Editing Ernst Kaltenbrunner (section)

== SS career ==
On 18 October 1930, Kaltenbrunner joined the Nazi Party as member number 300,179.{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=393}}{{efn|Kaltenbrunner later told his children that he left the ''Heimwehr'' because its leaders were "incompetent and politically fickle" and because it "had changed from a nonpartisan, anti-Marxist movement to the political line of the Christian Socials."{{sfn|Black|1984|p=61}} An additionally important factor in Kaltenbrunner joining the Nazis identified by historian Peter Black, was nothing less than the "Nazis’ commitment to ''[[Anschluss]]''", since the idealistic Austrian viewed the union between Germany and Austria as one that heralded a glorious future.{{sfn|Black|1984|p=63}}  }} In 1931, he was the ''Bezirksredner'' (district speaker) for the Nazi Party in [[Upper Austria]]. Kaltenbrunner joined the ''[[Schutzstaffel]]'' (SS) on 31 August 1931 after encouragement by then leader of Hitler's bodyguard, SS-''Standartenführer'' [[Sepp Dietrich]];{{sfn|Black|1984|p=64}} his SS number being 13,039.{{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=393, 394}} Black writes that "Kaltenbrunner found in the Nazi movement and the SS what he politically desired and emotionally needed: a world where the ideal of the racial community was prized, where the theory of racial struggle was accepted as an obvious fact, where all doubts about the meaning of existence were swept away."{{sfn|Black|1984|p=64}}

Kaltenbrunner first became a ''Rechtsberater'' (legal consultant) for the Nazi Party in 1929 and later held this same position for [[Allgemeine-SS Order of Battle|SS Abschnitt (Section) VIII]], beginning in 1932.{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=394}} That same year he began working at the law practice of his father, who had taken ill.{{sfn|Black|1984|p=64}} In October 1932, [[Ernst Röhm]] appointed Kaltenbrunner as an ''SA- und SS-Gruppenrechtsberater'', making it his job to provide free legal counsel for members of either unit should they be arrested for "performing their duty".{{sfn|Black|1984|p=71}} By 1933, Kaltenbrunner had become head of the National-Socialist Lawyers' League in [[Linz]].{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=394}}

In January 1934, Kaltenbrunner was briefly jailed at the Kaisersteinbruch detention camp with other Nazis for conspiracy by the [[Engelbert Dollfuss]] government.{{sfn|Black|1984|pp=73–74}} While there, he led a hunger strike against the inadequate food rations, poor sanitary conditions, and unfair treatment by the ''Heimwehr'' guards at the camp, which forced the government to release 490 of the party members.{{sfn|Black|1984|pp=74–75}} In 1935, he was jailed again on suspicion of [[high treason]]; more specifically, Kaltenbrunner was accused of spreading Nazi propaganda materials to the army.{{sfn|Black|1984|p=79}} This charge was dropped, but he was sentenced to six months imprisonment for [[conspiracy (crime)|conspiracy]] and he lost his license to practice law.{{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=394, 395}} Although many of the accused and arrested Austrian Nazis emigrated to Germany, Kaltenbrunner remained in Austria—a fact he shared with an acquaintance in 1935—at Himmler's insistence, who saw in the Austrian a useful associate for strengthening the SS there.{{sfn|Black|1984|pp=79–80}}    

From mid-1935 Kaltenbrunner was head of the illegal SS Abschnitt VIII in Linz and was considered a leader of the [[Austrian SS]]. To provide [[Heinrich Himmler]], [[Reinhard Heydrich]] and [[Heinz Jost]] with new information, Kaltenbrunner repeatedly made trips to [[Bavaria]].{{sfn|Black|1984|p=82}} He would hide on a train and on a ship that traveled to [[Passau]], then return with money and orders for Austrian comrades.{{sfn|Rosmus|2015|p=52}} During his trips between the two countries, he frequently carried detailed reports gathered by the Nazi underground in Austria, including photos Kaltenbrunner had taken in autumn 1936 of confidential documents that detailed Austria's foreign policy.{{sfn|Black|1984|p=83}} During January 1937, Himmler appointed Kaltenbrunner chief of the entire Austrian SS.{{sfn|Black|1984|pp=84–85}} Kaltenbrunner was arrested again by Austrian authorities on charges of heading the illegal Nazi Party organization (the Nazi Relief Office) in [[Upper Austria|Oberösterreich]].{{sfn|Black|1984|p=91}} He was released in September.{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=395}}

