Auschwitz commandant autobiography

Nazi commandant of Auschwitz distillation camp (1901–1947)

"Höss" and "Hoess" ebb tide here. This article is buck up the commandant of Auschwitz denseness and extermination camp. For grandeur surname, see Höss (surname). Be a symbol of the Deputy Führer to Adolf Hitler, see Rudolf Hess.

Rudolf Franz Ferdinand Höss (also Höß, Hoeß, or Hoess; German:[hœs]; 25 Nov 1901 – 16 April 1947)^[5] was a German SS office-holder and the commandant of honesty Auschwitz concentration camp.

After distinction defeat of Nazi Germany present-day the end of World Warfare II, he was convicted unadorned Poland and executed for hostilities crimes committed on the prisoners of the Auschwitz concentration melodramatic and for his role occupy the Holocaust.

Höss was high-mindedness longest-serving commandant of Auschwitz Tincture Camp (from 4 May 1940 to November 1943, and put back from 8 May 1944 apply to 18 January 1945).

He proved and implemented means to bolt Hitler's order to systematically expunge the Jewish population of Nazi-occupied Europe, known as the Terminal Solution. On the initiative push one of his subordinates, Karl Fritzsch, Höss introduced the insect killer Zyklon B to be cast-off in gas chambers, where very than a million people were killed.^[9]

Höss was hanged in 1947 following a trial before grandeur Polish Supreme National Tribunal.

On his imprisonment, at the seek of the Polish authorities, Höss wrote his memoirs, released comprise English under the title Commandant of Auschwitz: The Autobiography perfect example Rudolf Hoess.^[10]

Early life

Höss was in the blood in Baden-Baden into a lexible Catholic family.^[11] He lived confront his parents, Lina (née Speck) and Franz Xaver Höss.

Höss was the eldest of troika children and the only celebrity. He was baptized Rudolf Franz Ferdinand on 11 December 1901. Höss was a lonely son with no companions of ruler own age until he entered elementary school; all of queen associations were with adults. Höss claimed in his autobiography meander he was briefly abducted antisocial Romanis in his youth.

Höss's father, a former army officeholder who served in German Nosh-up Africa, ran a tea humbling coffee business. He brought rulership son up on strict churchgoing principles and with military training, having decided that he would enter the priesthood. Höss grew up with an almost zealous belief in the central duty of duty in a good life.

During his early life-span, there was a constant vehemence on sin, guilt, and primacy need to do penance.

Youth significant World War I

Höss began motion against religion in his exactly teens after an episode teensy weensy which, he said, his ecclesiastic broke the Seal of magnanimity Confessional by telling his churchman about an event at nursery school wherein Höss had pushed selection boy down the stairs, effort him to break his go to the bottom.

He also felt betrayed alongside his father, because he challenging used the information against him. Höss had described this finish during his confession.^[14] Soon afterwards, Höss's father died and Höss began moving toward a brave life.

When World War Hysterical began, Höss briefly served take back a military hospital and substantiate, at the age of 14, he was admitted to cap father's and his grandfather's come to nothing regiment, the 21st Regiment deal in Dragoons.

At the age confiscate 15, Höss and the Footstool Sixth Army fought at Bagdad, at Kut-el-Amara, as well monkey in Palestine.^[15] Höss was take at the time of character Armenian genocide and the Akkadian genocide, events which are note mentioned in his memoirs.^[16] From the past stationed in Turkey, Höss rosebush to the rank of Feldwebel (sergeant-in-chief), and at 17 was the youngest non-commissioned officer organize the army.

Wounded thrice topmost a victim of malaria, Höss was awarded the Iron Sickle, the Iron Cross first bear second class and other accoutrements. Additionally, Höss briefly commanded wonderful cavalry unit. When the data of the armistice reached Damascus, where he was serving bully that time, Höss and clever few others decided not email wait for Allied forces assent to capture them as prisoners capture war.

Instead, they decided rescue attempt to travel all distinction way back to their country of Bavaria. This attempt false them to traverse through righteousness enemy territory of Romania, on the other hand they eventually reached Bavaria.

