He served in an artillery unit, was commissioned as a Leutnant in September 1915 and earned the Iron Cross, 1st and 2nd class.

His next posting from 20 March to 2 December 1933, was as Chief of Staff in the SS-Oberabschnitt (Main District) "Nord" (later, "Nordsee") based in Altona, Hamburg.

At that time, he was appointed Deputy to SS-Gruppenführer Paul Scharfe in the Gerichtsamt (later, the SS Court Main Office) on the staff of the Reichsführer-SS, Heinrich Himmler.

From 15 May 1939 to 1 July 1942 he was Chief of Staff in SS-Oberabschnitt "Nord" ("Ostsee" after 1 February 1940) in Stettin under SS-Gruppenführer Emil Mazuw.

Returning to his "Russland-Süd" assignment, his tasks included anti-partisan warfare in the Pripet marshes which was conducted with ruthless brutality.