Acting on orders from [[Hermann Göring]], Kaltenbrunner assisted in bringing about the ''[[Anschluss]]'' with Germany (13 March 1938); he was awarded the role of State Secretary for Public Security in the [[Seyss-Inquart government|Seyss-Inquart cabinet]] of 11 to 13 March 1938.{{sfn|Zentner|Bedürftig|1991|p=487}} Controlled from behind the scenes by Himmler, Kaltenbrunner still led, albeit clandestinely, the Austrian SS as part of his duty to  [[Gleichschaltung|"coordinate"]] and manage the Austrian population – this entailed the [[Gleichschaltung|Nazification]] of all aspects of Austrian society.{{sfn|Read|2005|pp=461}} Then on 21 March 1938, he was promoted to SS-''[[Brigadeführer]]''.{{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=393, 395}} He was a member of the German  [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|''Reichstag'']] from 10 April 1938 until 8 May 1945.{{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=393, 395}} Amid this activity, he helped establish the [[Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp]] near Linz.{{sfn|Stackelberg|2007|p=215}} Mauthausen was the first [[Nazi concentration camp]] opened in Austria following the ''Anschluss''.{{sfn|Weale|2012|p=107}} On 11 September 1938, Kaltenbrunner was promoted to the rank of SS-''[[Gruppenführer]]'' (equivalent to a [[lieutenant general]] in the German Army) while holding the position of leader of ''[[SS-Oberabschnitt]] Österreich'' (re-designated [[SS-Oberabschnitt Donau]] in November 1938). Also in 1938, he was appointed [[Higher SS and Police Leader]] (''Höherer SS- und Polizeiführer''; HSSPF) for ''Oberabschnitt Donau'', which was the primary SS command in Austria (he held that post until 30 January 1943).{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=395}}[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 121-0492, Wien, Einweihung, Polizeikrankenhaus.jpg|thumb|left|Kaltenbrunner with ''[[Ordnungspolizei]]'' officials in Vienna in 1940 following the 1938 ''[[Anschluss]]'']]

=== World War II ===
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-45534-0005, Kz Mauthausen, Besuch Heinrich Himmler, Franz Ziereis.jpg|thumb|Kaltenbrunner, [[Heinrich Himmler]] and [[August Eigruber]] (in black) inspect [[Mauthausen concentration camp]] in 1941, in the company of camp commander [[Franz Ziereis]] (center left)]]
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 192-029, KZ Mauthausen, Himmler, Kaltenbrunner, Ziereis.jpg|thumb|Kaltenbrunner with Himmler and Ziereis at Mauthausen in April 1941]]

In June 1940, Kaltenbrunner was appointed Vienna's chief of police and held that additional post for a year. In July 1940, he was commissioned as an SS-''[[Untersturmführer]]'' into the [[Waffen-SS]] Reserve.{{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=393, 396}} Alongside his many official duties, Kaltenbrunner also developed an  [[Intelligence gathering network|intelligence network]] across Austria, moving southeastwards, which eventually brought him to Himmler's attention for appointment as chief of the [[Reich Security Main Office]] (RSHA) in January 1943.{{sfn|Wistrich|1995|p=135}} The RSHA was composed of the SiPo (''[[Sicherheitspolizei]]''; the combined forces of the [[Gestapo]] and [[Kriminalpolizei (Nazi Germany)|Kripo]]) along with the SD (''[[Sicherheitsdienst]]'', Security Service).{{sfn|Longerich|2012|pp=470, 661}} Kaltenbrunner replaced Heydrich, who had been [[Operation Anthropoid|assassinated]] in June 1942. Kaltenbrunner held this position until the end of [[World War II]].{{sfn|Longerich|2012|p=661}} Hardly anyone knew Kaltenbrunner, and upon his appointment, Himmler transferred responsibility both for SS personnel and for economics from the RSHA to the [[SS Main Economic and Administrative Office]].{{sfn|Höhne|2001|p=553}} Nonetheless, Kaltenbrunner was promoted to SS-''[[Obergruppenführer]] und General der Polizei'' on 21 June 1943. He also replaced Heydrich as president (serving from 1943 to 1945) of the International Criminal Police Commission (ICPC), the organization today known as [[Interpol]].{{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=393, 396}}

