Traugott Vitz and I have written a book “Hangmen at War” detailing the work of hangmen during and in the aftermath of World War II, operating in the UK, the USA, Canada, France, Italy and elsewhere dealing with war criminals, delinquent soldiers, prisoners of war, saboteurs, spies and traitors. All known cases are listed.
Hameln.
The “Pied Piper” town of Hameln (or Hamelin, the British spelling) on the river Weser in Germany had featured a “Zuchthaus” or penitentiary since 1935. It was taken over by the British and operated by the Control Commission for Germany (British Element). The original Allied Control Commission had been established by agreement of the 5th of June 1945, to deal with Axis war criminals and to provide local governance.
On the 14th June, 1945, a Royal Warrant (0160/2498 A. O. 81/1945) was issued, providing Regulations for the Trial of War Criminals. The full text can be read here. Paragraph 9 states that “A person found guilty by a Military Court of a war crime may be sentenced to and shall be liable to suffer any one or more of the following punishments, namely:-
(i) Death (either by hanging or by shooting);
(ii) Imprisonment for life or for any lesser term;
(iii) Confiscation;
(iv) A fine.
War crime defendants were tried by British Military courts at No. 30 Lindenstrasse in Lüneburg, the Curio-Haus in Hamburg, at Wuppertal and elsewhere, e.g. Georg Otto Sandrock and three others who were tried by a British Military court in Almelo, Holland, on 24th – 26th November, 1945 for the murder of Pilot Officer Gerald Hood who was a Prisoner of War (PoW). On the 28th of October 1949 the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs told Parliament that nine hundred and thirty-seven persons have been tried on war crimes charges by British Military Courts in the British zone of Germany. Six hundred and seventy-seven of them have been convicted, 230 being sentenced to death. One hundred and seventy four death sentences had been carried out by this date, although not all at Hameln.
Albert Pierrepoint was appointed by the British Army to carry out the hangings and the army directed that he was to be treated as the equivalent rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was flown over to Germany on each occasion and collected by Jeep to be driven to the prison.
A gallows was set up in the West wing of the main prison building. This wing was kept separate from the rest of the prison. The gallows was modelled on the design of the one at Pentonville prison in London which had trap doors wide enough to permit double (side by side) hangings which were the norm here. Prisoners were permitted the services of a minister of their religion prior to execution.
A total of 191 men and ten women were hanged at Hameln, plus one man, Teofil Walasek, who was shot. Albert Pierrepoint carried out all of the hangings, assisted by Company Sergeant Major Richard Anthony O’Neill (later Regimental Sergeant Major), Sergeant James Hunter CRMP, Edwin James Roper and Alexander Hurry (no military rank known). A British female prison governor or deputy governor had to be present at female executions. The deputy governor of Strangeways prison, Miss Wilson, was present for the first three on the 13th of December 1945.
146 men and the 10 women were hanged for war crimes, including 64 for the murders of Allied airmen and prisoners of war. In addition there were 42 Displaced Persons (DP in table below) comprising 25 Polish men, five Russians, five Yugoslavians, a Latvian, a Croat and one Ukrainian and three others whose nationality is unclear. Most of these Eastern European men were Displaced Persons from forced labour camps, and in many cases the details of their crimes are unknown. Two British soldiers who had been convicted of murders were hanged here after trial by courts martial. There was also Lithuanian born Franc Safranauskas, hanged for the murder of his wife, Anela.
Male hangings were typically carried out in pairs at approximately half hourly intervals. All ten women were executed singly as were a small number of men, including the two British soldiers.
After execution the bodies were placed in simple coffins which were assembled on site from flat packs. Each coffin was lowered into the grave dug in the prison yard and a foot of soil shovelled in on top. A three inch deep layer of charcoal was added as a marker so that future grave diggers would know that there was already a coffin below. Bodies were buried three deep and were marked only with a number.
The graves were most probably between the perimeter wall and the south western wall of the west wing, in the small courtyard shown as “Kl. Westhof” on the map. This space became full after the 91st execution, so from the 26th of June 1947 burials took place at the Am Wehl Cemetery in Hameln. The bodies of the two British soldiers were buried in Hanover War Cemetery.
At least in the case of the first set of executions (of the Belsen concentration camp staff) extra security was ordered. As the prison sat on the banks of the River Weser, the tow path was closed. Extra armed sentries were also posted.
Experiments were carried out by F.E. Buckland, the assistant director of pathology, British Army of the Rhine, on some of the war criminals executed at Hameln and these found, that although the prisoners were rendered unconscious by the drop, the heart could continue to beat for up to 25 minutes after execution. This created a problem because it meant that it would take far longer to carry out the batches of executions if each prisoner had to be left on the rope for an hour, as was standard British practice. It was thus proposed that the medical officer present would inject 10cc of chloroform into the prisoner 30 seconds after the drop had been given. It was found that if the chloroform was injected directly into the heart, it immediately stopped beating and if injected intravenously into the arm the heart would stop in seconds. This procedure was first used at the execution of the 10 men and three women on the 13th of December 1945.
