SS-Gruppenfuhrer Leo Von Jena

SOME OF THE PRISONERS HELD AT
SPECIAL CAMP 11

NAME: SS-Gruppenführer m.d.U.d Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Leo von Jena

PW NO:        560254
RANK:          SS-Gruppenführer m.d.U.d Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS
CAPTURED: Luebeck
DATE:           2nd May 45

PERSONAL
DATE OF BIRTH:      8 July 1876
PLACE OF BIRTH:    Biebrich am Rhein
DATE OF DEATH:    7 April 1957
PLACE OF DEATH:  Celle / Niedersachsen
NATIONALITY:       German
RELIGION:                Evangelical
OCCUPATION:        Pers. Chief der Reichskriegerbundes
HEIGHT:                    5'11"
WEIGHT:                   168lbs
HAIR COLOUR:        Grey
EYE COLOUR:          Grey-Blue
NEXT OF KIN:          Frau v. Kessel, Hanni, Luebeck (British Zone)

Parents: Son of Major Eduard von Jena, Commander of the Unteroffizier [Non-Commissioned Officer] School in Biebrich am Rhein and his wife, the former Freiin von Dalwig.
Wife: Married on 21 October 1914 to Josefine Schumacher (born 14 January 1877 in Mainz; died on 24 April 1930). No children indicated in his SS service record.

NSDAP-NUMBER: 4,359,167 (Joined 1 May 1937)
SS-NUMBER: 277,326 (Joined 9 November 1936)

Promotions:

Fahnenjunker: May 1896
Sekondeleutnant: November 1897 (renamed Leutnant on 1 January 1899)
Oberleutnant: Unknown
Hauptmann: October 1913
Major: Autumn 1919
SS-Mann: 9 November 1936
SS-Sturmbannführer: 9 November 1936
SS-Obersturmbannführer: 30 January 1937
SS-Standartenführer: 20 April 1937
SS-Oberführer: 9 November 1937
SS-Brigadeführer m.d.U.d. Generalmajor der Waffen-SS: 30 March 1941
SS-Gruppenführer m.d.U.d Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS: 30 January 1944

Commands & Assignments (included):

May 1896: Entered Army service as a Fahnenjunker in Lieb-Grenadier-Regiment König Friedrich Wilhelm III (1. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 8, Frankfurt am Oder.
1897: Detached to the War School Danzig.
May 1902-April 1903: Assigned to Holsteinisches Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr. 24, Güstrow/Neustrelitz.
1911: District Adjutant in Frankfurt am Oder.
9 November 1936: Joined the SS and assigned to the Staff of the SS-Main Office.
1 May 1937: Joined the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP).
1937: Attached to the staff of the Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler.
1 December 1940: Delegated with the leadership of SS-Totenkopf-Standarte [Death’s Head Regiment] 8.
30 January 1944-(9 November 1944): On the staff of Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler.
2nd May 1945 - October 1947 British Prisoner of war.
- 9th January 1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from Camp 1
- 13th March 1946 transferred to Camp 99 from Island Farm Special Camp 11
- 18th September 1946 transferred to Camp 99 from Island Farm Special Camp 11
- 10th October 1947 transferred from Camp 99 to Hamburg via Southampton on board the ship "El Nil"

Decorations & Awards:

Prussian Royal Hohenzollern House Order, Knight’s Cross with Swords
Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914)
Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914)
War Merit Cross, 1st Class with Swords: 1941
War Merit Cross, 2nd Class with Swords: 1940
Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross, 1st Class
Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross, 2nd Class
Prussian Officers’ Long Service Cross
Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918
Totenkopf [Death’s Head] Ring of the SS
Honor Sword of the Reichsführer-SS

Contrary to the popular belief that SS officers remained fanatically loyal to their superiors, many Waffen-SS generals exhibited a strong sense of independence and self-reliance. They were not above disobeying orders from the Army or even the wishes of Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler. In November 1942, SS-Brigadeführer Maximillian von Herff, Head of the SS Personnel Main Office, was moved to comment:

There is a circle centered around Jüttner which must be watched, since it could become dangerous one day. This is the Petri - von Jena - Hansen circle. Neither their thoughts nor their desires are those of the SS. They simply wish to be an imperial guard; anything else is a side issue in their eyes.