Fearing a collapsing  [[Home front during World War II|home-front]] due to the  [[Allies of World War II|Allied]]  [[Allied bombing of Germany|bombing campaigns]], and worried that another "stab-in-the-back" at home could arise as a result, Kaltenbrunner immediately tightened the Nazi grip within Germany.{{sfn|Gerwarth|2012|p=289}} From what historian Anthony Read relates, Kaltenbrunner's appointment as RSHA chief came as a surprise given the other possible candidates like the head of the Gestapo, [[Heinrich Müller (Gestapo)|Heinrich Müller]], or even the SD foreign-intelligence chief, [[Walter Schellenberg]].{{sfn|Read|2005|p=798}} Historian Richard Grunberger also added the name of [[Wilhelm Stuckart]], the future minister of the German Interior, as another potential candidate for head of the RSHA; however, he suggests that Kaltenbrunner was most likely selected since he was a comparative "newcomer", expected to be more "pliable" in Himmler's hands.{{sfn|Grunberger|1993|p=98}}

Like many of the ideological fanatics in the regime, Kaltenbrunner was a committed antisemite. According to former SS-''[[Sturmbannführer]]'' Hans Georg Mayer, Kaltenbrunner was present at a December 1940 meeting among [[Adolf Hitler]], [[Joseph Goebbels]], Himmler and Heydrich where it was decided to gas all Jews incapable of heavy physical work.{{sfn|Breitman|1994|pp=81–82}} Under Kaltenbrunner's command, the genocide of Jews picked up pace as "the process of extermination was to be expedited and the concentration of the Jews in the Reich itself and the occupied countries were to be liquidated as soon as possible."{{sfn|Yahil|1990|p=406}} Kaltenbrunner stayed constantly informed over the status of concentration-camp activities, receiving periodic reports at his office in the RSHA.{{sfn|Kahn|1978|p=270}}

To [[Persecution of homosexuals in Nazi Germany|combat homosexuality across the greater Reich]], Kaltenbrunner pushed the [[Ministry of justice]] in July 1943 for an edict mandating [[Chemical castration|compulsory castration]] for anyone found guilty of this offence. While this was rejected, he still took steps to get [[German Army (1935–1945)|the army]] to review some 6,000 cases to prosecute [[Homosexuality|homosexuals]].{{sfn|Evans|2010|p=536}}

During the summer of 1943, Kaltenbrunner conducted his second inspection of the [[Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp]]. While he was there, 15 prisoners were selected to demonstrate for Kaltenbrunner three methods of killing: by a gunshot to the neck, hanging, and gassing. After the killings were performed, Kaltenbrunner inspected the crematorium and later the quarry.{{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=396–398}} In October 1943, he told [[Herbert Kappler]], the head of German police and security services in [[Rome]], that the "eradication of the [[History of the Jews in Italy|Jews in Italy]]" was of "special interest" for "general security".{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=398}} Four days later, Kappler's SS and police units began [[Raid of the Ghetto of Rome|rounding up and deporting Jews]] by train to [[Auschwitz concentration camp]].{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=398}}

In 1944, during an arranged meeting in  [[Schloss Klessheim|Klessheim Castle]] near Salzburg, when Hitler was in the process of strong-arming Admiral [[Miklós Horthy|Horthy]] into a closer integration between [[Hungary]] and Nazi Germany, Kaltenbrunner was present for the negotiations and escorted Horthy out once they were over. Accompanying Horthy and Kaltenbrunner on the journey back to Hungary, [[Adolf Eichmann]] brought with him a special ''[[Einsatzkommando]]'' unit to begin the process of [[The Holocaust in Hungary|rounding up and deporting Hungary's 750,000 Jews]].{{sfn|Read|2005|p=825}}