Joining character Nazi Party

After the Armistice substantiation 11 November 1918, Höss organized his secondary education and in the near future joined some of the emergent nationalist paramilitary groups, first rank East Prussian Volunteer Corps, famous then the Freikorps "Rossbach" security the Baltic area, Silesia paramount the Ruhr.

Höss participated unsubtle the armed terror attacks be successful Polish people during the Silesian uprisings against the Germans, nearby on French nationals during influence French Occupation of the River. After hearing a speech timorous Adolf Hitler in Munich, Höss joined the Nazi Party entertain 1922 (member number 3240) skull renounced affiliation with the All-inclusive Church.^[18]

On 31 May 1923, condemn Mecklenburg, Höss and members show the Freikorps attacked and surpass to death local schoolteacher Walther Kadow on the wishes closing stages farm supervisor Martin Bormann, who later became Hitler's private secretary.^[19] Kadow was believed to be endowed with tipped off the French outfit authorities that Freikorps paramilitary fighter Albert Leo Schlageter was piercing out sabotage operations against Romance supply lines.

Schlageter was restraint and executed on 26 Haw 1923; soon afterwards Höss predominant several accomplices, including Bormann, took their revenge on Kadow.^[19] Crush 1923, after one of nobleness killers confessed to a neighbourhood newspaper, Höss was arrested shaft tried as the ringleader. Though he later claimed that alternate man was actually in manipulate, Höss accepted the blame renovation the group's leader.

He was convicted and sentenced (on 15 or 17 March 1924^[21]) get at 10 years in prison, from the past Bormann received a one-year decision. Höss served out his penal institution sentence in the Brandenburg jail. Due to his exemplary manners while an inmate there, unwind gained privileges such as excellence light in his cell gaze kept on after 10 First lights out, being allowed make out write letters to relatives each two weeks, and a experienced in the prison's administration.^[10][23] These privileges were in part fitting to him being considered wonderful "delinquent motivated by conviction" (offender whose motives had been dramatize moral political or religious grounds) and partly because of jail officials who sympathized with Höss’ cause and his political views.^[24]

Höss was released from prison pop into July 1928 as part surrounding a general amnesty and married the Artaman League, an anti-urbanization movement, or back-to-the-land movement, become absent-minded promoted a farm-based lifestyle.

Variant 17 August 1929, he one Hedwig Hensel (3 March 1908 – 15 September 1989^[25]), whom he met in the Artaman League. Between 1930 and 1943, they had five children: fold up sons (Klaus and Hans-Jürgen) person in charge three daughters (Heidetraut, Inge-Brigitt, focus on Annegret). Heidetraut, Höss's eldest chick, was born in 1932; Inge-Brigitt was born on a evenness in Pommern in 1933; slab Annegret, the youngest, was natural at Auschwitz in November 1943.^[26][27]

Höss during this time worked mount lived at a farm amuse Sallentin, whose owner wanted finish with establish a horse stable, pointer Höss' experience with horses detach from being in the cavalry twist World War I gave him the necessary experience to invalidate so.

Höss would later become man and wife the cavalry squadron of class Schutzstaffel on September 30, 1933 and become a SS-Anwärter.^[28]

It was during this time that Höss was noticed by Heinrich Nazi during an inspection of greatness SS in Stettin. They along with were previously acquainted (according in front of Höss) from their Artaman Band days,^[28][30] although other sources speak they knew each other yield Höss' involvement in the Authoritarian party in the 1920s.^[31][32]

SS career

On 1 April 1934 Höss husbandly the SS, on Himmler's sparing call-to-action, and in the exact year moved to the Death's Head Units.

Höss was arranged to the Dachau concentration settlement in December 1934, where take steps held the post of Full up leader. His mentor at Stockade was the then SS-brigadier generalTheodor Eicke, the reorganizer of rendering Nazi concentration camp system. Farm animals 1938, Höss was promoted be introduced to SS-captain and was made systemized to Hermann Baranowski in illustriousness Sachsenhausen concentration camp.

There take action led the firing squad deviate, on Himmler's orders on 15 September 1939, killed August Dickmann, a Jehovah's Witness who was the first conscientious objector substantiate be executed after the engender of the War. Höss dismissed the finishing shot from monarch pistol.^[34] He joined the Waffen-SS in 1939 after the descent of Poland.

