poland. The main industries on the island include fishing, arts and crafts like glass making and pottery using locally worked clay, and dairy farming. Tourism is...
in early 1945. After the end of World War II, he was transferred to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and sentenced for alleged war crimes. Liedtke died in Soviet custody in 1955.
On 24 June 1993 Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
officially recognized Liedtke as Righteous Among the Nations.