It was said that even Himmler feared him, as Kaltenbrunner was an intimidating figure with 1.94m (6'4½") in height, facial scars, and volatile temper.{{sfn|International Military Tribunal|1947|p=798}}{{sfn|Doerries|2003|p=35}} Kaltenbrunner was also a longtime friend of [[Otto Skorzeny]] and recommended him for many secret missions, allowing Skorzeny to become one of Hitler's favourite agents. Kaltenbrunner also allegedly headed [[Operation Long Jump]], an alleged plan to assassinate  [[Joseph Stalin|Stalin]],  [[Winston Churchill|Churchill]], and  [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Roosevelt]] in [[Tehran Conference|Tehran]] in 1943.{{sfn|West|2013|pp=140–141}}{{Efn|This mission was thwarted by Soviet intelligence agent [[Gevork Vartanian]]. See the following article:{{cite web|url= https://armenpress.am/eng/news/674765|title=Armenian intelligence agent, a hero of the Soviet Union Gevorg Vardanian passed away|date=10 January 2012 }} }}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 151-17-03, Volksgerichtshof, Dr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner.jpg|thumb|left|Kaltenbrunner (front row, second from left) as a spectator at a [[People's Court (Germany)|People's Court]] show trial following the failed [[20 July plot]] in 1944]]
Immediately in the wake of the [[Operation Valkyrie|20 July Plot]] on Hitler's life in 1944, Kaltenbrunner was summoned to Hitler's wartime headquarters at the ''Wolfsschanze'' ([[Wolf's Lair]]) in [[East Prussia]] to begin the investigation into who had planned the assassination attempt.{{sfn|Read|2005|p=833}} Once it was revealed that an attempted military coup against Hitler had been launched, Himmler and Kaltenbrunner had to tread carefully, as the military was not under the jurisdiction of the Gestapo or the SD. When the attempt failed, the conspirators were soon identified.{{sfn|Read|2005|pp=833–837}} Kaltenbrunner called for the execution of those implicated in the plot.{{sfn|Bartrop|Grimm|2019|pp=163—165}} An estimated 5,000 people were eventually executed, with many more sent to concentration camps.{{sfn|Graber|1978|p=180}}{{efn|Noted Hitler biographer, Sir Ian Kershaw, puts the figure of executed persons at exactly 4,980.{{sfn|Kershaw|2000|p= 693}} }}

Historian [[Heinz Höhne]] counted Kaltenbrunner among the fanatical Hitler loyalists and described him as being committed "to the bitter end".{{sfn|Höhne|2001|p=511}} Field reports from the SD in October 1944 about deteriorating morale in the military prompted Kaltenbrunner to urge the involvement of the RSHA in military court-martial proceedings, but this was rejected by Himmler, who thought it unwise to interfere in ''[[Wehrmacht]]'' (military) affairs.{{sfn|Höhne|2001|pp=542–543}} In December 1944, Kaltenbrunner was granted the additional rank of [[Ranks and insignia of the Waffen-SS|General of the Waffen-SS]]. On 15 November 1944, he was awarded the  [[War Merit Cross|Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross with Swords]]. In addition, he was awarded the Nazi Party [[Golden Party Badge]] and the ''Blutorden'' ([[Blood Order]]).{{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=393, 406, 407}} Using his authority as Chief of the RSHA, Kaltenbrunner issued a decree on 6 February 1945 that allowed policemen to shoot people at their own discretion deemed "disloyal", without any form of judicial review.{{sfn|Overy|2010|p=388}}

On 12 March 1945, a meeting took place in [[Vorarlberg]] between Kaltenbrunner and [[Carl Jacob Burckhardt]], president of the [[International Committee of the Red Cross]] (1945–48).{{sfn|Moorehead|1999|pp=458–460}} Just over a month later, Himmler was informed that SS-''[[Obergruppenführer]]'' (general) [[Karl Wolff]] had been negotiating with the Allies for the capitulation of Italy.{{sfn|Höhne|2001|p=572}} When questioned by Himmler, Wolff explained that he was operating under Hitler's orders and attempting to play separate Allies against one another. Himmler believed him,{{sfn|Höhne|2001|p=573}} but Kaltenbrunner did not, and told Himmler that an informant claimed that Wolff had also negotiated with Cardinal [[Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster|Schuster]] of [[Milan]] and was about to surrender occupied Italy to the Allies.{{sfn|Höhne|2001|pp=573–574}} Himmler angrily repeated the allegations; Wolff, feigning offence, challenged Himmler to present these statements to Hitler. Unnerved by Wolff's demands, Himmler backed down, and Hitler sent Wolff back to Italy to continue his purported disruption of the Allies.{{efn|According to a U.S. Army official publication written by Ernest J. Fisher, Jr, "... Wolff had finally gone to Berlin for a face-to-face confrontation with Hitler and the Reichsfuehrer SS. Two days later Wolff, proving an exception to the rule that those summoned peremptorily to the Fuehrer's headquarters rarely came back, returned to Italy with assurances that nothing had been compromised." Through intermediaries, Wolff explained to Dulles that he had convinced Hitler that his discussions with the Allied leaders "had been only a ploy to gain time and divide the Allied coalition. Satisfied, the Fuehrer ordered him back to his post with no restrictions other than to forbid travel to Switzerland."{{sfn|Fisher|1993|p=517}} German journalist Heinz Höhne characterizes this acceptance of Wolff's gambit as a charge for him to "seek better terms with the U.S. forces",{{sfn|Höhne|2001|p=574}} but this may have been nothing more than another expression for stalling the Allies accordingly, given Hitler's later refusal to surrender under any circumstances and his vitriol against his closest confidants for having independently attempted to negotiate with the Allies.{{sfn|Evans|2010|p=724}} }}