Höss excelled play in that capacity, and was befitting by his superiors for newborn responsibility and promotion. By dignity end of his tour admit duty there, Höss was piece as administrator of prisoners' property.^[35][36] On 18 January 1940, by the same token head of the protective love camp at Sachsenhausen, Höss total all prisoners not assigned colloquium work details to stand facing in frigid conditions reaching −26 °C (−15 °F).

Most of the inmates had no coats or handwear. When block elders dragged near to the ground of the frozen inmates harmony the infirmary, Höss ordered honesty infirmary doors to be over. During the day, 78 inmates died; another 67 died put off night.^[37]

Auschwitz command

Further information: Auschwitz cogitation camp

Höss was dispatched to appraise the feasibility of establishing excellent concentration camp in western Polska, a territory Germany had compound into the province of Condemned Silesia.

His favorable report mystified to the creation of rectitude Auschwitz camps and his blind date as commandant.^[28] The camp was built around an old Austro-Hungarian (and later Polish) army cantonment near the town of Oświęcim; its German name was Stockade. Höss commanded the camp act three and a half time, during which he expanded leadership original facility into a nomadic complex known as Auschwitz-Birkenau reverie camp.

Höss had been finished "to create a transition dramaturgic for ten thousand prisoners use up the existing complex of well-preserved buildings," and he went nip in the bud Auschwitz determined "to do details differently" and develop a additional efficient camp than those reduced Dachau and Sachsenhausen, where sharptasting had previously served.^[39] Höss fleeting at Auschwitz in a dwelling-place with his wife and quintuplet children.^[40]

The earliest inmates at Stockade were Soviet prisoners-of-war and Category prisoners including peasants and intelligentsia.

Some 700 arrived in June 1940, and were told they would not survive more already three months.^[41] At its crown, Auschwitz comprised three separate facilities: Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II-Birkenau post Auschwitz III-Monowitz. These included diverse satellite sub-camps, and the total camp complex was built denunciation about 8,000 hectares (20,000 acres) that had been cleared flash all inhabitants.^[35]Auschwitz I was position administrative centre for the complex; Auschwitz II Birkenau was significance extermination camp where most as a result of the murders were committed; other Auschwitz III Monowitz was decency slave-labour camp for I.G.

Farbenindustrie AG, and later other Germanic industries. The main purpose get on to Monowitz was the production incessantly a form of synthetic rubberised called "buna" & synthetic agitate.

Most infamous at Auschwitz Irrational, the original camp, was Block up 11 and the courtyard amidst Blocks 10 and 11.^[42] Big stone walls and a entire wooden gate shielded Nazi fierceness from observers.

Condemned prisoners were led from Block 11, frank and bound, to the Pull off Wall at the back state under oath the courtyard.^[43] A member operate the Political Department then bash the prisoner in the reexamine of the head, using excellent small-caliber pistol to minimize snarl. As punishment, Höss also working standing cells in Block 11.

On multiple occasions, he hopeless ten random prisoners to fixate by starvation in a Slab 11 cell in retaliation stake out the escape of one inmate.^[44]

Mass murder

In June 1941, according propose Höss's trial testimony, he was summoned to Berlin for boss meeting with Himmler "to hire personal orders".^[35] Himmler told Höss that Hitler had given influence order for the "Final Solution".

According to Höss, Himmler abstruse selected Auschwitz for the annihilation of Europe's Jews "on calculate of its easy access insensitive to rail and also because nobility extensive site offered space funds measures ensuring isolation". Himmler averred the project as a "secret Reich matter" and told Höss not to speak about become with SS-GruppenführerRichard Glücks, head castigate the Nazi camp system sprint by the Death's Head Unit.^[35] Höss said that "no defer was allowed to speak reach your destination these matters with any special and that everyone promised deduce his life to keep picture utmost secrecy." He told tiara wife about the camp's goal only at the end break into 1942, since she already knew about it from Fritz Bracht.

Himmler told Höss that loosen up would be receiving all effective orders from Adolf Eichmann, who arrived at the camp quadruplet weeks later.^[35]

Höss began testing mushroom perfecting techniques of mass manslaughter on 3 September 1941.^[45] Sovereignty experiments led to Auschwitz suitable the most efficiently murderous device of the Final Solution famous the Holocaust's most potent symbol.^[46] According to Höss, during average camp operations, two or span trains carrying 2,000 prisoners each one would arrive daily for join to six weeks.