On the 8th of March 1946 when eight men were hanged it was decided not to inject chloroform. The medical officer listened to their hearts with a stethoscope in the normal way and recorded his results. These showed that it took between 10 and 15 minutes for audible heart beats to cease. On the 15th of May 1946 a further ten executions were carried out and this time the condemned were wired up to an electrocardiograph, which recorded the electrical activity of the heart. It showed that impulses were produced for a further ten minutes; taking the total time to 25 minutes. During this series of executions, two men started breathing and had to be injected with chloroform. In one case, this took place 7 1/2 minutes after execution. It is thought that this was the last time chloroform was used.
Despite evidence of heart activity for up to 25 minutes, Buckland concluded that, in future executions, bodies should be left hanging for 15 minutes, or until a heartbeat was no longer audible, instead of the customary hour. This would make it “possible to effect dual executions at half hourly intervals”.
In 1950, the British returned Hameln prison back to German control. In March 1954, the German authorities began exhuming the bodies from the prison yard, identifying the remains for reburial in individual plots. The 91 bodies at Hameln were exhumed and reburied in consecrated ground in Am Wehl Cemetery.
The West wing, where the gallows and the condemned cells stood, was demolished in 1986. Hameln prison is now a hotel. The buildings that have survived to this day and are still used are the gatehouse (“Tor-Gebäude”), the hospital (“Lazarett”) to the east, the Administration Building (“Verwaltungsgebäude”) to the west, and the Main Building (“Hauptgebäude Vorderflügel”).
Below is the list of those executed here :
| Date hanged | Name | Case details (place and crime) | Hangman | Assistant 1 | Assistant 2 | Time | Sentenced | ||
| Th. 13/12/1945 | Volkenrath, Elisabeth, female born 5.9.1919 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 09.34 | 17/11/1945 | |||
| Grese, Irma, female born 10.7.1923 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 10.03 | 17/11/1945 | ||||
| Bormann, Juanna, (Johanna) fem. born 10.9.1893 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 10.38 | 17/11/1945 | ||||
| Kramer, Josef, born 10.11.1906 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 12.11 | 17/11/1945 | ||||
| Klein, Dr. Fritz, born 24.11.1888 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 12.11 | 17/11/1945 | ||||
| Francioh, Karl, born 15.10.1912 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 12.46 | 17/11/1945 | ||||
| Weingärtner, Peter, born 4.6.1913 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 12.46 | 17/11/1945 | ||||
| Pichen, Ansgar, born 26.9.1913 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 15.37 | 17/11/1945 | ||||
| Hößler, Franz, born 2.4.1906 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 15.37 | 17/11/1945 | ||||
| Sandrock, Georg Otto, born 11.5.1898 | Almelo murders of a British airman and a Dutch civilian | AP | R O’N | 15.49 | 26/11/1945 | ||||
| Schweinberger, Ludwig, born 3.8.1901 | Almelo murders of a British airman and a Dutch civilian | AP | R O’N | 15.49 | 26/11/1945 | ||||
| Stärfl, Franz, born 10.5.1915 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 16.17 | 17/11/1945 | ||||
| Dörr, Wilhelm, born 2.9.1921 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 16.17 | 17/11/1945 | ||||
| Fr. 8/03/1946 | Bühning, August, born 14.1.1896 | Bohmte – murder of two Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | 14.40 | 19/12/1945 | |||
| Renoth, Hans, born 30.6.1896 | Elten – murder of Pilot Officer William E. Maloney of the RAAF | AP | R O’N | 14.40 | 10/01/1946 | ||||
| Franke, Otto, born 23.4.1914 | Hesepe Aerodrome – murder of US Flt/Sgt Paul L. Berger | AP | R O’N | 15.10 | 23/12/1945 | ||||
| König, Friedrich, born 26.3.1895 | Bohmte – murder of two Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | 15.10 | 19/12/1945 | ||||
| Büttner, Alfred, born 10.5.1902 | Hesepe Aerodrome – murder of US Flt/Sgt Paul L. Berger | AP | R O’N | 15.45 | 23/12/1945 | ||||
| Mackensen, Willy, born 9.12.1893 | Evacuation march – ill treatment of Allied prisoners | 15.45 | 23/12/1945 | ||||||
