Arthur Mülverstadt Artur Mülverstedt ( 30 June 1894 – 10 August 1941 ) was a " SS - Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Schutzpolizei " during World War II ; he was a Commander of the 4th SS Polizei Division , having the dubious distinction of becoming the first SS General to be killed in action . Early life . Mülverstadt was born on 30 June 1894 in Gebesee near Erfurt , Thüringia . After completing school , he became a " Fahnenjunker " in the 29 Infantry Regiment “ von Horn ” in March 1914 . World War I . The 29th Infantry Regiment “ von horn ” was a component of the 16th Infantry Division which was deployed on the Western Front . The regiment saw action at the battles of the Marne and the Somme . It was transferred to the Eastern Front briefly before returning to the Western Front to see out the war . During this time Mülverstadt was promoted to " Leutnant " on 14 March 1915 and then to " Oberleutnant " on 20 June 1918 . This rank he kept until the end of the war . He was wounded twice during the conflict . Interwar period . After the war , Mülverstedt joined the " Sicherheitspolizei " on 15 September 1919 ( later redesignated the " Schutzpolizei " ) as a " Hauptmann " , and was assigned to posts in Berlin , Eiche , and Erfurt . < br > He married Anne Klagges on 14 May 1921 ( she was born 30 October 1896 in Leer , Ostfriesland ; but was killed in an Allied air raid on Berlin on 6 March 1944 ) ; they had three children , a son - Claas and two daughters - Inge and Marie Luise . Mülverstadt joined the Nazi party on 30 July 1932 ( Membership number 1 331 860 ) . He was transferred from the " Schutzpolizei " to the " Landespolizei " in 1933 and was the Commander of the Hannover " Gruppe " until March 1935 . In March 1935 he left the " Landespolizei " and joined the " Reichsheer " as a Staff Officer with the 102nd Infantry Regiment , he then became the Commander of the 1st Btn of the 68th Infantry Regiment until 1 October 1936 . After this spell in the army Mülverstedt returned to the " Schutzpolizei " service as the Deputy to the General Inspector , Theodor Siebert . He then succeeded to the post of " Generalinspekteur der Schutzpolizei des Reiches " on 20 April 1937 . This is a post he held concurrently with his SS ranks until March 1940 . Mülverstedt joined the SS on 20 April 1938 ( SS service number 292 712 ) and was attached to the staff of the " Reichsführer " with the rank of " Oberfuhrer " . In 1938 he became the Commander of " Schutzpolizei Abschnitt III " for the annexations of Austria and the Sudetenland . World War II . Mülverstadt ' s World War II service began as the Commander of " Polizeigruppe 5 " which was attached to the 4th Army for the invasion of Poland . He then became the Commander of the Wandern Training Area from 31 March to 10 November 1940 . On 9 November 1940 he was promoted to the rank of " SS - Gruppenfuhrer " and was appointed the divisional commander of the 4th SS Polizei " Panzergrenadier " Division after Karl Pfeffer Wildenbruch had returned to the staff of the " Reichsführer " . In this period the division was transferred from Police to SS administration . Mülverstedt led the division during Operation " Barbarossa " ( the invasion of the Soviet Union ) , where it was in action in the Army Group North sector . In August 1941 the division was fighting with 269th Infantry Division against the Soviet forces to take the town of Luga . During the fighting , Mülverstadt was killed in action by artillery fire on 10 August 1941 . Awards and decorations . World War I World War II