Ulrich Graf

Who was Ulrich Graf?

Ulrich Graf was one of the earliest members of the NSDAP and circle around Adolf Hitler.

Graf was an amateur wrestler and a butcher's apprentice, and became Hitler's personal bodyguard from 1920 to 1923. He was present at the Beer Hall Putsch, where, with Rudolf Hess, he cleared Hitler's way to the platform. During the subsequent march through Munich, Hitler, Ludendorff, and their followers were blocked by about a hundred armed police outside the Feldhernhalle. Graf stepped forward and shouted "Don't shoot! His excellency Ludendorff is coming." There was nevertheless gunfire, and fourteen Nazis and four police officers were killed.. Graf shielded Hitler with his body, received several bullet wounds, and possibly saved Hitler's life. Graf recovered.

In 1936, Graf was elected to the Reichstag. In 1937, he became an Oberführer in Himmler's SS, and on 20 April 1943, Hitler's birthday, became an SS Brigadeführer.

On Graf's birthday, 3 July 1943, he received a book from Himmler, Vogt Bartold: The Long Train to the East, signed by Himmler, thanking Graf for saving Hitler's life.

In 1948, Graf was sentenced to five years hard labor and died in March 1950.