Editing Ernst Kaltenbrunner (section)

=== 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}}