| Braschoß, Johannes, born 19.9.1899 | Essen-West – murder of PoW’s | AP | R O’N | 16.10 | 23/12/1945 | ||||
| Heyer, Erich, born 27.9.1887 | Essen-West – murder of PoW’s | AP | R O’N | 16.10 | 23/12/1945 | ||||
| We. 15/05/1946 | Hoffmann, Erich, born 23.4.1900 | Stavanger – illegal execution of seven Norwegian patriots | AP | R O’N | 15.20 | 13/12/1945 | |||
| Uhrig, Friedrich, born 3.5.1912 | Langlingen – murder of Flight Lieutenant A M Crow | AP | R O’N | 15.20 | 20/02/1946 | ||||
| Lang, Ludwig, born 8.9.1899 | Dreierwalde Airfield murders of British airmen. 1st trial | AP | R O’N | 15.55 | 26/02/1946 | ||||
| Lommes, Hermann, born 1.5.1899 | Dreierwalde Airfield murders of British airmen. 1st trial | AP | R O’N | 15.55 | 26/02/1946 | ||||
| Scharschmidt, Wilhelm, born 2.6.1907 | Dreierwalde Airfield murders of British airmen. 1st trial | AP | R O’N | 16.23 | 26/02/1946 | ||||
| Günther, Emil, born 10.2.1899 | Dreierwalde Airfield murders of British airmen. 1st trial | AP | R O’N | 16.23 | 26/02/1946 | ||||
| Bopf, Otto, born 17.7.1895 | Dreierwalde Airfield murders of British airmen. 1st trial | AP | R O’N | 16.56 | 26/02/1946 | ||||
| Böttcher, Bruno, born 9.9.1897 | Dreierwalde Airfield murders of British airmen. 1st trial | AP | R O’N | 16.56 | 26/02/1946 | ||||
| Amberger, Karl, born 3.9.1914 | Dreierwalde Airfield murders of British airmen. 2nd trial | AP | R O’N | 17.30 | 14/03/1946 | ||||
| Kircher, Franz, born 7.8.1904 | Essen-West – murder of PoW’s | AP | R O’N | 17.30 | 03/04/1946 | ||||
| Th. 16/05/1946 | Schöngarth, Dr. Karl Eberhard, born 22.4.1903 | Enschede – murder of an Allied airman | AP | R O’N | 09.45 | 11/02/1946 | |||
| Knop, Erwin, born 16.8.1905 | Enschede – murder of an Allied airman | AP | R O’N | 09.45 | 11/02/1946 | ||||
| Gernoth, Herbert, born 12.1.1906 | Enschede – murder of an Allied airman | AP | R O’N | 10.15 | 11/02/1946 | ||||
| Hadler, Wilhelm, born 14.2.1898 | Enschede – murder of an Allied airman | AP | R O’N | 10.15 | 11/02/1946 | ||||
| Beeck, Friedrich, born 5.8.1886 | Enschede – murder of an Allied airman | AP | R O’N | 10.40 | 11/02/1946 | ||||
| Tesch, Bruno, born 14.8.1890 | Zyklon B – manufacture and use in gas chambers. | AP | R O’N | 11.23 | 08/03/1946 | ||||
| Weinbacher, Karl, born 23.6.1898 | Zyklon B – manufacture and use in gas chambers. | AP | R O’N | 11.23 | 08/03/1946 | ||||
| Th. 15/08/1946 | Walasek, Teofil, born 11.29.1923 | Polish DP – murder of Allied soldier & policeman | Shot | ||||||
| Tu. 8/10/1946 | Grimm, Walter, born 23.1.1911 | Poppenbüttel – murder of Polish national | AP | R O’N | AH | 10.27 | 01/04/1946 | ||
| Mumm, Karl, born 12.30.1901 | Poppenbüttel – murder of Polish national | AP | R O’N | AH | 10.27 | 01/04/1946 | |||
| Trzebinski, Dr. Alfred, born 29.8.1902 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 10.59 | 03/05/1946 | |||
| Kitt, Dr. Bruno, born 8.9.1908 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 10.59 | 03/05/1946 | |||
| Pauly, Max, born 1.6.1907 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 11.39 | 03/05/1946 | |||
| Thumann, Anton, born 10.31.1912 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 11.39 | 03/05/1946 | |||
| Dreimann, Willi, born 18.3.1904 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 12.11 | 03/05/1946 | |||
| Ruge, Heinrich, born 12.1.1912 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 12.11 | 03/05/1946 | |||
| Warncke, Wilhelm, born 28.4.1907 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 12.43 | 03/05/1946 | |||
| Reese, Johann, born 5.5.1906 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 12.43 | 03/05/1946 | |||
| Speck, Adolf, born 10.14.1911 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 14.19 | 03/05/1946 | |||
| Brems, Andreas, born 12.1.1913 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 14.19 | 03/05/1946 | |||
| Gerike, Heinrich, born 22.2.1904 | Velpke Children’s Home – murder of Polish children | AP | R O’N | AH | 14.47 | 03/04/1946 | |||
| Bahr, Wilhelm, born 25.4.1907 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 14.47 | 03/05/1946 | |||
| Heßling, Georg, born 20.2.1889 | Velpke Children’s Home – murder of Polish children | AP | R O’N | AH | 15.10 | 03/04/1946 | |||
