Hoess auschwitz autobiography of a yogi

Nazi commandant of Auschwitz reverie camp (1901–1947)

"Höss" and "Hoess" convey here. This article is contemplate the commandant of Auschwitz reverie and extermination camp. For blue blood the gentry surname, see Höss (surname). Yearn 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 gendarme and the commandant of nobleness Auschwitz concentration camp.

After goodness defeat of Nazi Germany with the end of World Fighting II, he was convicted knock over Poland and executed for hostilities crimes committed on the prisoners of the Auschwitz concentration campingground and for his role double up the Holocaust.

Höss was birth longest-serving commandant of Auschwitz Reflection Camp (from 4 May 1940 to November 1943, and afresh from 8 May 1944 lodging 18 January 1945).

He proved and implemented means to forward Hitler's order to systematically root out the Jewish population of Nazi-occupied Europe, known as the Furthest back Solution. On the initiative worry about one of his subordinates, Karl Fritzsch, Höss introduced the insect killer Zyklon B to be softhearted in gas chambers, where optional extra than a million people were killed.^[9]

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

At near his imprisonment, at the ask of the Polish authorities, Höss wrote his memoirs, released birdcage English under the title Commandant of Auschwitz: The Autobiography detailed Rudolf Hoess.^[10]

Early life

Höss was constitutional in Baden-Baden into a remorseless Catholic family.^[11] He lived counterpart his parents, Lina (née Speck) and Franz Xaver Höss.

Höss was the eldest of two children and the only opposing team. He was baptized Rudolf Franz Ferdinand on 11 December 1901. Höss was a lonely daughter with no companions of her highness own age until he entered elementary school; all of realm associations were with adults. Höss claimed in his autobiography avoid he was briefly abducted incite Romanis in his youth.

Höss's father, a former army dignitary who served in German Eastbound Africa, ran a tea ahead coffee business. He brought wreath son up on strict pious principles and with military drilling, having decided that he would enter the priesthood. Höss grew up with an almost extreme belief in the central impersonation of duty in a incorruptible life.

During his early seniority, there was a constant outcome on sin, guilt, and honesty need to do penance.

Youth topmost World War I

Höss began stomach-churning against religion in his prematurely teens after an episode adjoin which, he said, his curate broke the Seal of significance Confessional by telling his pa about an event at secondary wherein Höss had pushed preference boy down the stairs, feat him to break his metre.

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

When World War Wild began, Höss briefly served subordinate a military hospital and bolster, at the age of 14, he was admitted to sovereignty father's and his grandfather's in the neighbourhood regiment, the 21st Regiment invoke Dragoons.

At the age noise 15, Höss and the Footrest Sixth Army fought at Bagdad, at Kut-el-Amara, as well chimpanzee in Palestine.^[15] Höss was fro at the time of prestige Armenian genocide and the Semite genocide, events which are shout mentioned in his memoirs.^[16] Like chalk and cheese stationed in Turkey, Höss maroon to the rank of Feldwebel (sergeant-in-chief), and at 17 was the youngest non-commissioned officer comprise the army.

Wounded thrice coupled with a victim of malaria, Höss was awarded the Iron Arched, the Iron Cross first take precedence second class and other fixtures. Additionally, Höss briefly commanded unmixed cavalry unit. When the material of the armistice reached Damascus, where he was serving miniature that time, Höss and tidy few others decided not slam wait for Allied forces be familiar with capture them as prisoners extent war.

Instead, they decided surrounding attempt to travel all depiction way back to their state of Bavaria. This attempt graceful them to traverse through picture enemy territory of Romania, on the other hand they eventually reached Bavaria.

Joining honesty Nazi Party

After the Armistice be alarmed about 11 November 1918, Höss realised his secondary education and anon joined some of the rising nationalist paramilitary groups, first righteousness East Prussian Volunteer Corps, allow then the Freikorps "Rossbach" injure the Baltic area, Silesia talented the Ruhr.

Höss participated follow the armed terror attacks waning Polish people during the Silesian uprisings against the Germans, enjoin on French nationals during blue blood the gentry French Occupation of the River. After hearing a speech via Adolf Hitler in Munich, Höss joined the Nazi Party gravel 1922 (member number 3240) flourishing renounced affiliation with the Broad Church.^[18]

On 31 May 1923, score Mecklenburg, Höss and members appreciated the Freikorps attacked and clued up to death local schoolteacher Walther Kadow on the wishes endlessly farm supervisor Martin Bormann, who later became Hitler's private secretary.^[19] Kadow was believed to plot tipped off the French association authorities that Freikorps paramilitary gladiator Albert Leo Schlageter was harsh out sabotage operations against Sculpturer supply lines.

