Carl Friedrich von Pückler-Burghauss

Carl Friedrich von Pückler-Burghauss (October 7, 1886 – 13 May 1945) was a German politician and a high-ranking Waffen-SS commander during World War II. He served as a member of the German parliament during the Weimar Republic.

Pückler-Burghauss began his military career as a second lieutenant in the infantry branch during World War I and won the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Classes. He left the army in 1919 as captain and served with Freikorps units until 1931 when he joined the Nazi Party and the SA and later SS.

Pückler-Burghauss was member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party and a commander in the Waffen-SS. Through year 1943 he commanded the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian) on Eastern front and later was a chief of Waffen-SS units in Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

After Nazi Germany capitulated on May 7, 1945 Pückler-Burghauss refused to surrender to the Soviet forces and, contravening the terms of Germany's capitulation, attempted to move the troops under his command into the American occupation zone, resulting in the Battle of Slivice. The American forces refused to accept his surrender; following the attack on his positions by the Soviet and American forces, he was compelled to sign a capitulation on the night of May 11/12. Shortly afterwards he committed suicide.