| Knorr, Ludwig, born 14.4.1896 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 15.36 | 19/06/1946 | |||
| Fr. 11/10/1946 | Reddehase, Karl, born 3.5.1893 | AEL Waldeslust – murder of Allied nationals | AP | R O’N | AH | 08.59 | 29/05/1946 | ||
| Quakernack, Walter, born 9.7.1907 | Hanomag – murder of Allied nationals | AP | R O’N | AH | 08.59 | 16/05/1946 | |||
| Rydzewski, Kasimir Alexander (alias Cegielski, Kasimierz), born 28.7.1915 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 09.29 | 18/06/1946 | |||
| Heidemann, Heinz Lüder, born 23.4.1908 | Bergen-Belsen concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 09.29 | 24/05/1946 | |||
| Straub, Peter, born 12.12.1887 | KL Natzweiler II – murder of British airman (PoW) | AP | R O’N | AH | 09.54 | 05/06/1946 | |||
| Berg, Franz, born 17.10.1903 | KL Natzweiler II – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 09.54 | 05/06/1946 | |||
| Rohde, Werner, Dr., born 11.6.1904 | Murder of four female British SOE agents by lethal injection | AP | R O’N | AH | 10.31 | 01/06/1946 | |||
| Wolfert, Adolf, born 12.6.1901 | Dirmstein – murder of parachuted British airman, Cyril W. Sibley | AP | R O’N | AH | 10.31 | 12/05/1946 | |||
| Hartleb, Georg, born 12.5.1893 | Dirmstein – murder of parachuted British airman, Cyril W. Sibley | AP | R O’N | AH | 10.59 | 12/05/1946 | |||
| Fischer, Friedrich, born 20.2.1909 | Bochum – murder of Allied airman | AP | R O’N | AH | 10.59 | 29/06/1946 | |||
| Frahm, Johann, born 28.4.1901 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 11.26 | 31/07/1946 | |||
| Jauch, Ewald, born 23.4.1902 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | AH | 11.26 | 31/07/1946 | |||
| We. 22/01/1947 | Driver Upson, Francis John | British soldier, Driver in the R.A.S.C. – murder of a German woman | AP | R O’N | JH | Aug 1946 | |||
| Th. 23/01/1947 | Köchlin, Max, born 19.2.1918 | Pforzheim-Huchenfeld – murder of Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | JH | 08.59 | 03/09/1946 | ||
| Niklaus, Wilhelm, born 11.16.1911 | Pforzheim-Huchenfeld – murder of Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | JH | 08.59 | 03/09/1946 | |||
| Knab, Hans Christian, born 6.6.1887 | Pforzheim-Huchenfeld – murder of Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | JH | 09.30 | 03/09/1946 | |||
| Ernst, Albert, born 1.6.1910 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | JH | 09.30 | 29/08/1946 | |||
| Hollborn, Friedrich, born 17.6.1911 | Chief of Gestapo at Hagen – murder of Pilot Officer Thomas Delmer Scott RCAF | AP | R O’N | JH | 10.00 | 02/09/1946 | |||
| Schneider, Wilhelm, born 11.12.1907 | Vosges – murders of SAS men | AP | R O’N | JH | 10.00 | 11/07/1946 | |||
| Markwart, Max, born 17.1.1889 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | JH | 10.31 | 21/08/1946 | |||
| Schipper, Sebastian, born 16.9.1911 | Wilhelmshaven Case – murder of Allied nationals | AP | R O’N | JH | 10.31 | 08/10/1946 | |||
| Hoffmann, Emil, born 3.7.1912 | Neuengamme concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | JH | 11.02 | 26/07/1946 | |||
| Esser, Johannes, born 28.3.1896 | Neuss – murder of Flight Sergeant James George Williams RAFVR | AP | R O’N | JH | 11.02 | 28/09/1946 | |||
| Brunken, Anton, born 15.1.1909 | Beendorf-Helmstedt concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | JH | 11.34 | 13/08/1946 | |||
| Fr. 7/03/1947 | Körbel, Dr. Hans, born 2.6.1909 | Wolfsburg Rühen Orphanage – deaths of Polish children | AP | R O’N | AH | 24/06/1946 | |||
| Fr. 2/05/1947 | Binz, Dorothea, female born 16.3.1920 | KL Ravensbrück I – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 09.01 | 03/02/1947 | |||
| Marschall, Elisabeth, female born 24.5.1886 | KL Ravensbrück I – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 09.31 | 03/02/1947 | ||||
| Bösel, Greta, female born 5.9.1908 | KL Ravensbrück I – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 09.55 | 03/02/1947 | ||||
| Ebsen, Friedrich, born 6.6.1888 | Schandelah labor camp – camp commandant | AP | R O’N | 03/03/1947 | |||||
| Große, Arthur, born 12.5.1906 | Schandelah labor camp – beating to death a French inmate | AP | R O’N | 03/03/1947 | |||||
| Heitz, Johann, born 10.18.1923 | Schandelah labor camp – shooting three prisoners | AP | R O’N | 03/03/1947 | |||||