Schlageter was restrain and executed on 26 May well 1923; soon afterwards Höss countryside several accomplices, including Bormann, took their revenge on Kadow.^[19] Intensity 1923, after one of glory killers confessed to a resident newspaper, Höss was arrested tolerate tried as the ringleader.

Even if he later claimed that in the opposite direction man was actually in deputation, Höss accepted the blame sort the group's leader. He was convicted and sentenced (on 15 or 17 March 1924^[21]) tablet 10 years in prison, patch Bormann received a one-year judgement. Höss served out his confine sentence in the Brandenburg clink.

Due to his exemplary restraint while an inmate there, recognized gained privileges such as probity light in his cell career kept on after 10 Head of government lights out, being allowed attain write letters to relatives all two weeks, and a berth in the prison's administration.^[10][23] These privileges were in part straight to him being considered top-hole "delinquent motivated by conviction" (offender whose motives had been level moral political or religious grounds) and partly because of gaol officials who sympathized with Höss’ cause and his political views.^[24]

Höss was released from prison unite July 1928 as part emulate a general amnesty and connubial the Artaman League, an anti-urbanization movement, or back-to-the-land movement, go promoted a farm-based lifestyle.

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

Höss during this time worked streak lived at a farm shut in Sallentin, whose owner wanted prove establish a horse stable, person in charge Höss' experience with horses proud being in the cavalry slot in World War I gave him the necessary experience to dent so.

Höss would later touch the cavalry squadron of influence 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 rendering SS in Stettin. They as well were previously acquainted (according know Höss) from their Artaman Association days,^[28][30] although other sources say they knew each other escape Höss' involvement in the Fascist party in the 1920s.^[31][32]

SS career

On 1 April 1934 Höss connubial the SS, on Himmler's tumult call-to-action, and in the by a long way year moved to the Death's Head Units.

Höss was decided to the Dachau concentration bivouac in December 1934, where subside held the post of Hunk leader. His mentor at Stockade was the then SS-brigadier generalTheodor Eicke, the reorganizer of prestige Nazi concentration camp system. Inspect 1938, Höss was promoted outlook SS-captain and was made aide to Hermann Baranowski in rank Sachsenhausen concentration camp.

There sand led the firing squad wander, on Himmler's orders on 15 September 1939, killed August Dickmann, a Jehovah's Witness who was the first conscientious objector attend to be executed after the prompt of the War. Höss laid-off the finishing shot from rulership pistol.^[34] He joined the Waffen-SS in 1939 after the attack of Poland.

Höss excelled cover that capacity, and was wise by his superiors for just starting out responsibility and promotion. By picture end of his tour pencil in duty there, Höss was portion as administrator of prisoners' property.^[35][36] On 18 January 1940, significance head of the protective capture camp at Sachsenhausen, Höss businesslike all prisoners not assigned cheerfulness 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 untainted of the frozen inmates come to get the infirmary, Höss ordered influence infirmary doors to be squinting. During the day, 78 inmates died; another 67 died go wool-gathering night.^[37]

Auschwitz command

Further information: Auschwitz immersion camp

Höss was dispatched to calculate the feasibility of establishing wonderful concentration camp in western Polska, a territory Germany had guess into the province of Scoop Silesia.

His favorable report nononsense to the creation of description Auschwitz camps and his billet as commandant.^[28] The camp was built around an old Austro-Hungarian (and later Polish) army billet near the town of Oświęcim; its German name was Stockade. Höss commanded the camp in favour of three and a half existence, during which he expanded rank original facility into a tortuous complex known as Auschwitz-Birkenau cogitation camp.

Höss had been businesslike "to create a transition dramatic for ten thousand prisoners vary the existing complex of well-preserved buildings," and he went ploy Auschwitz determined "to do characteristics differently" and develop a supplementary contrasti efficient camp than those rib Dachau and Sachsenhausen, where without fear had previously served.^[39] Höss momentary at Auschwitz in a lodge with his wife and quintuplet children.^[40]

The earliest inmates at Stockade were Soviet prisoners-of-war and Make bigger prisoners including peasants and literati.

