Walter Kopp
Date of Birth: 21.03.1913 - Alsenz, Bayern (German Empire)
Date of Death: 29.10.1974 - Gauting, Bayern (West Germany)
Promotions:
00.00.1933 Fähnrich
01.07.1938 Oberleutnant
01.07.1943 Major (9)
10.03.1945 Oberstleutnant (mit RDA vom 01.02.1945)
Career:
00.00.1940 Chef 3.Kompanie / Pionier-Bataillon 5
00.00.194_ Pionier-Bataillon 369 (Croatien)
27.05.1944 Führer Jäger-Regiment 75
20.08.1944 Führer Jäger-Regiment 56
11.11.1944 Führer Grenadier-Regiment 1077
24.02.1945 Führerreserve OKH
21.03.1945 Panzer-Pionier-Ersatz-Bataillon 5
00.00.195_ Joined the postwar Bundeswehr
31.03.1971 Retired as an Oberst der Bundeswehr
Awards and Decorations:
00.00.1935 Ehrensäbel
15.07.1937 Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht IV.Klasse (4 Jahre)
01.12.1939 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
27.05.1940 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
14.06.1940 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
24.10.1940 Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen
01.08.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
15.01.1943 Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (for the wound received on 14.01.1943)
25.03.1943 Željezni trolist (Croatian Military Order of the Iron Trefoil), 3rd Class
11.05.1944 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
07.09.1944 Panzervernichtungsabzeichen in Silber
15.09.1944 Nahkampfspange in Bronze
03.10.1944 Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber (for the wound received on 22.08.1944)
07.10.1944 Ehrenblattspange des Heeres und Waffen-SS (According to the Karteikarte, awarded on 29.09.1944)
18.11.1944 Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold (for the wound received on 21.10.1944)
09.02.1945 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Major and Führer Grenadier-Regiment 1077 / 542.Volksgrenadier-Division
13.02.1945 Nahkampfspange in Silber
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After attending high school and graduating with a high school diploma, Walter Kopp began studying engineering at the University of Munich in 1932. In the same year, however, he decided to pursue a military career and joined the engineer corps or the pioneers of the Reichswehr.
During the Russian campaign, he distinguished himself as a company commander of the pioneers. Later, as a major and commander of the 5th Pioneer Battalion (5th Infantry Division), Kopp distinguished himself particularly during the heavy defensive and retreat battles in the summer of 1944. He was awarded the German Cross in Gold on May 11, 1944, was named in the German Army's Honor Sheet and was awarded the Honor Sheet Clasp on October 17, 1944. Kopp then led the Volksgrenadier Regiment 1077 (542nd Volksgrenadier Division) and was awarded the Knight's Cross on February 9, 1945.
At the end of the war, Kopp was taken prisoner by the US and released in June 1945.
After his release, he returned home and took over the management of the family business. He did this very successfully and became wealthy.
At the end of 1948, the headquarters of the CIA's "Office of Special Operations" (OSO) in the Federal Republic of Germany began the first stay-behind programs. The KIBITZ and VULTURE projects were run from the OSO headquarters in Karlsruhe to provide agents and the radio equipment they needed for this purpose. One of the agents recruited for KIBITZ was Walter Kopp (code name "KIBITZ 15"). In 1950, Kopp wrote to High Commissioner John Jay McCloy because, as a patriot and anti-communist, he no longer wanted to tolerate the communist activities in the Palatinate (KPD and the armed left wing of the SPD), nor the influence of the Soviet Union on post-war politics. The group around Kopp feared a Russian invasion and wanted to make themselves available to the US in the event of a national defense, including as partisans.
He brought his own network of agents into the program, which comprised around 60 people. Kopp, who initially received 1,000 DM in monthly expenses plus travel expenses and additional food expenses, saw himself as an independent freelance employee and partner, not as an "agent of a foreign occupying power" who stubbornly defended his men against the US attacks. This network consisted essentially of former Wehrmacht officers; the CIA leadership in Washington, which only wanted vassals and not "patriotic employees", finally dissolved the network in the spring of 1953 against the resistance of the German CIA section.