| Stumpp, Heinz, born 5.7.1912 | Bemerode – murder of two unidentified PoW’s | AP | R O’N | 20/01/1947 | |||||
| Truschel, Karl, born 10.3.1894 | Schandelah labor camp – killing a Russian inmate | AP | R O’N | 03/03/1947 | |||||
| Sa. 3/05/1947 | Schwarzhuber, Johann, born 29.8.1904 | KL Ravensbrück I – concentration camp commander | AP | R O’N | 08.58 | 03/02/1947 | |||
| Schiedlausky, Dr. Gerhard, born 14.1.1906 | KL Ravensbrück I – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 08.58 | 03/02/1947 | ||||
| Rosenthal, Dr. Rolf, born 22.1.1911 | KL Ravensbrück I – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 09.37 | 03/02/1947 | ||||
| Binder, Gustav, born 13.4.1910 | KL Ravensbrück I – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 09.37 | 03/02/1947 | ||||
| Randohr, Ludwig, born 15.6.1909 | KL Ravensbrück I – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 10.03 | 03/02/1947 | ||||
| Th. 26/06/1947 | Salvequart, Vera, female born 11.26.1919 | KL Ravensbrück I – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 09.03 | 03/02/1947 | |||
| Nowakowski, Longin, born 11.27.1906 | Polish DP – murder/robbery – victim: another Pole named Skrzypowski | AP | R O’N | 09.30 | 08/04/1947 | ||||
| Winiarski, Waclaw, born 3.7.1923 | Polish DP – murder/robbery – victim: another Pole named Skrzypowski | AP | R O’N | 09.30 | 08/04/1947 | ||||
| Bachor, Kazmierc, born 16.3.1912 | Polish DP – murder/robbery – victim: another Pole named Skrzypowski | AP | R O’N | 10.02 | 08/04/1947 | ||||
| Klingler, Josef, born 24.2.1904 | Neuengamme IV – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 10.02 | 21/03/1947 | ||||
| Lütkemeyer, Albert, born 17.6.1911 | Neuengamme VIII – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 10.40 | 07/03/1947 | ||||
| Keus, Wilhelm, born 20.3.1901 | Neuengamme VIII – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 10.40 | 07/03/1947 | ||||
| Jepsen, Gustav, born 10.1.1908 | Banterweg – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 11.22 | 06/03/1947 | ||||
| Haug, Karl, born 10.27.1895 | Noailles / Oise – killing of British paratroops | AP | R O’N | 11.22 | 12/03/1947 | ||||
| Kieffer, Hans, born 12.4.1900 | Noailles / Oise – killing of British paratroops | AP | R O’N | 11.57 | 12/03/1947 | ||||
| Schnur, Richard, born 11.12.1909 | Noailles / Oise – killing of British paratroops | AP | R O’N | 11.57 | 12/03/1947 | ||||
| Peek, Alfred, born 25.4.1909 | Hannover-Gestapo – murders of Allied PoWs | AP | R O’N | 12.27 | 14/04/1947 | ||||
| Rasche, Kurt, born 19.4.1909 | Hannover-Gestapo – murders of Allied PoWs | AP | R O’N | 12.27 | 14/04/1947 | ||||
| Fr. 5/09/1947 | Sergeant Patrick, Charles Edward | British Soldier – murder of his girlfriend, Pte. Georgina Kelty | AP | R O’N | ER | 09.03 | 29/03/1947 | ||
| Kun, Tadeusz, born 2.2.1928 | Polish DP – armed robbery, illegal use of firearms and murder | AP | R O’N | ER | 09.37 | 14/05/1947 | |||
| Smok, Franciczek, born 12.2.1924 | Polish DP – armed robbery, illegal use of firearms and murder | AP | R O’N | ER | 09.37 | 02/05/1947 | |||
| Kubik, Edward, born 10.9.1922 | Polish DP – illegal possession and use of firearms | AP | R O’N | ER | 10.08 | 16/06/1947 | |||
| Schwanz, Karl Paul, born 19.7.1898 | Tilburg – Murder of Fl. Lt. R A Walker, F/O J. S. Nott and F/O R. E. Carter | AP | R O’N | ER | 10.08 | 26/06/1947 | |||
| Cremer, Karl, born 4.8.1910 | Tilburg – Murder of Fl. Lt. R A Walker, F/O J. S. Nott and F/O R. E. Carter | AP | R O’N | ER | 10.41 | 26/06/1947 | |||
| Rösener, Albert, born 30.12.1911 | Tilburg – Murder of Fl. Lt. R A Walker, F/O J. S. Nott and F/O R. E. Carter | AP | R O’N | ER | 10.41 | 26/06/1947 | |||
| Streit, Stephan, born 12.4.1914 | Hanover-Ahlem – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | ER | 11.09 | 06/05/1947 | |||
| Knoth, Josef, born 10.22.1890 | Ihmert-Ihmerterbach – PoW camp | AP | R O’N | ER | 11.09 | 16/05/1947 | |||
| Rotschopf, Michael, born 13.12.1920 | Tilburg – Murder of Fl. Lt. R A Walker, F/O J. S. Nott and F/O R. E. Carter | AP | R O’N | ER | 11.36 | 26/06/1947 | |||
| Lütfring, Johann, born 20.2.1908 | Haltern – Murder of F/O George Arnold Costello RCAF | AP | R O’N | ER | 14.42 | 02/06/1947 | |||
