Wilhelm Keiper

Wilhelm Keiper (3 January 1893 – 1 September 1957)[1] was a Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. Between September 1943 and November 1944 he was the German plenipotentiary general of the German occupied territory of Montenegro.

Wilhelm Keiper
Born(1893-01-03)January 3, 1893
DiedSeptember 1, 1957(1957-09-01) (aged 64)
Allegiance Nazi Germany (1933–1944)
RankGeneralmajor
Commands heldPlenipotentiary general of Montenegro
Battles/warsWorld War II

German occupied territory of Montenegro

When the German occupied territory of Montenegro was put under the military commander south-east in September 1943, Keiper was appointed as German plenipotentiary general.[2] He was in charge for military affairs, while political affairs were entrusted to Neubaucher who followed wishes of the Montenegrin governmental committee of Ljubomir Vuksanović.[2]

Feldkomandanture number 1040

Germany established a new Field Headquarters (Feldkomandanture number 1040) to govern over Montenegro (Serbian: Самостална федлкомендатуре за Црну Гору).[3] Keiper's residence was building of the former British envoy in Cetinje.[4] On the wall of his cabinet there were two copies of the paintings of Serb painter Paja Jovanović, The Second Serb Uprising and Migration of the Serbs.[5]

On 30 September 1943 Keiper published his statement in which he emphasized that Germany had no territorial pretensions over Montenegro and that German forces are in Montenegro only because of the military circumstances in order to secure Montenegrin Adriatic coast from Allied invasion.[6] Keiper invited population of Montenegro to be loyal.[7] Keiper emphasized that it is not important if Montenegro is White or Green, it is important that Montenegro would not be Red.[8]

Gendarmerie and militia

On 20 October 1943 Keiper invited all male population of Montenegro aged between 18 and 40 to join gendarmerie.[9] He recruited 1,500 men in militia and 7,500 in gendarmerie which would support German forces to struggle against Communists.[10] Keiper organized six battalions of gendarmerie in six Montenegrin counties controlled by Germans: Boka Kotorska, Bar, Cetinje, Podgorica, Danilovgrad and Nikšić.[10] Keiper established two more battalions consisting of 3,000 former Chetniks from two counties occupied by the Communist forces: Kolašin and Šavnik.[10] The commander of Gendarmerie was former artillery lieutenant Pero Marušić.[10]

On 1 November Keiper issued an announcement that people who would follow instructions of Communists or Dragoslav Mihailović would be severely punished. Keiper treated Mihailović's Chetniks as enemies, but that did not prevent him from making secret arrangements in order to collaborate with them against the Communist-led Partisans.[11]

National Administrative Council

On 9 November 1943 Germans established local government in form of National Administrative Council (Serbian: Народна Управа) led by Ljubomir Vuksanović. Pavle Đurišić began his cooperation with Keiper since June 1944.[12] On 12 November 1943 Keiper published a threat that the German occupying forces would kill 20 hostages for each German soldier killed in Montenegro and 10 for each wounded German soldier.[13]

After numerous people and priests evacuated from Cetinje, Keiper also did not stay in Cetinje.[14]

References
  1. Лесковац, Младен; Форишковић, Александар; Попов, Чедомир (2004). Српски биографски речник: И-Ка. Будућност. p. 78.
  2. Kroener, Müller & Umbreit 1990, p. 104.
  3. Crnogorska antifašistička skupština narodnog oslobođenja; Istorijski institut SR Crne Gore u Titogradu (1975). ЦАСНО--Црногорска антифашистичка скупштина народног ослобођења 1944-1945: збирка докумената. Istorijski institut SR Crne Gore. p. 46. Вилхем Кајпер командант Самосталне федлкомандатуре за Црну Гору у времену од 30. септембра 1943. године до коначног оступања Њемаца из Црне Горе децембра 1944. годиие
  4. Parežanin 1974, p. 37.
  5. Savez komunista Crne Gore. Istoriska komisja (1960). Riječ slobode, Pobjeda, Registar. p. 437.
  6. (Đurišić 1997, p. 12)
  7. Maletić 1976, p. 359.
  8. Miljanić 1970, p. 355: "„Није важно да ли ће Црна Гора бити зелена или бела, него је важно да; не буде црвена" — говорио је не- мачки опуномоћени генерал Кајпер."
  9. Redžić 2002, p. 392.
  10. Đurišić 1997, p. 12.
  11. (Živković 1984, p. 105) : " Kajper je već 1. novembra u svom proglasu nagovijestio da će biti najstrože kažnjen svako ko se bude ogriješio o njemačka naređenja, »i bude slušao komuniste ili Mihailovića. «138a Interesantno je ovdje primijetiti kako Kajper tretira četnike D. Mihailovića kao neprijatelje Rajha, ali mu to ništa ne smeta da sa njima stvara tajne aranžmane o zajedničkoj borbi protiv pripadnika NOP-a,..."
  12. Minić 1993, p. 149:"Ђуришић је већ од јуна 1944. био успоставио сарадњу са др Крамарцом, представником др Нојбахера и с немачким фелдко- мандантом на Цетињу генералом Кајпером, с којима су и други црногорски четнички команданти ..."
  13. Živković 1984, p. 105: " Proglas 12. novembra u kome prijeti da će za ubistvo svakog pripadnika njemačkog Vermahta biti strijeljano 20, a za ranjenog 10 talaca,...."
  14. Minić 1972, p. 26: "Истог дана се са њима вратио и Ратко Парежанин. После евакуације свештенства и народа са Цетиња, ни немачки генерал Кајпер више није био на Цетиње"

Sources
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