×
Home Intro People Events Equipment Places Maps Books Photos Videos Other Reference FAQ About
     

World War II Database

Felix Kersten file photo [23545]

Felix Kersten

SurnameKersten
Given NameFelix
Born30 Sep 1898
Died16 Apr 1960
CountryGermany
CategoryMedicine
GenderMale

Contributor:

ww2dbaseFelix Kersten was born into a Baltic German family in Yuryev, Russia (now Tartu, Estonia) in 1898. He enlisted in the German Army, seeing action during WW1 and the Finnish Civil War; during the latter campaign, he served both under the banner of the German Army as well as the Finnish White Guard, thus earning him Finnish citizenship in 1920. In Sep 1920, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Finnish Army. In the 1920s, after being released from military service, he studied and later practiced physical therapist in Helsinki, Finland. In 1925, he took over a therapy practice in Berlin, Germany previously owned by a Dr. Ko after Ko's retirement. After successfully treating notable figures such as Dutch Prince Hendrik and Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano, he was sought out by Heinrich Himmler, who suffered stomach problems. Using his friendly relationship with Himmler, Kersten occasionally requested and obtained special pardons from Himmler to release various prisoners held by organizations under Himmler's control. He also arranged a meeting between Himmler and Swedish Jewish leader Norbert Masur, which resulted in Himmler sparing the lives of 60,000 Jews at Ravensbrück Concentration Camp. Towards the end of the war, Kersten became the liaison between Himmler and an American businessman in Sweden, through which contact Himmler wished to negotiate a separate peace, behind Adolf Hitler's back, with the Western Allies. Unbeknownst to Kersten, the influential American businessman was actually an agent of the US war time intelligence agency Office of Strategic Services (OSS), thus the Americans gained valuable intelligence on Himmler losing confidence in Adolf Hitler; ultimately, US President Franklin Roosevelt refused to negotiate with Himmler through this channel, thus such talked resulted in nothing. After the war, Kersten published his memoirs in 1947. He lived in West Germany and then in Sweden. He was lauded for saving the lives of thousands of Jews, but at the same time his exaggeration in such endeavors also earned him poor reputation in some circles. He became a Swedish citizen in 1953. He passed away in Stockholm, Sweden in 1960.

ww2dbaseSources:
Patrick O'donnell, Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs
Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Jul 2015

Felix Kersten Timeline

30 Sep 1898 Felix Kersten was born in Yuryev (Dorpat), Russia.
16 Apr 1960 Felix Kersten passed away in Stockholm, Sweden.




Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Share this article with your friends:

 Facebook
 Reddit
 Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds




Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name
Your Email
 Your email will not be published
Comment Type
Your Comments
 

Notes:

1. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. All comment submissions will become the property of WW2DB.

2. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ.

Change View
Desktop View

Search WW2DB
Famous WW2 Quote
"All that silly talk about the advance of science and such leaves me cold. Give me peace and a retarded science."

Thomas Dodd, late 1945


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!