Richard Schulze-Kossens

Richard Schulze was born in Spandau, Berlin. A year after graduating from gymnasium in 1934, the 20-year-old Schulze entered the Allgemeine SS and was assigned to 6.SS-Standarte in Berlin. In November 1934, he served in the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH), Adolf Hitler's bodyguard. Between 1935 and 1937 took various officer training courses at the SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz, in Jüterbog and Dachau. In 1937, Schulze was reassigned to the 3.SS-Totenkopf-Standarte Thüringen where he served as an adjutant to Theodor Eicke. He is pictured standing with Molotov, Ribbentrop, Stalin and Soviet Chief of Staff Shaposnikov at the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 23 August 1939. Later on he worked as an adjutant at the SS-Hauptamt (SS Head Office) for August Heissmeyer and the Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop.[1]

From October 1939 to August 1941, he was an SS-Ordonnanz-offizier for Adolf Hitler.[2] While serving in the role of an ordnance officer, he was also a member of the Führerbegleitkommando (FBK), which provided personal security protection for Hitler.[2] By 1944, he was promoted to the rank of SS-Obersturmbannführer (lieutenant colonel).[1] He later became the divisional commander of the 38th SS Division Nibelungen in 1945. At that time, Schulze was the commanding officer of the SS-Brigade Nibelungen and the SS cadet training school at Bad Tölz.[3]

After the Second World War, Schulze changed his name to "Richard Schulze-Kossens". He was held in an American internment camp for three years. After being released, he worked as a salesman and wrote several books.[1]

He remained in contact with a group of former adjutants, secretaries and other staffers who continued to have a favourable view of Hitler following the end of the war.[4] Schulze-Kossens died of lung cancer on 3 July 1988.[1] More than 100 former SS members attended his funeral, with many wearing the insignia of an SS veterans association, and his casket was draped with tributes from former SS units. Werner Grothmann and two former Nazi officers provided eulogies.[1]