On 18 April 1945, three weeks before the war ended, Himmler named Kaltenbrunner commander-in-chief of the remaining German forces in southern Europe.{{sfn|Bartrop|Grimm|2022|p=138}} Kaltenbrunner attempted to organize [[Stay-behind|cells for post-war sabotage]] in the region and Germany but accomplished little.{{sfn|CIA–Kent School, ''The Last Days of Ernst Kaltenbrunner''}} Hitler made one of his last appearances on 20 April 1945 outside the subterranean {{lang|de|[[Führerbunker]]}} in Berlin, where he pinned medals on boys from the [[Hitler Youth]] for their bravery.{{Efn|See: {{cite web|url=https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/Hitler-Last-Known-Film-Footage|title=Hitler – Last Known Film Footage|website=AwesomeStories.com}} }} Kaltenbrunner was among those present, but realizing the end was near, he then fled from [[Berlin]].{{sfn|Read|2005|pp= 891–892}}

=== Arrest ===
On 12 May 1945 Kaltenbrunner was apprehended along with his adjutant, Arthur Scheidler, and two SS guards in a remote cabin at the top of the [[Totes Gebirge]] mountains near [[Altaussee]], Austria, by a search party initiated by the [[80th Division (United States)|80th Infantry Division, Third U.S. Army]]. Information had been gained from Johann Brandauer, the assistant [[burgermeister]] of Altaussee, that the party was hiding out with false papers in the cabin. This was supported by an eyewitness sighting by the Altaussee mountain ranger five days earlier. Special Agent Robert E. Matteson from the U.S. Army's [[Counterintelligence Corps]] Detachment organized and led a patrol consisting of Brandauer, four ex-''Wehrmacht'' soldiers, and a squad of U.S. soldiers to effect the arrest. The party climbed over mountainous and glacial terrain for six hours in darkness before arriving at the cabin.{{sfn|CIA–Kent School, ''The Last Days of Ernst Kaltenbrunner''}} After a short standoff, all four men exited the cabin and surrendered without a shot fired. Kaltenbrunner claimed to be a doctor and offered a false name. However, upon their arrival back to town his last mistress, Countess Gisela von Westarp, and the wife (Iris) of his adjutant Arthur Scheidler chanced to spot the men being led away; the ladies called out to both men and embraced them. This action resulted in their identification and arrest by U.S. troops.{{sfn|CIA–Kent School, ''The Last Days of Ernst Kaltenbrunner''}}

In 2001, Ernst Kaltenbrunner's personal Nazi security seal was found in an [[Alpine lake]] in [[Styria]], Austria, 56 years after he had thrown it away to hide his identity. The seal was recovered by a Dutch citizen on holiday. The seal has the words ''"Chef der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD"'' (Chief of the Security Police and SD) engraved on it. Experts have examined the seal and believe it was discarded in the final days of the European war in May 1945.{{sfn|Leidig|2001}}

=== Nuremberg trials ===
[[File:War criminal, SS Lieutenant General Ernst Kaltenbrunner (2).jpg|thumb|Kaltenbrunner testifying as a witness on his own behalf at the International Military Tribunal.]]

At the [[Nuremberg trials]], Kaltenbrunner was charged with conspiracy to commit [[crimes against peace]], [[war crime]]s and [[crimes against humanity]].{{sfn|Snyder|1976|p=190}} Due to the areas over which he exercised responsibility as an SS general and as chief of the RSHA, he was acquitted of crimes against peace, but held responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.{{sfn|Marrus|1997|pp=64–70}}
[[File:Ernst Kaltenbrunner.jpg|right|thumb|Kaltenbrunner wheeled into court during the Nuremberg trials after a brain hemorrhage during interrogation.]]

