Some of the greatest German generals of WW2 often were in their late 30s or early 40s. These tended to be SS officers which had a system of promotion more on combat merit and less on bureaucratic procedures. One of the most celebrated SS divisions was the 12th
SS-Panzer Division Hitlerjugend which was commanded by SS-Brigadefuhrer Kurt Mayer at age 33. A SS-Brigadefuhrer was equal to one star US Army general.
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Kurt Meyer was an SS commander and war criminal of Nazi Germany. He served in the Waffen-SS and participated in the Battle of France, Operation Barbarossa, and other engagements during World War II.
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