again, this time to the rank of SS-Standartenführer (colonel), and served near Reichenberg (Liberec), in the Sudetenland. In conversation with Moczarski, Stroop happily reminisced about his many visits to the hot springs at Karlsbad. For this reason, their cellmate, Gustav Schielke, expressed disgust: instead of serving in combat, "Herr General did battle in spas." Early World War II After the German invasion of Poland, Stroop served as commander of the SS section in Gnesen (Gniezno). During the occupation of Poland, Stroop was transferred to Poznań as head of Selbstschutz, the notorious "self-defense" formation of the local ethnic Germans. In May 1941, Stroop changed his forename from Josef to Jürgen for ideological reasons and in honor of his dead infant son. From 7 July to 15 September 1941, Stroop served in combat on the Eastern Front in the SS Division Totenkopf. He was awarded an Iron Cross 2nd Class. On 16 September 1942, he was promoted to SS-Brigadeführer and assigned as an Inspector of the SiPo and SD of the Higher SS and Police Leader for Russia South. Beginning October 1942, Stroop commanded an SS garrison at Kherson, before becoming the SS and Police Leader (SSPF) for Lemberg (Lviv) in February 1943. Stroop was SS inspector of Durchgangsstrasse IV, a large forced labor project to built a road from Lemberg to Stalino (now Donetsk). Suppression of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Stroop was involved in the month long suppression of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, an action which cost the lives of just over 57,000 people. He was sent to Warsaw on 17 April 1943 by SS leader Heinrich Himmler, as a replacement for SS-Oberführer Ferdinand von Sammern-Frankenegg, who was relieved of duty. Stroop took over from Sammern-Frankenegg following the latter's failure to suppress the uprising at the onset. He commented to war crimes investigators: Stroop ordered the entire Ghetto to be systematically burned-down and blown-up, building-by-building. 57,065 of the survivors, including men, women, and children were either killed on the spot or deported to extermination camp. In conversation with Moczarski, Stroop described the destruction of the Ghetto in great detail. Stroop also disclosed, unlike the men under his command, he always left the Ghetto at mealtimes and overnight. In his daily report 1 May 1943 Stroop reported: "Progress of large scale operation on 1 May 1943. Start 0900 hours. 10 searching parties were detailed, moreover a larger battle group was detailed to