During the initial stages of the Nuremberg trials, Kaltenbrunner was absent because of two episodes of [[subarachnoid hemorrhage]], which required several weeks of recovery time.{{sfn|Conot|2000|pp=95–96}}  He was examined by Chief Medical Officer [[Rene Juchli|Lt. Col. Rene Juchli]] who reported that Kaltenbrunner was suffering from gallstones.{{sfn|''Los Angeles Times'', October 1945}}  After his health improved, the tribunal denied his request for pardon. When he was released from a military hospital he pleaded not guilty to the charges of the indictment against him. Kaltenbrunner said all decrees and legal documents that bore his signature were "[[Rubber stamp (politics)|rubber-stamped]]" and filed by his adjutant(s). He also said Gestapo Chief [[Heinrich Müller (Gestapo)|Heinrich Müller]] had illegally affixed his signature to numerous documents in question.{{sfn|Conot|2000|pp=367–368}}

Kaltenbrunner argued in his defence that his position as RSHA chief existed only theoretically and said he was only active in matters of espionage and intelligence. He maintained that Himmler, as his superior, was the person culpable for the atrocities committed during his tenure as chief of the RSHA. Kaltenbrunner also asserted that he had no knowledge of the [[Final Solution]] before 1943 and went on to claim that he protested against the ill-treatment of the Jews to Himmler and Hitler.{{sfn|Marrus|1997|p=214}} Further denials from Kaltenbrunner included statements that he knew nothing of the [[Commissar Order]] and that he never visited [[Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp|Mauthausen concentration camp]], despite documentation of his visit.{{sfn|Conot|2000|pp=364–365}} At one point, Kaltenbrunner went so far as to avow that ''he'' was responsible for bringing the [[Final Solution]] to an end.{{sfn|Conot|2000|p=370}} In response to his denials, people in the courtroom laughed.{{sfn|''JTA Daily'', 1946}}

==== Conviction and execution ====
On 30 September 1946, the [[International Military Tribunal]] (IMT) found Kaltenbrunner not guilty of crimes against peace, but guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity (counts three and four). On 1 October 1946, the IMT sentenced him to death by hanging.{{sfn|Marrus|1997|p=237}}
[[File:Dead ernstkaltenbrunner.jpg|thumb|Kaltenbrunner's body after execution by hanging on 16 October 1946]]
Kaltenbrunner was [[Nuremberg executions|executed]] on 16 October 1946, around 1:15&nbsp;am, in Nuremberg. His body, like those of the other nine executed men and that of [[Hermann Göring]] (who committed suicide the previous day), was cremated at the [[Ostfriedhof (Munich)|Eastern Cemetery]] in [[Munich]] and the ashes were scattered in a tributary of the River [[Isar]].{{sfn|Manvell|Fraenkel|2011|p=393}}{{sfn|Darnstädt|2005}}

=== Dates of rank ===
<!---[[File:ErnstKaltenbrunner1944.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Kaltenbrunner, pictured here in 1944, his ''Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross with Swords'' around his neck.]]--->
* [[Mann (paramilitary rank)|SS-''Mann'']] – 31 August 1931{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=393}}
* SS-''[[Truppführer]]'' – 1931{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=393}}
* SS-''[[Sturmhauptführer]]'' – 25 September 1932{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=393}}
* SS-''[[Standartenführer]]'' – 20 April 1936{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=393}}
* SS-''[[Oberführer]]'' – 20 April 1937{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=393}}
* SS-''[[Brigadeführer]]'' – 21 March 1938{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=393}}
* SS-''[[Gruppenführer]]'' – 11 September 1938{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=393}}
* SS-''[[Untersturmführer]] der Reserve der Waffen-SS'' – 1 July 1940{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=393}}
* ''[[Generalleutnant]] der Polizei'' – 1 April 1941{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=393}}
* SS-''[[Obergruppenführer]] und [[General (Germany)|General]] der Polizei'' – 21 June 1943{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=393}}
* ''General der [[Waffen-SS]] und Polizei'' – 1 December 1944{{sfn|Miller|2015|p=393}}

;Awards and decorations
* [[Honour Chevron for the Old Guard]] (1934){{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=406, 407}}
* [[SS Honour Ring]] (1938){{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=406, 407}}
* [[Sword of honour of the Reichsführer-SS]] (1938){{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=406, 407}}
* [[Anschluss Medal]] (1938){{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=406, 407}}
* [[Sudetenland Medal]] (1938) with Prague Castle Bar (1939){{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=406, 407}}
* [[Golden Party Badge]] (1939){{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=406, 407}}
* [[SS Long Service Award]] For 4, 8, and 12 Years Service{{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=406, 407}}
* [[Nazi Party Long Service Award]] in Bronze and Silver{{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=406, 407}}
* [[Blood Order]] (31 May 1942){{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=406, 407}}
* [[German Cross]] in Silver (1943){{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=406, 407}}
* [[Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross]] with Swords (1944){{sfn|Miller|2015|pp=406, 407}}