Early Life and Pre-war Career
Born in Freising, Bavaria, to a middle class family, Deisenhofer excelled in his studies at school from a young age. After his schooling, he pursued studies in the fields of politics and economics. He eventually received his PhD as a political economist. During his time at university, he had come into contact with the Nazi Party, and soon applied to join the SA. After only a few months with the SA, Deisenhofer transferred to the SS, beginning his service on 1 October 1930.
Described by Gottfried Klingemann as a 'clear-thinking and just man with an energetic and tenacious character', Deisenhofer quickly climbed his way through the ranks, holding various low level command positions, including service with the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler in 1934 and at the KZ Dachau in 1935. By this stage he had reached the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer.
On 30 January 1936, Deisenhofer married Edeltraut Holzapfel. Over the course of the next few years, they would have three daughters, one of whom was killed in a bombing raid in May 1943.
In 1936, he was transferred to SS-Wachtruppe Oberbayern. Over the next two years he served in both the Totenkopfverbände units SS Verbande Sachsen and SS Standarte Thuringen.
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