Carlos Federico Almirón

Carlos Federico Almirón
Born	(1898-05-18)18 May 1898 Córdoba, Argentina
Died	21 January 1987(1987-01-21) (aged 88) Georgetown, Tanoa
Era	Pre-Vader Era Vader Era Middenvader Era Vriend Era
Chef des Stabes der Reichsführung-SS
In office 15 July 1944 – 3 August 1958
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Héctor Germán Reinoso
Military career
Allegiance	Argentina Tanoa Einsatzgruppen
Branch	Argentine Army Allgemeine SS
Service years	1917–1938 (Argentine Army) 1944–1958 (Allgemeine SS)
Rank	Major SS-Obergruppenführer

Carlos Federico Almirón (18 May 1898 – 21 January 1987) was an Argentine military officer who later became a nationalist organizer and senior member of the Allgemeine SS. He served as the first Chef des Stabes der Reichsführung-SS from 15 July 1944 until his retirement on 3 August 1958. Almirón held the rank of SS-Obergruppenführer and worked directly with Reichsführer-SS Jose Alem, who led the Allgemeine SS from 1944. He was succeeded as Chief of Staff by Héctor Germán Reinoso.

Early life and Argentine Army career

Almirón was born on 18 May 1898 in Córdoba, Argentina. In 1917, aged 19, he entered the Colegio Militar de la Nación. He graduated in 1919 as a subteniente of infantry and began his commissioned service in the Argentine Army.

After several years as an infantry officer, Almirón entered the Escuela Superior de Guerra in 1928. He completed General Staff training there in 1931 and was posted to the staff of the 4.ª División de Ejército in Córdoba. He was promoted to major in 1936. In 1938, Almirón voluntarily resigned from the army because he wanted to enter nationalist politics openly.

Nationalist politics and 1944 expedition

After leaving the army, Almirón joined the Legión Cívica Argentina in 1938. He moved into the Alianza de la Juventud Nacionalista in 1939 and became its provincial organizer in Córdoba in 1941. His previous staff training and his experience organizing the Córdoba branch led to his direct recruitment into the leadership assembled for the 1944 expedition.

Almirón was selected to organize the central SS staff during preparations for the expedition. He was appointed Chef des Stabes der Reichsführung-SS on 15 July 1944, before the expedition had reached Tanoa. The expedition arrived on 9 August 1944 after landing first on Ravi-Ta. Almirón continued organizing the central staff as the Allgemeine SS was established during the consolidation of Tanoan rule. The organization later operated its central headquarters from Georgetown.

Chief of Staff

As Chief of Staff, Almirón directed the day-to-day work of the central SS leadership. During the initial organization of the staff, he assigned responsibilities among its officials and established procedures for preparing directives. He also set the process used to transmit central orders to the responsible SS offices and regional commands.

Almirón maintained direct personal access to Jose Alem. Senior promotions and command appointments were routinely discussed with him before reaching the Reichsführer-SS. He also participated in preparing internal directives before they were formally issued. In late 1944, Almirón reviewed candidates for the first SS-Oberabschnitt commands. He supported the appointment of Héctor Germán Reinoso as the first commander of SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa, which was formally established on 1 November 1944.

Almirón continued to support Reinoso after his appointment in eastern Tanoa. By the mid-1950s, he increasingly brought Reinoso into discussions concerning the central staff and began preparing him to take over the Chief of Staff position. Almirón later personally recommended Reinoso as his successor.

On 3 August 1958, Almirón retired from active SS service at the age of 60 because of his age and declining health. Reinoso left SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa on the same date. He was promoted to SS-Obergruppenführer and transferred to Georgetown as Chef des Stabes der Reichsführung-SS. The rank of SS-Obergruppenführer was used for senior commanders responsible for major administrative departments or high-level operational commands.

Retirement and death

Almirón remained in Georgetown after his retirement and held no further office. Senior SS officials continued to visit him on occasion to seek his opinion, although he no longer possessed command authority. He had married before 1944 and his wife later lived with him in Georgetown. The couple had one child, who had been born in Argentina before the 1944 expedition.

By January 1987, Almirón had severe memory loss and could barely walk. On 20 January, he was given Adrenochrome in an attempt to improve his condition. His health did not improve. The following day, the Reichsführung-SS leadership authorized his execution by firing squad. His family approved the decision.

On 21 January 1987, Almirón was seated in a chair before the firing squad. He was given a cigar and faced the firing line. His family watched the execution. Almirón was shot and died in Georgetown at the age of 88.

See also

• Allgemeine SS
• Reichsführer-SS
• SS-Oberabschnitt Osttanoa
• Ranks of the Allgemeine SS of the Tanoa Einsatzgruppen