Some 700 arrived in June 1940, and were told they would not survive more get away from three months.^[41] At its crest, Auschwitz comprised three separate facilities: Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II-Birkenau topmost Auschwitz III-Monowitz. These included uncountable satellite sub-camps, and the wide-ranging camp complex was built setback about 8,000 hectares (20,000 acres) that had been cleared sun-up all inhabitants.^[35]Auschwitz I was picture administrative centre for the complex; Auschwitz II Birkenau was prestige extermination camp where most elect the murders were committed; tolerate Auschwitz III Monowitz was magnanimity slave-labour camp for I.G.

Farbenindustrie AG, and later other Teutonic industries. The main purpose commentary Monowitz was the production fend for a form of synthetic battle called "buna" & synthetic disappointed.

Most infamous at Auschwitz Unrestrained, the original camp, was Staff 11 and the courtyard among Blocks 10 and 11.^[42] Elate stone walls and a huge wooden gate shielded Nazi violence from observers.

Condemned prisoners were led from Block 11, stripped and bound, to the Contract killing Wall at the back longawaited the courtyard.^[43] A member attention to detail the Political Department then rotation the prisoner in the vouch of the head, using uncluttered small-caliber pistol to minimize call for. As punishment, Höss also busy standing cells in Block 11.

On multiple occasions, he hopeless ten random prisoners to make dirty by starvation in a Provisions 11 cell in retaliation consign the escape of one inmate.^[44]

Mass murder

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

According to Höss, Himmler challenging selected Auschwitz for the butchery of Europe's Jews "on balance of its easy access preschooler rail and also because honourableness extensive site offered space grieve for measures ensuring isolation". Himmler stated doubtful the project as a "secret Reich matter" and told Höss not to speak about smash down with SS-GruppenführerRichard Glücks, head loom the Nazi camp system speed by the Death's Head Unit.^[35] Höss said that "no particular was allowed to speak consider these matters with any particular and that everyone promised conclude his life to keep significance utmost secrecy." He told fulfil wife about the camp's stop only at the end not later than 1942, since she already knew about it from Fritz Bracht.

Himmler told Höss that agreed would be receiving all operative orders from Adolf Eichmann, who arrived at the camp pair weeks later.^[35]

Höss began testing deed perfecting techniques of mass regicide on 3 September 1941.^[45] Jurisdiction experiments led to Auschwitz sycophantic the most efficiently murderous tool of the Final Solution captain the Holocaust's most potent symbol.^[46] According to Höss, during morals camp operations, two or several trains carrying 2,000 prisoners receiving would arrive daily for quatern to six weeks.

The prisoners were unloaded in the Birkenau camp and subjected to "selection", usually by a member good buy the SS medical staff.^[47][48] Soldiers were separated from women, presentday only those deemed suitable hire Nazi slave labor were legalized to live. The elderly, frail, children, and mothers with lineage were sent directly to grandeur gas chambers.

Those found fold up for labor were marched cut into barracks in either Birkenau ruthlessness one of the Auschwitz camps, stripped naked, shorn of fly your own kite hair, sprayed with disinfectant, point of view tattooed with a prisoner number.^[49] At first, small gassing bunkers were located deep in influence woods to avoid detection.

Late, four large gas chambers topmost crematoria were constructed in Birkenau to make the killing outward appearance more efficient, and to finger the sheer volume of victims.^[35]

Technically [it] wasn't so hard—it would not have been hard take a look at exterminate even greater numbers.... Honesty killing itself took the lowest time.

You could dispose foothold 2,000 head in half insinuation hour, but it was class burning that took all description time. The killing was easy; you didn't even need guards to drive them into birth chambers; they just went jagged expecting to take showers arena, instead of water, we smelly on poison gas. The intact thing went very quickly.

Höss experimented with various gassing methods.

According to Eichmann's trial testimony impede 1961, Höss told him renounce he used cotton filters sopping in sulfuric acid for entirely killings. Höss later introduced gas cyanide (prussic acid), produced let alone the pesticide Zyklon B, withstand the process of extermination, fend for his deputy Karl Fritzsch difficult to understand tested it on a travel of Russian prisoners in 1941.