The CIA documents on Kopp were released in 2005 and show that as late as April 1953 the German CIA section was still trying to pass on Chief Agent (main agent) Kopp as an informant to another secret service or another CIA section. His commanding officer described him as "powerful, dynamic and energetic", he was a "typical German", Kopp was "nationalistic, educated, a tireless worker, a strong leader, albeit with a tendency towards daring and recklessness" ("Rashness"), which was, however, "balanced out by the prudence of his adjutant". The Americans, who neither know nor understand the German concept of honor "loyalty for loyalty", were annoyed that Kopp described his men as "good, honorable Germans" and was not prepared to distrust them or question them. Kopp and the CIA finally parted ways "extremely amicably" in May 1953.
In mid- or late 1953, Kopp was transferred to the "Blank" office, then joined the newly founded Bundeswehr. He retired as a colonel on March 31, 1971.
In the 1960s, Kopp was, among other things, the liaison officer of the military district command in Munich to the political parties. As such, in 1968 he confirmed the statement of NPD leader Adolf von Thadden
"I estimate the number of members of our party in the Bundeswehr to be around 1,500. Half are non-commissioned officers, around 250 are officers."
Walter Kopp did not think von Thadden's estimate was exaggerated to Spiegel:
"There is increasing interest in the NPD's slogans in the young officer corps."
Walter Kopp as a young Leutnant and adjutant of the Wehrmacht before the war. He is wearing a shoulder cords (Adjutantenschnur).
Oberleutnant Walter Kopp (center) with the members of Pionier-Bataillon 369 / 369.Infanterie-Division (Kroatien).
Hauptmann Walter Kopp (right) with the members of Pionier-Bataillon 369 / 369.Infanterie-Division (Kroatien).
Hauptmann Walter Kopp (left) with the members of Pionier-Bataillon 369 / 369.Infanterie-Division (Kroatien).
Beginnings of the German Bundeswehr in 1956: The first military officers are being introduced to the public by Oberstleutnant Walter Kopp (right), on a press conference which were held in Münich (Bavaria, Germany) on 26 January 1956. Kopp is a former Wehrmacht officer and also a Ritterkreuzträger.
Major Hans Endres and Oberst Walter Kopp of the Bundeswehr wearing their 1957 version medal bars. Endres received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 August 1943 as Hauptmann and Führer I.Bataillon / Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 74 / 2.Panzer-Division, while Kopp received the same medal on 9 February 1945 as Major and Führer Grenadier-Regiment 1077 / 542.Volksgrenadier-Division.
Walter Kopp awards and decorations (1957 version). This, along with other items from his grouping, were auctioned by Andreas Thies. Pictures from this grouping can be seen HERE.
Source :
Agustin Vazquez photo collection
https://www.alamy.com/the-first-military-officers-are-being-introduced-to-the-public-by-lieutenant-colonel-walter-kopp-ron-a-press-conference-in-munich-bavaria-germany-on-26-january-1956-usage-worldwide-image243758289.html?imageid=17F49B68-3757-46ED-BAE7-FF09749A05D7&p=173981&pn=1&searchId=6eb46a111f6eb74f6c4ca0344b541ce8&searchtype=0
https://www.andreas-thies.de/katalog/A81.html
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Kopp,_Walter_(1913)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Kopp
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=168068&hilit=walter+kopp
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/the-first-military-officers-are-being-introduced-to-the-news-photo/1137802917
https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/agnse/wiki-Kopp.html
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/10266/Kopp-Walter-WH-GrenRgt-1077.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20110105151154fw_/http://ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Infanterie/K/Kopp-Walter.htm
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/wehrmacht-era-militaria/-1957-medals-orders-and-decorations/646561-vets-wearing-their-57ers?p=7353270#post7353270
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