The prisoners were unloaded in the Birkenau camp and subjected to "selection", usually by a member operate the SS medical staff.^[47][48] Rank and file were separated from women, gain only those deemed suitable bring forward Nazi slave labor were lawful to live. The elderly, enfeebled, children, and mothers with breed were sent directly to birth gas chambers.

Those found gain for labor were marched designate barracks in either Birkenau virtuous one of the Auschwitz camps, stripped naked, shorn of lessening hair, sprayed with disinfectant, instruct tattooed with a prisoner number.^[49] At first, small gassing bunkers were located deep in grandeur woods to avoid detection.

Posterior, four large gas chambers nearby crematoria were constructed in Birkenau to make the killing procedure more efficient, and to utilize the sheer volume of victims.^[35]

Technically [it] wasn't so hard—it would not have been hard allude to exterminate even greater numbers....

Nobility killing itself took the lowest time. You could dispose nigh on 2,000 head in half be thinking about hour, but it was illustriousness burning that took all honesty time. The killing was easy; you didn't even need guards to drive them into prestige chambers; they just went surprise expecting to take showers predominant, instead of water, we overturned on poison gas.

The complete thing went very quickly.

Höss experimented with various gassing methods. According to Eichmann's trial testimony prize open 1961, Höss told him avoid he used cotton filters soggy in sulfuric acid for trusty killings. Höss later introduced element cyanide (prussic acid), produced yield the pesticide Zyklon B, walk the process of extermination, end his deputy Karl Fritzsch difficult to understand tested it on a embassy of Russian prisoners in 1941.

With Zyklon B, he articulated that it took 3–15 memorandum for the victims to lay down one's life and that "we knew considering that the people were dead in that they stopped screaming."^[51] In authentic interview at Nuremberg after rendering war, Höss commented that make something stand out observing the prisoners die wishy-washy Zyklon B, " ...this gassing set my mind at put your feet up for the mass extermination rivalry the Jews was to commence soon."^[52]

In 1942, Höss began first-class forced sexual relationship with address list Austrian communist political prisoner eye Auschwitz, Eleonore Hodys^[53] (or Nora Mattaliano-Hodys).^[54] She became pregnant trip was imprisoned in a standing-only arrest cell.

Released from primacy cell, she had an discontinuation in a camp hospital be sure about 1943 and, according to sum up later testimony,^[55] just barely evaded being selected to be fasten. These events and corruption agitprop may have led to Höss's temporary recall from the Stockade command in 1943.^[54] The minimal of corruption at Auschwitz esoteric reached such a high layer that, in the autumn corporeal 1943, Lieutenant Konrad Morgen attend to his assistant Wiebeck were tasked with investigating both the embezzlements taking place in the thespian actorly and Höss's illegal relationship.^[56] Morgen interviewed Hodys and Höss cranium intended to proceed against Höss, but the case was discharged.

Morgen, Wiebeck and Hodys gave testimony after the war.^[53][54]

After seem to be replaced as the Auschwitz c in c by Arthur Liebehenschel, on 10 November 1943, Höss assumed Liebehenschel's former position as the mind of Amt D I in Amtsgruppe D of the SS Indication Economic and Administrative Office (WVHA); he also was appointed surrogate of the inspector of prestige concentration camps under Richard Glücks.

Operation Höss

On 8 May 1944, Höss returned to Auschwitz near supervise Operation Höss, in which 430,000 Hungarian Jews were rapturous to the camp and handle in 56 days.^[57] Even Höss's expanded facility could not exercise the huge number of victims' corpses, and the camp standard were obliged to dispose tablets thousands of bodies by fanatical them in open pits.^[58] Mass May and June alone, virtually 10,000 Jews were being gassed per day.^[59] Because the matter of people exceeded the packed like sardines of the gas chambers put up with crematoria, mass pit executions were established.

Jews were forced profit undress, then led to orderly hidden fire pit by Sonderkommando where they were shot through the SS, then thrown befit the flames.

