Editing Matías Federico Kessler (section)

== Allgemeine SS career ==
Kessler's first active posting was with [[SS-Abschnitt Luganville]] in eastern [[Tanoa]]. In 1996, he held the rank of [[SS-Obersturmbannführer]] and became commander of the Abschnitt. He remained in that command until 2008.

After [[Miguel Ángel Schneider]] became permanent commander of SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa on 5 April 2008, Kessler became his deputy later that year. He held the rank of [[SS-Standartenführer]]. Schneider remained commander until 30 November 2013.<ref name="osttanoa-commanders"/>

=== Commander of SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa ===
Kessler succeeded Schneider as commander of SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa on 1 December 2013 and was promoted to [[SS-Brigadeführer]].<ref name="osttanoa-commanders"/> He was promoted to [[SS-Gruppenführer]] on 17 December 2016.

In 2014, Kessler launched an anti-resistance campaign in eastern Tanoa. He ordered raids against settlements suspected of supporting resistance groups.

In 2018, Kessler ordered a purge in Luganville directed against native residents whom the SS classified as seriously ill or elderly. Those selected under the order were killed. Kessler then imposed a compulsory reproductive programme on the remaining population. Native residents were forced into sexual pairings regardless of family relationship, including between relatives. The programme was enforced publicly in central Luganville, and Kessler personally attended its implementation.

During the programme, Kessler selected a 19-year-old native resident and took the resident to his private office. The resident disappeared afterward and was presumed to have been executed within the following week.

Kessler remained commander until 30 November 2024. SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa was dissolved that day during the collapse of the Tanoa Einsatzgruppen.<ref name="osttanoa-history"/>