Kleo Pleyer

Kleo Pleyer (19 November 1898 – 26 March 1942) was a Nazi politician and academic (historian and sociologist, professor at the Königsberg Albertina University and Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen).

He was married to Luithgard Pleyer with 7 children.

1939 he became a volunteer soldier for the Wehrmacht. He was awarded iron cross first class and second class. He was killed in action as Oberleutnant and company commander at the Demyansk Pocket.

During his holidays 1941/42 he wrote "Volk im Feld" (1943), or "Nation at War. The book discussed the Nazi campaigns in France and Russia. Pleyer not only justified the brutal treatment of prisoners of war, but called for "Ausrottung des Judentums" (extermination of Jewry). During the war the book was printed in a high number of copies. The book was published posthumously as Pleyer was killed fighting on the Eastern front in 1942. Pleyer was also the creator of Kampflied der Nationalsozialisten (Nazi Combat Song), the battle song of the Nazi Party, and the Leader of Bündischen Front (BF).

In Königsberg Pleyer was awarded postum the Kant-Prize.