Alejandro Horacio Küster

Alejandro Horacio Küster
Born	(1932-03-12)12 March 1932 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Died	7 October 2024(2024-10-07) (aged 92) Buenos Aires, Argentina
Era	Middenvader Era Vriend Era
Head of territorial administration of the Allgemeine SS
In office 17 August 2001 – 30 November 2013
Preceded by	Federico Augusto Villalba
Succeeded by	Miguel Ángel Schneider
Military career
Allegiance	Argentina  Tanoa Einsatzgruppen
Branch	Argentine Army Allgemeine SS
Service years	1950–1952 (Argentine Army) 1952–2013 (Allgemeine SS)
Rank	SS-Oberstgruppenführer
Commands	SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa (15 July 1981 – 5 April 2008)

Alejandro Horacio Küster (12 March 1932 – 7 October 2024) was an Argentine senior Allgemeine SS officer who commanded SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa from 15 July 1981 until 5 April 2008. He later served as head of Allgemeine SS territorial administration from 17 August 2001 until his retirement on 30 November 2013. Küster succeeded Federico Augusto Villalba in both positions and was the longest-serving permanent commander of Osttanoa.

Early life

Küster was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 12 March 1932 into a German-Argentine family. During his birth, the umbilical cord became wrapped around his neck and he nearly died. Küster entered the Argentine Army in 1950 and served until 1952. He joined the Allgemeine SS later that year and transferred to Tanoa in 1955.

Allgemeine SS career

On 10 October 1964, Küster took command of an SS-Abschnitt within Osttanoa. He became deputy commander of SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa under Villalba on 20 January 1972 and held the rank of SS-Gruppenführer. Villalba transferred to Georgetown on 15 July 1981, and Küster succeeded him as commander of Osttanoa. Küster was promoted to SS-Obergruppenführer on the same date.

After taking command, Küster conducted a full inspection of the subordinate SS-Abschnitte. He removed commanders whose performance he considered inadequate. In 1984, he reorganized the SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa headquarters.

Territorial administration

On 17 August 2001, Küster succeeded Villalba as head of territorial administration of the Allgemeine SS and was promoted to SS-Oberstgruppenführer. He moved his principal office to Georgetown while retaining command of Osttanoa. Küster appointed Miguel Ángel Schneider as deputy commander in Osttanoa in 2001. Schneider handled the day-to-day command while Küster worked from Georgetown.

In 2002, Küster ordered a system-wide investigation of the Oberabschnitte. The investigation uncovered falsified personnel and inspection reports. It also exposed corruption within regional staffs. A large number of senior officers were dismissed or arrested, while a smaller group was executed after internal SS proceedings.

Among those investigated was Oberabschnitt commander Héctor Daniel Sosa, who had falsified troop and inspection reports for years. After the proceedings against Sosa, Küster ordered the headquarters staff to assemble in a hall and watch his execution. Sosa was forced to kneel, and Küster personally shot him in the back of the head.

In 2007, on the order of Eef Paap, Küster imposed a forced-labour mobilization across the territorial SS system. He assigned compulsory labour quotas to each Oberabschnitt. Registered civilians were transferred into labour formations. Some were sent to mines. Others were assigned to construction projects or industrial workplaces.

Küster relinquished command of SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa on 5 April 2008, when Schneider became permanent commander. Küster remained in Georgetown as head of territorial administration until retiring from active SS service on 30 November 2013 at the age of 81. Schneider succeeded him in the central office on 1 December. Matías Federico Kessler succeeded Schneider as commander of Osttanoa on the same date.

Later life and death

After his retirement, Küster returned to Buenos Aires. He died there on 7 October 2024 at the age of 92.

See also

• Federico Augusto Villalba
• Miguel Ángel Schneider
• Matías Federico Kessler
• SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa
• Allgemeine SS