Walter Surén


Walter Surén was a general officer with the final rank – General der Luftnachrichtentruppe of the Deutsche Luftwaffe in Nazi Germany. Until the end of WW2 in 1945, this particular general officer rank was on three-star level, equivalent to a US Lieutenant general.

Career


Promotions

Walter Surén joined the 1st Railway-Regiment 09 February 1900, became Fahnenjunker/Fähnrich, was promoted to 2nd lieutenant and served over there until 18 October 1905.
From 19 Oct 1905 to 30 Sep 1907, he served as company officer in the Enterprise-Company of the Railway-Brigade. Due to outstanding performance he was detached to the Military Technical Academy, and became after graduation Adjutant of the Director of Military Railways. The next assignment of Surén was company Officer of the 5th Telegraph-Battalion, and company-chief in the 1th Telegraph-Battalion. After that, he was assigned commander of the Motor-Vehicle-Battalion in the Grand Headquarters. From 1915 to 1916 he commanded the 7th Telephone-Battalion, and became October 13, 1916 “Oberoffizier Nachrichten” in the “Oberkommand des Heeres”. The next mission of Surén was commanded the 11th Telephone-Battalion, followed by Group-Telephone-Commander 11./XI. Army-Corps, and Signal-Adviser of the General-Staff of the Army-Group “Deutscher Kromprinz” until the End of WW I.
From 1 February – 29 April 1919 he served as Group-Signal-Commander with the Special-Purpose-General-Command 52, Border-Protection East, followed by the assignment to leader of the 104th Brigade-Signal-Battalion. With the character as Major Walter Surén was retired 9 February 1920.
In the capacity as communications engineer, he worked as representative of the “Deutsche Reichsbahn” in Yugoslavia. 1933 he went back to Germany, employed by the Army, with the Commander Berlin until 28 February 1934. Then he entered the Nazi Luftwaffe, first as supplemental-officer. His primary mission was handling of the Wire-Signal-Affairs of the newly established “Luftnachrichtentruppe”, supported to the “Reichs-Luftfahrt-Ministerium” . This was followed by the duty as Signals-Leader with Air-Fleet-Command 3 / Commander of the 3rd Air-Signal-Regiment, next High-Signals-Leader Air-Fleet-Command 3, and High-Signals-Leader Air-Fleet-Command 4. From November 18, 1942 – 30 September 1943 he was dedicated to Higher-Wehrmacht-Signals-Leader with Commander-in-Chief South. From 1 October 1943 to 31 December 1944, he was acting as Signals-Leader of the Luftwaffe in the RLM. Then he was assigned to the so-called “Führer-Reserve”. The final mission of Walter Surén was Signal-Leader with General-Feldmarschall Erhard Milch, General-Plenipotentiary of the Deutsche Reichsbahn.

Decorations and awards