| Dammann, Wilhelm, born 27.3.1910 | Hanover-Ahlem – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | ER | 14.42 | 06/05/1947 | |||
| Hochstätter, Friedrich, born 15.12.1901 | Rheine Airfield Case – murder of Lt C. Kelly USAAF + Sgt. G. J. Harris RAF | AP | R O’N | ER | 15.17 | 01/05/1947 | |||
| Stellpflug, Heinz, born 2.8.1911 | Rheine Airfield Case – murder of Sgt. G. J. Harris RAF | AP | R O’N | ER | 15.17 | 01/05/1947 | |||
| Fr. 14/11/1947 | Schulze, Fritz, born 16.3.1898 | Solingen – Murders of F/O R. W. Woodrow & Sgt. W. N. Watson | AP | R O’N | ER | 09.02 | 08/07/1947 | ||
| Waskiewicz, Jan, born 24.12.1920 | Polish DP – use of firearms in attack on farm, killing farmer | AP | R O’N | ER | 09.02 | 28/08/1947 | |||
| Kiwiak, Wasyl, born 23.3.1925 | Polish DP – Shot a policeman and shot and killed a civilian for cigarettes | AP | R O’N | ER | 09.36 | 02/09/1947 | |||
| Sternicki, Hubert, born 13.5.1927 | Polish DP – Shot a policeman and shot and killed a civilian for cigarettes | AP | R O’N | ER | 09.36 | 02/09/1947 | |||
| Gawliczek, Georg, born 1.2.1909 | Völkenrode aerodrome – murder of Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | ER | 10.12 | 04/09/1947 | |||
| Borkowski, Johann, born 26.6.1926 | Polish DP – use of firearms, plundering house in Bornhausen, killing owner | AP | R O’N | ER | 10.12 | 06/08/1947 | |||
| Bogdanowicz, Kazimiercz, born 1.7.1923 | Polish DP – use of firearms in attack on farm at Mastholde, killing farmer | AP | R O’N | ER | 10.46 | 28/07/1947 | |||
| Bisset, Marian, born 17.5.1922 | Polish DP – use of firearms in attack on farm at Mastholde, killing farmer | AP | R O’N | ER | 10.46 | 28/07/1947 | |||
| Stanczyk, Josef, born 17.4.1920 | Polish DP – use of firearms in attack on farm at Mastholde, killing farmer | AP | R O’N | ER | 11.22 | 28/07/1947 | |||
| Bussem, Josef, born 29.4.1917 | Völkenrode aerodrome – murder of Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | ER | 11.22 | 04/09/1947 | |||
| Soltys, Franz, born 4.9.1927 | Polish DP – use of firearms, plundering house in Bornhausen, killing owner | AP | R O’N | ER | 14.03 | 06/08/1947 | |||
| Dinge, Hermann, born 27.1.1892 | Völkenrode aerodrome – murder of Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | ER | 14.03 | 04/09/1947 | |||
| Bielski, Tadeusz, born 16.8.1923 | Polish DP – use of firearms, plundering house in Bornhausen, killing owner | AP | R O’N | ER | 14.34 | 06/08/1947 | |||
| Dziekan, Stanislaw, born 17.3.1916 | Polish DP – use of firearms, plundering house in Bornhausen, killing owner | AP | R O’N | ER | 14.34 | 06/08/1947 | |||
| Gawronski, Wladislaw, born 11.18.1915 | Polish DP – murder of unarmed German policeman during a theft | AP | R O’N | ER | 15.08 | 0/08/1947 | |||
| Kayser, Cornelius, born 12.2.1915 | Rengsdorf – murder of F/L James Keith Livingstone DFC RAFVR | AP | R O’N | ER | 15.08 | 30/06/1947 | |||
| Th. 29/01/1948 | Fricke, Otto, born 1.1. 8.1901 | Altenau – murder of two Canadian and one British airmen | AP | R O’N | ER | 25/09/1947 | |||
| Hennings, Wilhelm Friedrich, born 13.9.1913 | Fuhlsbüttel Police Prison – prison camp staff | AP | R O’N | ER | 24/09/1947 | ||||
| Kettenbeil, Udo, born 16.5.1907 | Neuengamme IX – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | ER | 23/10/1947 | ||||
| Schütte, Carl Otto, born 1.2.1890 | Fuhlsbüttel Police Prison – prison camp staff | AP | R O’N | ER | 24/09/1947 | ||||
| Tessmann, Willy Bernhard Karl, born 15.1.1908 | Fuhlsbüttel Police Prison – prison camp staff | AP | R O’N | ER | 24/09/1947 | ||||
| Fr. 30/01/1948 | Osuch, Marian, (Browicz, Czeslaw), b. 10.8.1924 | Polish DP – Robbery and murder by shooting | AP | R O’N | ER | 09.00 | 03/02/1947 | ||
| Bartsch, Peter, (Slawto Ogolubowaz), b. 24.2.1922 | Croatian DP – Robbing jeweler’s shop and shooting policeman to death | AP | R O’N | ER | 09.00 | 01/12/1947 | |||
| Zunde, Ansis, born 11.8.1922 | Latvian DP – Eutin case – shooting murder of his girlfriend’s husband | AP | R O’N | ER | 09.30 | 20/10/1947 | |||
| Paruszkiewicz, Andrzej, born 11.9.1915 | Polish DP – Feren case – shooting murder of farmer during robbery | AP | R O’N | ER | 09.30 | 23/09/1947 | |||
| Nikolic, Manojlo, born 10.5.1922 | Yugoslavian DP – Niederollendorf case, robbery and murder. | AP | R O’N | ER | 10.00 | 15/10/1947 | |||