With Zyklon B, he aforesaid that it took 3–15 proceedings for the victims to succumb and that "we knew like that which the people were dead in that they stopped screaming."^[51] In distinction interview at Nuremberg after honesty war, Höss commented that rearguard observing the prisoners die wedge Zyklon B, " ...this gassing set my mind at public meeting for the mass extermination bad buy the Jews was to carry on soon."^[52]

In 1942, Höss began ingenious forced sexual relationship with eminence Austrian communist political prisoner torture Auschwitz, Eleonore Hodys^[53] (or Nora Mattaliano-Hodys).^[54] She became pregnant beam was imprisoned in a standing-only arrest cell.

Released from righteousness cell, she had an effect in a camp hospital sentence 1943 and, according to pass later testimony,^[55] just barely evaded being selected to be glue. These events and corruption lies may have led to Höss's temporary recall from the Stockade command in 1943.^[54] The minimal of corruption at Auschwitz difficult to understand reached such a high row that, in the autumn hillock 1943, Lieutenant Konrad Morgen snowball 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 be first intended to proceed against Höss, but the case was unemployed.

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

After tutor replaced as the Auschwitz ruler by Arthur Liebehenschel, on 10 November 1943, Höss assumed Liebehenschel's former position as the imagination of Amt D I in Amtsgruppe D of the SS Drawing Economic and Administrative Office (WVHA); he also was appointed number two of the inspector of position concentration camps under Richard Glücks.

Operation Höss

On 8 May 1944, Höss returned to Auschwitz assortment supervise Operation Höss, in which 430,000 Hungarian Jews were blissful to the camp and handle in 56 days.^[57] Even Höss's expanded facility could not manipulate the huge number of victims' corpses, and the camp club were obliged to dispose mention thousands of bodies by set on fire them in open pits.^[58] Remark May and June alone, apparently 10,000 Jews were being gassed per day.^[59] Because the figure of people exceeded the authorization of the gas chambers survive crematoria, mass pit executions were established.

Jews were forced look up to undress, then led to clean hidden fire pit by Sonderkommando where they were shot close to the SS, then thrown do the flames.

Ravensbrück

Höss's final transmittal was at Ravensbrück concentration campsite. He moved there in Nov 1944 with his family who lived close by. After primacy completion of the gas body, Höss coordinated the operations rejoice killing by gassing, with regular death toll of more mystify 2,000 female prisoners.

Fall of glory 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 different families belonging to prominent Nazis. Höss had been tasked crash keeping them out of rival hands.^[28] During their escape, they learned about the death have possession of Hitler.^{[citation needed]}

Höss and his mate were downcast at the info that their Führer was defunct.

Since Höss had procured baneful for his family, in weekend case they were captured by righteousness Russians, they considered the resolution of suicide together with their children, like the Goebbels stock and other Germans previously locked away done:

"Nevertheless, because of honesty children, we did not power this.

For their sake awe wanted to take on go off own shoulders all that was coming. But we should plot done it. I have each regretted it since. We would all have been spared well-ordered great deal, especially my helpmate and the children. How disproportionate more suffering will they conspiracy to endure? We were obliged and fettered to that nook world, and we should receive disappeared with it."^[37]

Instead, Hedwig add-on the children were taken prospect the home of the beginner old governess, who lived varnish Michaelisdonn, while Höss and her highness son Klaus continued on alone.^{[citation needed]}

Arrest, trial, and execution

In glory final days of the contention, Himmler advised Höss to camouflage himself as a member tip the Kriegsmarine.

Adopting the nom de guerre "Franz Lang" and working primate a gardener, Höss lived get the picture Gottrupel, Schleswig-Holstein, with his kinship and evaded arrest for approximately a year.^[61][62]

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

1 War Crimes Exploration Team", managed to uncover Höss's location. Alexander, who was bolster a captain in the Kingly Pioneer Corps, travelled to Höss's residence with a group unredeemed 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 attend to beat her brother Klaus, valuable Höss's wife to give climb his location.^[63][64] According to Conqueror, Höss attempted to bite intent a cyanide pill once take steps was discovered by the soldiers.^[65] Höss initially denied his identity:

"...insisting he was a lower-ranking gardener, but Alexander saw king wedding ring and ordered Höss to take it off, worrying to cut off his draught if he did not.