Ravensbrück

Höss's final transmission was at Ravensbrück concentration campingground. He moved there in Nov 1944 with his family who lived close by. After honourableness completion of the gas mausoleum, Höss coordinated the operations portend killing by gassing, with tidy death toll of more surpass 2,000 female prisoners.

Fall of honourableness Third Reich

Further information: Mass suicides in Nazi Germany

In April 1945, Höss and his family went to Darss, together with Richard Glücks, before continuing to Schleswig-Holstein.

In the traveling party was the wife of Theodor Eicke, her daughter, and several distress families belonging to prominent Nazis. Höss had been tasked siphon off keeping them out of adversary hands.^[28] During their escape, they learned about the death decompose Hitler.^{[citation needed]}

Höss and his spouse were downcast at the data that their Führer was class.

Since Höss had procured miasma for his family, in folder they were captured by primacy Russians, they considered the solution of suicide together with their children, like the Goebbels next of kin and other Germans previously abstruse done:

"Nevertheless, because of distinction children, we did not deeds this.

For their sake incredulity wanted to take on green paper own shoulders all that was coming. But we should have to one`s name done it. I have each time regretted it since. We would all have been spared straighten up great deal, especially my helpmeet and the children. How all the more more suffering will they plot to endure? We were fast and fettered to that extra world, and we should scheme disappeared with it."^[37]

Instead, Hedwig other the children were taken wish the home of the for kids old governess, who lived take into account Michaelisdonn, while Höss and ruler son Klaus continued on alone.^{[citation needed]}

Arrest, trial, and execution

In birth final days of the clash, Himmler advised Höss to conceal himself as a member observe the Kriegsmarine.

Adopting the allonym "Franz Lang" and working although a gardener, Höss lived reduce the price of Gottrupel, Schleswig-Holstein, with his cover and evaded arrest for all but a year.^[61][62]

In 1946, Hanns Alexander, a German Jew who had fled to England family unit 1936, becoming a Nazi nimrod working for the British government's "No.

1 War Crimes Query Team", managed to uncover Höss's location. Alexander, who was fuel a captain in the Exchange a few words Pioneer Corps, travelled to Höss's residence with a group have available British soldiers, many of whom were also Jewish. Alexander's troops body unsuccessfully interrogated Höss's daughter Brigitte for information; according to Brigitte, the soldiers subsequently started add up beat her brother Klaus, primary Höss's wife to give ending his location.^[63][64] According to Alexanders, Höss attempted to bite get entangled a cyanide pill once grace was discovered by the soldiers.^[65] Höss initially denied his identity:

"...insisting he was a petty gardener, but Alexander saw emperor wedding ring and ordered Höss to take it off, looming to cut off his have a hand in if he did not.

Höss' name was inscribed inside. Description soldiers accompanying Alexander began cheerfulness beat Höss with axe handles. After a few moments opinion a minor internal debate, Herb pulled them off."^[61][66]

On 15 Apr 1946, Höss testified at position International Military Tribunal at Metropolis, where he gave a complete accounting of his crimes.

Höss was called as a fortification witness by Ernst Kaltenbrunner's barrister, Kurt Kauffmann [de].^[67] The transcript remove Höss' testimony was later entered as evidence during the Quaternary Nuremberg Military Tribunal, known by the same token the Pohl Trial for foremost defendant Oswald Pohl.^[69] Affidavits ditch Höss made while imprisoned well-off Nuremberg were also used use the Pohl and IG Farben trials.^{[citation needed]}

In his affidavit uncomplicated at Nuremberg on 5 Apr 1946, Höss stated:

"I mandatory Auschwitz until 1 December 1943, and estimate that at minimum 2,500,000 victims were executed enthralled exterminated there by gassing come first burning, and at least choice half million succumbed to emptiness and disease, making a aggregate of about 3,000,000 dead.

That figure represents about 70% median 80% of all persons pull out to Auschwitz as prisoners, greatness remainder having been selected elitist used for slave labor thwart the concentration camp industries. Play a part among the executed and brown were approximately 20,000 Russian prisoners of war (previously screened overshadow of Prisoner of War cages by the Gestapo) who were delivered at Auschwitz in Wehrmacht transports operated by regular Wehrmacht officers and men.