| Pavkovic, Miloslaw, born 12.12.1923 | Yugoslavian DP – Niederollendorf case, robbery and murder. | AP | R O’N | ER | 10.00 | 15/10/1947 | |||
| Kordic, Mihaylo, born 11.21.1919 | Yugoslavian DP – Niederollendorf case, robbery and murder. | AP | R O’N | ER | 10.31 | 15/10/1947 | |||
| Mehmedovic, Pasaka, born 20.9.1923 | Yugoslavian DP – Niederollendorf case, robbery and murder. | AP | R O’N | ER | 10.31 | 15/10/1947 | |||
| Mitrasinovic, Stojadin, born 15.4.1914 | Yugoslavian DP – murder of fiancée in a quarrel | AP | R O’N | ER | 11.03 | 15/11/1947 | |||
| Safranauskas, Franc, born 24.1.1902 | Lithuanian DP – murder of his wife, Anela | AP | R O’N | ER | 11.03 | 08/12/1947 | |||
| Th. 26/02/1948 | Hauser, Friedrich, born 28.4.1901 | Pforzheim-Huchenfeld II – murder of 5 Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | 09.00 | 08/12/1947 | |||
| Opitz, Friedrich, born 7.8.1898 | Ravensbrück II – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 09.00 | 24/11/1947 | ||||
| Schimmel, Alfred, born 4.5.1906 | Murder of Flight Lieutenant Anthony Ross Henzell Hayter, RAF | AP | R O’N | 09.28 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| Herberg, Walter, born 13.8.1905 | Murder of Flight Officer Dennis Herbert Cochran, RAF | AP | R O’N | 09.28 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| Post, Johannes, born 11.11.1908 | Murder of 4 named Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | 09.54 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| Preiss, Otto, born 21.7.1906 | Murder of Flight Officer Dennis Herbert Cochran, RAF | AP | R O’N | 09.54 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| Kähler , Hans, born 3.5.1911 | Murder of 4 named Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | 10.23 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| Schmidt, Oscar, born 1.6.1901 | Murder of 4 named Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | 10.23 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| Jacobs, Walter, born 3.3.1913 | Murder of 4 named Allied airmen | AP | R O’N | 10.50 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| Zacharias, Erich, born 12.16.1911 | Murder of Flight Officer Gordon Arthur Kidder RCAF | AP | R O’N | 10.50 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| Schulz, Emil, born 17.8.1901 | Murder of Squadron Leader Roger Joyce Bushell RAF | AP | R O’N | 11.20 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| Weil, Emil, born 1.1.1910 | Murder of Lieutenant R.J. Stevens & Lieutenant J.S. Gouws (SAAF) | AP | R O’N | 11.20 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| Geith, Eduard, born 23.9.1899 | Murder of Lieutenant R.J. Stevens & Lieutenant J.S. Gouws (SAAF) | AP | R O’N | 11.46 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| Schneider, Johann, born 20.9.1909 | Murder of Lieutenant R.J. Stevens & Lieutenant J.S. Gouws (SAAF) | AP | R O’N | 11.46 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| Gmeiner, Josef, born 12.22.1904 | Murder of Flight Officer Dennis Herbert Cochran, RAF | AP | R O’N | 12.08 | 03/09/1947 | ||||
| We. 24/3/1948 | Lehmann, Johannes, born 1.4.1898 | Russian DP – AEL Lahde – Weser – prison camp staff | AP | R O’N | 09.00 | 16/12/1947 | |||
| Skiba, Wasyl, born 3.8.1924 | Russian DP – robbery and shooting death of man during break in | AP | R O’N | 09.00 | 05/11/1947 | ||||
| Streblinski, Nicolay born 17.6.1926 | Russian DP – robbery and beating to death of widow during break in | AP | R O’N | 09.28 | 27/11/1947 | ||||
| Lichotta, Zenon aka Iwanowitsche, Wasili | Russian DP – robbery and beating to death of widow during break in | AP | R O’N | 09.28 | 27/11/1947 | ||||
| We. 9/06/1948 | Baumann, Otto, born 17.8.1908 | Kiel-Hasse – prison camp staff | AP | R O’N | 08/12/1947 | ||||
| Czerwick, Josef, born 4.7.1924 | Polish DP – shooting murder of ex-girlfriend and her father | AP | R O’N | 19/02/1948 | |||||
| Dobosz, Jurko, born 5.5.1924 | Russian DP – home invasion and shooting a resident to death | AP | R O’N | 10/01/1948 | |||||
| Finkenrath, Karl, born 19.4.1909 | Herouvilette – murder of two paratroopers. | AP | R O’N | 03/04/1948 | |||||
| Griesel, Georg, born 26.7.1915 | Altenberg – murder of Flight Lieutenant Brian Maurice Hynes | AP | R O’N | 06/04/1948 | |||||