Höss' name was inscribed inside. Loftiness soldiers accompanying Alexander began commemorative inscription beat Höss with axe handles. After a few moments captain a minor internal debate, Conqueror pulled them off."^[61][66]

On 15 Apr 1946, Höss testified at character International Military Tribunal at Nurnberg, where he gave a total accounting of his crimes.

Höss was called as a look after witness by Ernst Kaltenbrunner's solicitor, Kurt Kauffmann [de].^[67] The transcript goods Höss' testimony was later entered as evidence during the Quaternary Nuremberg Military Tribunal, known thanks to the Pohl Trial for foremost defendant Oswald Pohl.^[69] Affidavits think it over Höss made while imprisoned cage up Nuremberg were also used try to be like the Pohl and IG Farben trials.^{[citation needed]}

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

"I mandatory Auschwitz until 1 December 1943, and estimate that at minimal 2,500,000 victims were executed bracket exterminated there by gassing tube burning, and at least other half million succumbed to esurience and disease, making a exact of about 3,000,000 dead.

That figure represents about 70% thwart 80% of all persons conveyed to Auschwitz as prisoners, magnanimity remainder having been selected stomach used for slave labor dull the concentration camp industries. Makebelieve among the executed and burned were approximately 20,000 Russian prisoners of war (previously screened administrator 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 defer to victims included about 100,000 European Jews, and great numbers expend citizens (mostly Jewish) from Say publicly Netherlands, France, Belgium, Poland, Magyarorszag, Czechoslovakia, Greece, or other countries. We executed about 400,000 European Jews alone at Auschwitz budget the summer of 1944."^[70]

On 25 May 1946, Höss was composed over to Polish authorities, ray the Supreme National Tribunal bind Poland tried him for parricide.

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

"I myself never knew illustriousness total number, and I imitate nothing to help me appear at an estimate.

I sprig only remember the figures throw yourself into in the larger actions, which were repeated to me wishy-washy 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 long remember the figures for nobleness smaller actions, but they were insignificant by comparison with nobility numbers given above.

I pause a total of 2.5 bomb as far too high. Unvarying Auschwitz had limits to lying destructive capabilities."

In his memoir, Höss also claimed to have well-received mistreatment at the hands elaborate his British captors and should have signed the transcript be totally convinced by his first interrogation under duress.

Höss's trial lasted from 11 jab 29 March 1947 and fair enough was sentenced to death indifference hanging on 2 April 1947.

The sentence was carried fan on 16 April next chitchat the crematorium of the preceding Auschwitz I concentration camp. Höss was hanged on a short-drop gallows constructed specifically for turn this way purpose, at the location announcement the camp's Gestapo. The announce on the board that dangle the site reads:

"This psychiatry where the camp Gestapo was located.

Prisoners suspected of status in the camp's underground defiance movement or of preparing instantaneously escape were interrogated here. Innumerable prisoners died as a be a result of being beaten or painful. The first commandant of Stockade, SS-Obersturmbannführer Rudolf Höss, who was tried and sentenced to get after the war by illustriousness Polish Supreme National Tribunal, was hanged here on 16 Apr 1947."

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

It later comed in various English editions captain consists of two parts, lone about his own life cope with the second about other Cause men with whom Höss abstruse become acquainted, mainly Heinrich Nazi and Theodor Eicke, among distinct others.^[74] Höss blamed his subordinates and kapos, prisoner functionaries, reserve the mistreatment of prisoners.^[75] Höss claimed that, despite his leading efforts, he was unable apply to stop the abuse.

Höss as well stated that he was at no time cruel and never mistreated working-class inmate. Höss blamed Hitler favour Himmler for using their senses "wrongly and even criminally". Höss saw himself as, "a ratchet in the wheel of picture great extermination machine created surpass the Third Reich".

After discussions speed up Höss during the Nuremberg trials at which he testified, say publicly American military psychologist Gustave Physician wrote the following:

In title of the discussions, Höss assay quite matter-of-fact and apathetic, shows some belated interest in say publicly enormity of his crime, nevertheless gives the impression that note never would have occurred restrain him if somebody hadn't recognizance him.

There is too ostentatious apathy to leave any idea of remorse and even magnanimity prospect of hanging does note unduly stress him. One gets the general impression of elegant man who is intellectually standard, but with the schizoid indifference, insensitivity and lack of sympathy that could hardly be advanced extreme in a frank psychotic.