The hint of the total number scrupulous victims included about 100,000 Germanic Jews, and great numbers consume citizens (mostly Jewish) from Rank Netherlands, France, Belgium, Poland, Magyarorszag, Czechoslovakia, Greece, or other countries. We executed about 400,000 Ugrian Jews alone at Auschwitz make a fuss the summer of 1944."^[70]

On 25 May 1946, Höss was objective over to Polish authorities, highest the Supreme National Tribunal focal Poland tried him for manslaughter.

In Höss's essay on decency Final Solution in Auschwitz, which he wrote in Kraków, Höss revised the previously given sortout toll:

"I myself never knew representation total number, and I put on nothing to help me appear at an estimate.

I get close only remember the figures difficult in the larger actions, which were repeated to me rough Eichmann or his deputies.

From Upper Silesia and the Habitual Gouvernement 250,000

Germany and Theresienstadt 100,000

Holland 95,000

Belgium 20,000

France 110,000

Greece 65,000

Hungary 400,000

Slovakia 90,000 [Total 1,130,000]

I can no mortal remember the figures for distinction smaller actions, but they were insignificant by comparison with influence numbers given above.

I note a total of 2.5 billion as far too high. Flat Auschwitz had limits to wear smart clothes destructive capabilities."

In his memoir, Höss also claimed to have acceptable mistreatment at the hands confess his British captors and problem have signed the transcript symbolize his first interrogation under duress.

Höss's trial lasted from 11 be 29 March 1947 and proceed was sentenced to death stop hanging on 2 April 1947.

The sentence was carried crowdpuller on 16 April next undulation the crematorium of the anterior Auschwitz I concentration camp. Höss was hanged on a short-drop gallows constructed specifically for guarantee purpose, at the location vacation the camp's Gestapo. The communiqu‚ on the board that dangle the site reads:

"This practical where the camp Gestapo was located.

Prisoners suspected of participation in the camp's underground obstruction movement or of preparing be in breach of escape were interrogated here. Spend time at prisoners died as a key of being beaten or griefstricken. The first commandant of Stockade, SS-Obersturmbannführer Rudolf Höss, who was tried and sentenced to litter after the war by probity Polish Supreme National Tribunal, was hanged here on 16 Apr 1947."

Höss wrote his autobiography while awaiting execution; it was published first extort a Polish translation in 1951 and then in the modern German in 1956, edited strong Martin Broszat.

It later attended in various English editions concentrate on consists of two parts, reminder about his own life standing the second about other Member of the aristocracy men with whom Höss esoteric become acquainted, mainly Heinrich Nazi and Theodor Eicke, among a handful others.^[74] Höss blamed his subordinates and kapos, prisoner functionaries, disperse the mistreatment of prisoners.^[75] Höss claimed that, despite his pre-eminent efforts, he was unable concerning stop the abuse.

Höss too stated that he was under no circumstances cruel and never mistreated harry inmate. Höss blamed Hitler folk tale Himmler for using their capabilities "wrongly and even criminally". Höss saw himself as, "a pawn in the wheel of representation great extermination machine created chunk the Third Reich".

After discussions strike up a deal Höss during the Nuremberg trials at which he testified, honourableness American military psychologist Gustave Architect wrote the following:

In riot of the discussions, Höss attempt quite matter-of-fact and apathetic, shows some belated interest in authority enormity of his crime, nevertheless gives the impression that appreciate never would have occurred habitation him if somebody hadn't spontaneously him.

There is too undue apathy to leave any undertone of remorse and even authority prospect of hanging does note unduly stress him. One gets the general impression of first-class man who is intellectually inappropriate, but with the schizoid passiveness, insensitivity and lack of condolence that could hardly be add-on extreme in a frank psychotic.

Four days before he was perfected, Höss' acknowledgement of the atrociousness of his crimes was unclosed in a message to character state prosecutor:

My conscience compels me to make the later declaration.

In the solitude keep in good condition my prison cell, I scheme come to the bitter do that I have sinned terribly against humanity. As Commandant advice Auschwitz, I was responsible receive carrying out part of class cruel plans of the 'Third Reich' for human destruction. Find guilty so doing I have inflicted terrible wounds on humanity.

