SELECTED BIOGRAPHIES - K

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KAGANOVICH, LAZAR (1893-19??) Bolshevik revolutionary and Communist Party functionary who many antisemites considered the true ruler of the Soviet Union. Kaganovich's Jewish background and longevity contributed to this belief, which extended well into the 1960's. He was reportedly expelled from all high party and government positions in 1957, supposedly for opposoing the new policies instituted by Nikita Khrushchev.

KAHR, GUSTAV RITTER von (1862-1934). Bavarian prime minister, 1920-1921. Monarchist. General state commissioner, 1923-1924. Ruled pintly with General von Lossow and Colonel Seisser. President of the Bavarian Administrative Court, 1924-1930. Murdered by the SS on June 30, 1934, on the Dachau Moor.

KAI-SHEK, CHIANG See Chiang Kai-Shek.

KALTENBRUNNER, ERNST (1903-1946) Fanatical Austrian Nazi and leading police official who succeeded Reinhard Heydrich as Chief of the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) in 1943. Hanged at Nuremberg on October 15, 1946.

KAMENEV, LEV BORISOVITCH (ROSENFELD) (18??-19??) Bolshevik revolutionary and party leader closely associated with Zinoviev. After serving in the Soviet triumvirate with Stalin and Zinoviev following Lenin's death, he was expelled from the party in 1927. He was later admitted and expelled twice again. (See Zinoviev)

KAPP, KARL (1858-1922) Prussian politician who in 1917 founded the "German Fatherland Party" which was against ending the war. In 1920 launched an unsuccessful coup d'etat against te republican government.

KARSKI, JAN (Born 1914) A courier for the Polish underground who in November 1942 brought information to London reporting the deportation and mass murder of Jews. He met with Allied leaders and delivered a message from Jewish underground sources demanding help and action.

KEITEL, WILHELM (1882-1946) Commander-in-Chief of the German armed forces supreme command (OKW) from February 4, 1938, until dismissed on May 13, 1945. Promoted to the rank of field marshal-general in 1940. Said to be devoted to Hitler, he was sentenced to death at Nuremberg and executed on October 15, 1946, for signing orders (including the Commissar Order) to execute hostages.

KIRDORF, EMIL (1847-1938) Industrialist tycoon from the Ruhr who was one of the first prominant German enterpreneurs to join the Nazis. Obtained financial support for Hitler. Co- founder of the Rhenish-Westphalian Coal Syndicate and other large concerns. Kirdof was considered a ruthless exploiter and foe of the labor unions.

KERSTEN, FELIX Faith healer and masseur who frequently treated Heinrich Himmler , Joachim von Ribbentrop and other leading Nazis.

KRAFFT (?-?) Astrologer.

KRIEBEL, HERMANN (1876-1941) Military leader of the "Bavarian Fighting League" who was imprisoned for participation in the Munich Putsch. Later military advisor to Chiang Kai-shek. Consul-general in Shanghai, 1934-1939, thereafter chief of personnel in the Foreign Office.

KRUPP VON BOHLEN UND HALBACH, GUSTAV (1870-1950) German arms tycoon who took his wife's family name in 1906 at the Kaiser's request. Initially cool towards Hitler, he later evolved into a super-Nazi. Krupp was tried at Nuremberg for exploiting forced laborers, but was declared unable to stand trial because of senility and died on his estate in Bluehnbach, Austria.

KUBIZEK, AUGUST (1889-1971) Hitler's boyhood friend and roomate for a short time in Vienna. Met Hitler again in 1938, and later wrote a book about their time together in Linz and Vienna.

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Copyright © 1997 R.H. Perez de Cruet
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