Heinrich Oster
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Oster was a German
chemist, executive at BASF
and IG Farben
and convicted war criminal.
Heinrich Oster and served as a volunteer for a year in the army himself in 1898 before studying chemistry at the Berlin-Charlottenburg Technical Academy and the Friedrich Wilhelm University
in Berlin
, obtaining his doctorate in 1905. He immediately went to work for Agfa and remained with them until 1914 when he returned to the army to serve in the First World War. Oster was wounded early inth war, losing his left eye as a result, and so so most of his service as a member of staff to the Commander of the German Army in Alsace
, as well as in matters of arms procurement to BASF
.
of their parent company IG Farben
in 1926 as an alternate member and held a number of other posts of responsibility at the company, including membership of the board's Working Committee, the post of managing director of the Nitrogen Syndicate and membership of the Subcommittee for Fertilizers and Explosives. He was promoted to full membership of the board at IG Farben in 1931.
's movement. Oster held sponsoring membership of the Schutzstaffel
from 1935 to 1939, a position which entitled him to officer rank in the black uniformed movement. He did not become a full member of the Nazi Party itself until 1940. In 1939 he was awarded a First Class War Merit Cross
.
forces in 1946 and the following year was charged with war crimes as part of the IG Farben trial
. In 1948 he was sentenced to two years imprisonment for "plunder and spoliation".
Following his release in 1949 he took on a position on the board at Gelsenberg AG.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
chemist, executive at BASF
BASF
BASF SE is the largest chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Germany. BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik . Today, the four letters are a registered trademark and the company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Zurich Stock...
and IG Farben
IG Farben
I.G. Farbenindustrie AG was a German chemical industry conglomerate. Its name is taken from Interessen-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG . The company was formed in 1925 from a number of major companies that had been working together closely since World War I...
and convicted war criminal.
Early years
Oster was the son of OberstleutnantOberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
Heinrich Oster and served as a volunteer for a year in the army himself in 1898 before studying chemistry at the Berlin-Charlottenburg Technical Academy and the Friedrich Wilhelm University
Humboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, obtaining his doctorate in 1905. He immediately went to work for Agfa and remained with them until 1914 when he returned to the army to serve in the First World War. Oster was wounded early inth war, losing his left eye as a result, and so so most of his service as a member of staff to the Commander of the German Army in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
, as well as in matters of arms procurement to BASF
BASF
BASF SE is the largest chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Germany. BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik . Today, the four letters are a registered trademark and the company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Zurich Stock...
.
IG Farben
Following the armistice Oster was hired full time by BASF as a deputy director and he was made a member of the board in 1921. Oster was admiited to the VorstandVorstand
In German corporate governance, a Vorstand is the management board of a corporation. It is hierarchically subordinate to the Aufsichtsrat , as German corporate law imposes a two-tier board system....
of their parent company IG Farben
IG Farben
I.G. Farbenindustrie AG was a German chemical industry conglomerate. Its name is taken from Interessen-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG . The company was formed in 1925 from a number of major companies that had been working together closely since World War I...
in 1926 as an alternate member and held a number of other posts of responsibility at the company, including membership of the board's Working Committee, the post of managing director of the Nitrogen Syndicate and membership of the Subcommittee for Fertilizers and Explosives. He was promoted to full membership of the board at IG Farben in 1931.
Under the Nazis
Oster recognised the potential for growth of the Nazi movement and was one of the first leading figures in IG Farben to advocate close co-operation with Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's movement. Oster held sponsoring membership of the Schutzstaffel
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
from 1935 to 1939, a position which entitled him to officer rank in the black uniformed movement. He did not become a full member of the Nazi Party itself until 1940. In 1939 he was awarded a First Class War Merit Cross
War Merit Cross
The War Merit Cross was a decoration of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel...
.
Pst-war
Oster was arrested by the occupying AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
forces in 1946 and the following year was charged with war crimes as part of the IG Farben trial
IG Farben Trial
The United States of America vs. Carl Krauch, et al., also known as the IG Farben Trial, was the sixth of the twelve trials for war crimes the U.S. authorities held in their occupation zone in Germany after the end of World War II....
. In 1948 he was sentenced to two years imprisonment for "plunder and spoliation".
Following his release in 1949 he took on a position on the board at Gelsenberg AG.