Editing SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa

{{Short description|Eastern territorial command of the Allgemeine SS (1944–2024)}}
{{Infobox government agency
| name = SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa
| type = Regional command
| formed = 1 November 1944
| dissolved = {{End date|2024|11|30}}
| jurisdiction = Eastern [[Tanoa]]
| headquarters = [[Luganville]], [[Tanoa]]
| parent_department = [[Allgemeine SS]]
| chief1_name = [[Matías Federico Kessler]]
| chief1_position = Commander (2013–2024)
}}

The '''SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa''' (English: '''Eastern Tanoa SS Main District''') was the eastern territorial command of the [[Allgemeine SS]] on [[Tanoa]]. Established on 1 November 1944, it was headquartered in [[Luganville]] and exercised authority over the Allgemeine SS regional structure in eastern Tanoa. It remained active until the dissolution of the Allgemeine SS on 30 November 2024.<ref name="allgemeine-structure"/>

== History ==
SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa was established on 1 November 1944 as part of the permanent territorial administration created by the Allgemeine SS after the establishment of Tanoan rule.<ref name="allgemeine-history"/> [[Héctor Germán Reinoso]] became its first commander. [[Rudolf Aziones]] served within the eastern command from its establishment and was promoted to [[SS-Brigadeführer]] on 1 July 1955, when he became Reinoso's deputy.

Earlier that year, Aziones had ordered the [[Nakoriva massacre]], in which all 162 inhabitants of [[Nakoriva]] were killed. On 3 August 1958, Reinoso transferred to [[Georgetown]] as '''Chef des Stabes der Reichsführung-SS'''. Aziones was promoted to [[SS-Gruppenführer]] and succeeded him as commander of Osttanoa.<ref name="aziones-career"/> Aziones remained commander until 27 June 1963, when eastern Tanoan resistance fighters killed him in a road ambush while he was returning from an inspection at Luganville.<ref name="aziones-assassination"/>

[[Federico Augusto Villalba]] succeeded Aziones on 4 July 1963 and remained in command until 15 July 1981. Villalba then transferred to Georgetown to head the territorial administration of the Allgemeine SS. [[Alejandro Horacio Küster]] succeeded him as commander of Osttanoa. After Küster became head of Allgemeine SS territorial administration on 17 August 2001, he retained the Osttanoa command while working primarily from Georgetown. [[Miguel Ángel Schneider]] served as his deputy and handled the day-to-day command in Osttanoa.<ref name="kuster-career"/>

Küster relinquished command on 5 April 2008, when Schneider became permanent commander of SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa.<ref name="kuster-career"/> Schneider remained commander until 30 November 2013. [[Matías Federico Kessler]] succeeded him on 1 December 2013 and remained the final commander of SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa. The command ceased to exist on 30 November 2024 when the Allgemeine SS dissolved its regional district authorities following the collapse of the Tanoa Einsatzgruppen.<ref name="allgemeine-dissolution"/>

== Organization ==
SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa reported through the Allgemeine SS hierarchy to the central headquarters in [[Georgetown]]. Its headquarters was located in [[Luganville]]. [[Nandai]] was the westernmost major settlement within its jurisdiction, while territory west of Nandai belonged to [[SS-Oberabschnitt Westtanoa]]. The command was divided into three subordinate SS-Abschnitte, all established on 1 November 1944.

{| class="wikitable"
! Command
! Headquarters
! Jurisdiction
|-
| [[SS-Abschnitt Luganville]]
| [[Luganville]]
| Eastern coastal district
|-
| [[SS-Abschnitt Nandai]]
| [[Nandai]]
| Western district
|-
| [[SS-Abschnitt Lifou]]
| [[Lifou]]
| Southern district
|}

The commanders of the three SS-Abschnitte reported to the commander of SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa. [[Karl-Heinz Varela]] was appointed commander of SS-Abschnitt Luganville on 3 August 1958. [[Alejandro Horacio Küster]] succeeded him on 10 October 1964 and remained in command until becoming deputy commander of Osttanoa on 20 January 1972.<ref name="kuster-career"/> [[Raúl Federico Mendizábal]] took command of SS-Abschnitt Nandai on 3 August 1958. [[Gustavo Ernesto Molina]] commanded SS-Abschnitt Lifou until [[Eduardo Federico Alzaga]] succeeded him on 1 October 1960.

== Commanders ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Commander
! Term
|-
| [[Héctor Germán Reinoso]]
| 1 November 1944 – 3 August 1958
|-
| [[Rudolf Aziones]]
| 3 August 1958 – 27 June 1963
|-
| [[Federico Augusto Villalba]]
| 4 July 1963 – 15 July 1981
|-
| [[Alejandro Horacio Küster]]
| 15 July 1981 – 5 April 2008
|-
| [[Miguel Ángel Schneider]]
| 5 April 2008 – 30 November 2013
|-
| [[Matías Federico Kessler]]
| 1 December 2013 – 30 November 2024
|}

== See also ==
* [[Allgemeine SS]]
* [[SS-Oberabschnitt Nordtanoa]]
* [[SS-Oberabschnitt Südtanoa]]
* [[SS-Oberabschnitt Westtanoa]]
* [[Resistance against the Tanoa Einsatzgruppen]]
* [[Ranks of the Allgemeine SS of the Tanoa Einsatzgruppen]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="allgemeine-history">"[[Allgemeine SS#History|History]]". ''Allgemeine SS''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
<ref name="allgemeine-structure">"[[Allgemeine SS#Structure|Structure]]". ''Allgemeine SS''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
<ref name="allgemeine-dissolution">"[[Allgemeine SS#Dissolution|Dissolution]]". ''Allgemeine SS''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
<ref name="aziones-career">"[[Rudolf Aziones#Allgemeine SS career|Allgemeine SS career]]". ''Rudolf Aziones''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
<ref name="aziones-assassination">"[[Rudolf Aziones#Assassination|Assassination]]". ''Rudolf Aziones''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
<ref name="kuster-career">"[[Alejandro Horacio Küster#Allgemeine SS career|Allgemeine SS career]]". ''Alejandro Horacio Küster''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
}}

{{SS organizations}}

[[Category:Tanoa Einsatzgruppen]]
[[Category:Allgemeine SS]]
[[Category:Government of the Tanoa Einsatzgruppen]]
[[Category:Tanoa Einsatzgruppen organizations]]
[[Category:Vader Era]]
[[Category:Middenvader Era]]
[[Category:Vriend Era]]