| Heeren, Heinrich, born 12.8.1914 | Wilhelmshaven Gelbkreuz-Gefängnis – murder of Allied inmates | AP | R O’N | 09/03/1948 | |||||
| Klos, Peter, born 11.4.1914 | Altenberg – murder of Flight Lieutenant Brian Maurice Hynes | AP | R O’N | 06/04/1948 | |||||
| Mohr, Otto, born 5.6.1898 | Darmstadt – murder of Indian PoW Dilbahadur Limbu. | AP | R O’N | 13/02/1948 | |||||
| Th. 29/07/1948 | Closius, Ruth, female nee Hartmann, b. 5.7.1920 | Ravensbrück III – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 26/04/1948 | ||||
| Schmidt, Luis, born 3.8.1908 | Kranenburg – murder of two PoW’s | AP | R O’N | 23/04/1948 | |||||
| Trawinski, Jerczy, born 17.4.1925 | Polish DP – home invasion and shooting a resident to death | AP | R O’N | 18/05/1948 | |||||
| Fr. 17/09/1948 | Conrad, Artur, born 26.6.1910 | Ravensbrück V – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 29/06/1948 | ||||
| Orendi, Dr. med. Benno, born 29.3.1918 | Ravensbrück IV – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 04/06/1948 | |||||
| Sonntag, Dr. Walter, born 13.5.1907 | Ravensbrück IV – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 04/06/1948 | |||||
| Mo. 20/09/1948 | Schreiter, Ida Bertha, female born 27.12.1912 | Ravensbrück VI – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 21/07/1948 | ||||
| Zimmer, Emma Anna Maria (nee Mezel), female born 14.8.1888 | Ravensbrück VI – concentration camp staff | AP | R O’N | 21/07/1948 | |||||
| We. 29/09/1948 | Dikty, Gottlieb Emil Friedrich, born 28.3.1905 | Rheinhausen – murder of a Russian national | AP | R O’N | 09/08/1948 | ||||
| Th. 9/12/1948 | Kuhl, Günther, born 12.14.1907 | AEL Hallendorf – murders | AP | R O’N | 09.00 | 08/09/1948 | |||
| Wodenko, Adolf, born 17.7.1921 | Possibly Polish DP – murder | AP | R O’N | 09.00 | 16/08/1948 | ||||
| Fialkowski, Stanislaus, born 22. 7.1923 | Possibly Polish DP – illegal use of firearm and aggravated robbery | AP | R O’N | 09.35 | 07/09/1948 | ||||
| Zylinsky, Romuald, born 3. 1.1922 | Polish DP – illegal use of firearm and armed robbery | AP | R O’N | 09.35 | 07/09/1948 | ||||
| Th. 20/01/1949 | Schnabel, Dietrich, born 16.4.1920 | Le Mesnil Patry – murder of wounded Canadian soldiers | AP | R O’N | 09/11/1948 | ||||
| Siebken, Bernhard, born 4.5.1910 | Le Mesnil Patry – murder of wounded Canadian soldiers | AP | R O’N | 09/11/1948 | |||||
| Swiderski, Czeslaw, born 15.5.1923 | Russian DP – illegal use of firearm and theft | AP | R O’N | 28/10/1948 | |||||
| Fr. 21/01/1949 | Knöchlein, Fritz, born 27.5.1911 | Paradise / Pas de Calais – murder of British soldiers | AP | R O’N | 05/10/1948 | ||||
| We. 16/02/1949 | Jaremczuk, Theodor, born 13.9.1919 | Probably Czech DP – illegal use of firearm | AP | R O’N | 24/08/1948 | ||||
| We. 18/05/1949 | Cieplak, Josef, born 24.1.1924 | Polish DP – illegal use of firearm, robbery and murder | AP | R O’N | 02/02/1949 | ||||
| Tu. 26/07/1949 | Schmidt, Caspar, born 1.7.1924 | German – illegal use of firearms | AP | R O’N | 01/04/1949 | ||||
| Theilengerdes, Friedrich, born 10.9.1894 | Oldenburg Gestapo – Crimes against humanity | AP | R O’N | ||||||
| We. 31/08/1949 | Antonowicz, Mieczysław, born 10.10.1926 | Ukrainian DP – illegal use of firearm | AP | R O’N | 08/06/1949 | ||||
| Klinski, Roman (aka Zarzycki, Zygmund) | Polish DP – illegal use of firearm | AP | R O’N | 08/06/1949 | |||||
| Tu. 6/12/1949 | Andziak, Jerzy, born 15:05:26 | Polish DP – illegal use of firearm and murder of a policeman | AP | R O’N | 23/06/1949 | ||||
| Total 201 hanged, including 10 women. (female after name) and two British soldiers for civilian murders | |||||||||
| Plus Teofil Walasek, who was shot by firing squad 15/08/1946 (sentenced 21/05/1946) | |||||||||
| Assistants’ names | Initials | ||||||||
| DP above stands for Displaced Person. | Regimental Sergeant Major Richard Anthony O’Neill | R O’N | |||||||
| Sergeant James Hunter RCMP | JH | ||||||||
| Edwin James Roper | ER | ||||||||
| Alexander Hurry | AH | ||||||||
A detailed list of Allied airmen and PoW’s murdered by the Nazis is here.
Support the Archive
If you have found this article useful and would like to help preserve and maintain this historical archive, please consider supporting the site.