Theodor Eicke

Theodor Eicke
Born	17 October 1892 (1892-10-17) Hampont (Hudingen), Elsass-Lothringen, German Empire
Died	26 February 1943 (1943-02-27) (aged 50) near Lozova, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Allegiance	German Empire  Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Bavarian Army Schutzstaffel Waffen-SS
Years of service	1909–19 (Bavaria) 1930–1943 (SS)
Rank	SS-Obergruppenführer
Service number	NSDAP #114,901 SS #2,921
Unit	SS-Totenkopfverbände Waffen-SS
Commands held	Dachau concentration camp SS Division Totenkopf
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Third Battle of Kharkov †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Theodor Eicke (17 October 1892 – 26 February 1943) was a senior SS functionary and Waffen SS divisional commander during the Nazi era. He was one of the key figures in the development of Nazi concentration camps. Eicke served as the second commandant of the Dachau concentration camp from June 1933 to July 1934, and together with his adjutant Michael Lippert, was one of the executioners of SA Chief Ernst Röhm during the Night of the Long Knives purge of 1934.^[1] He continued to expand and develop the concentration camp system as the first Concentration Camps Inspector.

In 1939, Eicke became commander of the SS Division Totenkopf of the Waffen-SS, leading the division during the Second World War on the Western and Eastern fronts. Eicke was killed on 26 February 1943, when his plane was shot down during the Third Battle of Kharkov.