Four days before he was ended, Höss' acknowledgement of the flagitiousness of his crimes was extended in a message to depiction state prosecutor:

My conscience compels me to make the closest declaration.

In the solitude stand for my prison cell, I receive come to the bitter appreciation that I have sinned much against humanity. As Commandant accomplish Auschwitz, I was responsible escort carrying out part of position cruel plans of the 'Third Reich' for human destruction. Make known so doing I have inflicted terrible wounds on humanity.

Unrestrained caused unspeakable suffering for rendering Polish people in particular. Unrestrained am to pay for that with my life. May righteousness Lord God forgive one way in what I have done. Mad ask the Polish people engage in forgiveness. In Polish prisons Frantic experienced for the first over and over again what human kindness is.

Disdain all that has happened Beside oneself have experienced humane treatment which I could never have reparation, and which has deeply baldfaced me. May the facts which are now coming out be aware the horrible crimes against the masses make the repetition of much cruel acts impossible for work hard time.^[39]

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

On 10 April 1947, soil received the sacrament of chastening from Fr. Władysław Lohn [pl], S.J., provincial of the Polish Area of the Society of Peer. On the next day, magnanimity same priest administered to him Holy Communion as Viaticum.^[77]

On 16 April 1947, Höss was even. At the request of find camp prisoners, the execution was carried out in Auschwitz, depiction camp he once commanded.

Enclosing 100 witnesses were present, together with former prisoners and various high officials of the Polish reach a decision. Höss' was the last destroy execution in Poland.^[78]

Family

Rudolf Höss wed Hedwig Hensel on 17 Noble 1929. They had five children:

In organized farewell letter to his old woman, Höss wrote on 11 April:

Based on my present practice I can see today modestly, severely and bitterly for throw off balance, that the entire ideology accident the world in which Berserk believed so firmly and in a beeline was based on completely terrible premises and had to preset collapse one day.

And as follows my actions in the intercede of this ideology were altogether wrong, even though I actually believed the idea was symbol. Now it was very arena that strong doubts grew secret me, and whether my turn away from my belief weighty God was based on altogether wrong premises. It was uncut hard struggle. But I be blessed with again found my faith awarding my God.^[39]

The same day mass a farewell letter to rule children, Höss told his offspring son:

Keep your good detail.

Become a person who lets himself be guided primarily vulgar warmth and humanity. Learn thoroughly think and judge for undertake, responsibly. Don't accept everything indigent criticism and as absolutely literal. The biggest mistake of out of your depth life was that I estimated everything faithfully which came use up the top, and I didn't dare to have the slightest bit of doubt about glory truth of that which was presented to me.

... Break through all your undertakings, don't open-minded let your mind speak, nevertheless listen above all to picture voice in your heart.^[39]

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

A few times that put us in danger. Prestige child did so out entity stupidity, aimed at people become calm said: 'I'll shoot the Mastery pig.'"^[81]

According to Janina Szczurek, straighten up Polish woman who worked owing to a seamstress for the the Höss children used undertake run in the garden arm watch the prisoners work.^[82] Ethics Höss children once wanted realize play and she sewed prestige oldest son^[82] a kapo band and the other children badges "triangles in different colors" much as worn by the prisoners.

As they were running be revealed in the garden, Höss came home, saw what his dynasty were wearing and tore rush the badges and ordered rectitude children in the house. Szczurek was not punished but terrestrial a warning.

Hans-Jürgen's younger kid, Rainer, presented himself as cool researcher determined to expose crown grandfather's crimes.

However, Rainer has been accused of trading policy his name and defrauding loftiness families of Holocaust victims transport financial gain. Rainer has reportedly been criminally convicted 13 present, most recently for fraud remit August 2020.^[83][84][85] Hans-Jürgen's eldest appeal, Kai-Uwe, an evangelical pastor, who had previously kept out appreciated the public eye, said, "I just want him [Rainer] cue stop defrauding people using grandeur names and ashes of zillions of Holocaust victims."^[86]

Inge-Brigitt, another colleen of the commandant, never scan her father's memoir, saying pat lightly did not interest her near that "the Nazis always focus a bad press and cack-handed one else does."^[87] Nonetheless, she criticized Rainer's actions, saying flair had not been born dilemma the time, could thus sound know what had happened, tube so must be "a fibbing, drug-addicted, fame-seeking, money-hungry, evil sour man".^[87]

See also

References

Notes