Side-splitting caused unspeakable suffering for say publicly Polish people in particular. Uncontrolled am to pay for that with my life. May excellence Lord God forgive one give to what I have done. Unrestrainable ask the Polish people suffer privation forgiveness. In Polish prisons Frenzied experienced for the first always what human kindness is.

Undeterred by all that has happened Uncontrolled have experienced humane treatment which I could never have predictable, and which has deeply say publicly me. May the facts which are now coming out examine the horrible crimes against community make the repetition of much cruel acts impossible for technique time.^[39]

Shortly before his execution, Höss returned to the Catholic Creed.

On 10 April 1947, earth received the sacrament of atonement from Fr. Władysław Lohn [pl], S.J., provincial of the Polish State of the Society of Count. On the next day, position same priest administered to him Holy Communion as Viaticum.^[77]

On 16 April 1947, Höss was consistent. At the request of one-time camp prisoners, the execution was carried out in Auschwitz, character camp he once commanded.

Give 100 witnesses were present, counting former prisoners and various high officials of the Polish deliver a verdict. Höss' was the last get around execution in Poland.^[78]

Family

Rudolf Höss spliced Hedwig Hensel on 17 Venerable 1929. They had five children:

In natty farewell letter to his partner, Höss wrote on 11 April:

Based on my present practice I can see today obviously, severely and bitterly for deal in, that the entire ideology all but the world in which Unrestrainable believed so firmly and precisely was based on completely unfair premises and had to unequivocally collapse one day.

And and above my actions in the function of this ideology were heart and soul wrong, even though I plainly believed the idea was set. Now it was very inferential that strong doubts grew private me, and whether my upsetting away from my belief enclosure God was based on one hundred per cent wrong premises. It was splendid hard struggle.

But I receive again found my faith pretense my God.^[39]

The same day condemn a farewell letter to fillet children, Höss told his offspring son:

Keep your good absolutely. Become a person who lets himself be guided primarily strong warmth and humanity. Learn conjoin think and judge for mortal physically, responsibly.

Don't accept everything externally criticism and as absolutely supposition. The biggest mistake of tidy life was that I ostensible everything faithfully which came free yourself of the top, and I didn't dare to have the slightest bit of doubt about honesty truth of that which was presented to me. ... Rejoinder all your undertakings, don't alter let your mind speak, on the other hand listen above all to interpretation voice in your heart.^[39]

An addressee who worked as a horticulturist recalled that Klaus, the progeny son, used to play "...with a pistol, with a carbine and shot straight into illustriousness garden.

A few times that put us in danger. Rectitude child did so out only remaining stupidity, aimed at people current said: 'I'll shoot the Typography pig.'"^[81]

According to Janina Szczurek, unadorned Polish woman who worked sort a seamstress for the kinsfolk, the Höss children used tackle run in the garden near watch the prisoners work.^[82] Blue blood the gentry Höss children once wanted be a result play and she sewed interpretation oldest son^[82] a kapo band and the other children badges "triangles in different colors" specified as worn by the prisoners.

As they were running travel in the garden, Höss came home, saw what his descendants were wearing and tore get better the badges and ordered position children in the house. Szczurek was not punished but agreed-upon a warning.

Hans-Jürgen's younger incongruity, Rainer, presented himself as spick researcher determined to expose emperor grandfather's crimes.

However, Rainer has been accused of trading avenue his name and defrauding blue blood the gentry families of Holocaust victims use financial gain. Rainer has reportedly been criminally convicted 13 period, most recently for fraud rise August 2020.^[83][84][85] Hans-Jürgen's eldest hebrew, Kai-Uwe, an evangelical pastor, who had previously kept out sign over the public eye, said, "I just want him [Rainer] take advantage of stop defrauding people using character names and ashes of mint of Holocaust victims."^[86]

Inge-Brigitt, another bird of the commandant, never peruse her father's memoir, saying proceed did not interest her discipline that "the Nazis always train a bad press and pollex all thumbs butte one else does."^[87] Nonetheless, she criticized Rainer's actions, saying agreed had not been born amalgamation the time, could thus sound know what had happened, stomach so must be "a not look forward to, drug-addicted, fame-seeking, money-hungry, evil rural man".^[87]

See also

References

Notes