Godes, Otto

Early years. World War I

The son of a laborer . In 1903–1911 went to school in his hometown. After graduation, he worked as a brick builder, and with the money he earned managed to pay for his studies at a non-commissioned officer school in nearby Greifenberg.

With the beginning of the First World War, he volunteered for the front, where, for exceptional bravery, he soon received the Iron Cross of both classes and the Badge of Military Merit of the 2nd degree in silver. During the fighting he was wounded three times. After the fourth injury in July 1918, he lay for a day on the battlefield and was captured by the French. After unsuccessful escape attempts, he was placed in Avignon prison and returned home only in March 1920.

Returning to his hometown, Godes joined the Ehardt naval brigade, one of the many volunteer corps of that time, where until 1923 he commanded a platoon. Simultaneously, from 1922, Godes worked as an employee in Neuhof-by-Virchow , Drumburg district, Prussian State Forestry.

Career in the National Socialist Movement

Already in the early 1920s. Godes was a member of numerous paramilitary and National Socialist formations and organizations, including Jungsturm, Viking Bund, Schlageter Bund, Union of Offensive and Defense , Steel Helmet , Consul Organization , Border Guard of Pomerania.

In August or September 1923 he joined the NSDAP , after its dissolution he re-entered in October 1929. For a long time he was the leader of the party (the head of the district department) in his own city. In the 1920s. was in the SA , then in July 1930-March 1933. He was a member of the SS , where he reached the rank of Sturmbannführer . In 1938, he rejoined the SA, where in 1944 he received the rank of Gruppenführer.

In 1931, for active participation in the movement against Godes, a disciplinary case was initiated in the service, and in 1932 he was dismissed from it.

In 1932-1933 - Head of the party organization and the staff of the Gauorganisationsleiter NSDAP in Pomerania.

Since 1933 a member of the Reichstag and the Prussian Landtag.

From spring 1933 to autumn 1934 - Head of the Office of the Party and the Labor Front. When it was in Berlin was organized by the main party archives of the Nazi Party .

From 1934, he headed the Department of Education in the organization Strela through joy , and was also a member of the Small Convention of the German Labor Front and the Imperial Chamber of Labor.

Member of the Expert Council of the National Socialist organization of production cells , a member of the Evaluation Committee of the Imperial Chamber of Cinematography (where his wife also worked), one of the curators of the Institute for Study of the conjuncture.

Since 1936 - the commandant of the Order of the Krössinsee Castle , which was located near his hometown.

Reichsgauptamsleiter (1935), Hauptdinstleiter (1943) NSDAP .

During the Second World War, he created and headed the headquarters of K (Caucasus), also known as the Godes Service, Dienststelle Gohdes, to collect materials about the Caucasus region within the Imperial Ministry of the occupied Eastern territories .

He died in battle during the retreat from the order castle under the onslaught of the Red Army units .

• Marschausbildung AVM // Ausbildungs-Vorschrift fd Politischen Leiter der NSDAP. 1. München: Eher, 1935.
• Deutschland und Kaukasien: Erlebnisse u. Ereignisse. Berlin: Zentralstelle f. Angehörige d. Völker d. Ostens, Dienststelle Gohdes, 1944.
• Kaukasien. Berlin: Zentralstelle f. Angehörige d. Völker d. Ostens, Dienststelle Gohdes, 1944.