Hildegard Lachert
Encyclopedia
Hildegard Martha Lächert (January 20, 1920 in Berlin
– 1995) was a notorious female guard, Aufseherin, at several German World War II
concentration camps. She became publicly known for her service at Ravensbrück
, Majdanek and Auschwitz-Birkenau
. After the war she spent 27 years in prison altogether for her brutal treatment of inmates during her camp service.
In October 1942, at the age of 22, Hildegard Lächert, a German
nurse, was called to serve at Majdanek as an Aufseherin. In 1944, after the birth of her third child, Lächert went on to serve at Auschwitz concentration camp. The ruthless overseer fled the camp in December 1944 ahead of the advancing Red Army
. There are reports that her last overseeing jobs were at Bolzano, a detention camp in northern Italy
, and at the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
camp in Austria
.
In November 1947, the former SS woman appeared in a Kraków
, Poland
courtroom, along with 40 other SS guards in the Auschwitz Trial
. Lächert sat next to three other former SS women, Alice Orlowski
, Therese Brandl
and Luise Danz
. Because of her war crimes at Auschwitz and Płaszów, the former guard and mother of two surviving children was given a sentence of 15 years in prison. Lächert was released in 1956 from a Kraków prison. In 1975, the German government decided to try 16 former SS guards from the Majdanek concentration camp. Lächert was one of them, along with Hermine Braunsteiner
and Alice Orlowski. From November 26, 1975, until June 30, 1981, the accused were tried in a Düsseldorf
courtroom.
The testimonies heard concerning Lächert's sadistic behaviour were long and detailed. One former prisoner, Henryka Ostrowska, testified, "We always said blutige about the fact that she struck until blood showed," giving her the nickname "Bloody Brigitte" (Krwawa Brygida in Polish
). Many other witnesses characterized her as the "worst" or "the most cruel" Aufseherin, as "Beast", and as "Fright of the Prisoners." For her part in selections to the gas chamber, releasing her dog onto inmates and her overall abuse, the court sentenced her to 12 years imprisonment.
Hildegard Lächert died in 1995 in Berlin, aged 75.
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...
– 1995) was a notorious female guard, Aufseherin, at several German World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
concentration camps. She became publicly known for her service at Ravensbrück
Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück was a notorious women's concentration camp during World War II, located in northern Germany, 90 km north of Berlin at a site near the village of Ravensbrück ....
, Majdanek and Auschwitz-Birkenau
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
. After the war she spent 27 years in prison altogether for her brutal treatment of inmates during her camp service.
In October 1942, at the age of 22, Hildegard Lächert, a German
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...
nurse, was called to serve at Majdanek as an Aufseherin. In 1944, after the birth of her third child, Lächert went on to serve at Auschwitz concentration camp. The ruthless overseer fled the camp in December 1944 ahead of the advancing Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
. There are reports that her last overseeing jobs were at Bolzano, a detention camp in northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and at the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen Concentration Camp grew to become a large group of Nazi concentration camps that was built around the villages of Mauthausen and Gusen in Upper Austria, roughly east of the city of Linz.Initially a single camp at Mauthausen, it expanded over time and by the summer of 1940, the...
camp in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
In November 1947, the former SS woman appeared in a Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
courtroom, along with 40 other SS guards in the Auschwitz Trial
Auschwitz trial
The Auschwitz trial began on November 24, 1947, in Kraków, when Polish authorities tried 41 former staff of the Auschwitz concentration camps. The trials ended on December 22, 1947....
. Lächert sat next to three other former SS women, Alice Orlowski
Alice Orlowski
Alice Orlowski was a high-ranking SS official at many of the Nazi German camps in occupied Poland during World War II....
, Therese Brandl
Therese Brandl
Therese Brandl was a Nazi concentration camp guard. She was convicted of crimes against humanity after the war and executed....
and Luise Danz
Luise Danz
Luise Danz is a former concentration camp guard. She was born in Walldorf , Thuringia.-Camp work:On January 24, 1943 at the age of 26, Luise Danz was conscripted as an Aufseherin within the Nazi concentration camp system. She served as guard in several camps, such as Kraków-Płaszów, Majdanek,...
. Because of her war crimes at Auschwitz and Płaszów, the former guard and mother of two surviving children was given a sentence of 15 years in prison. Lächert was released in 1956 from a Kraków prison. In 1975, the German government decided to try 16 former SS guards from the Majdanek concentration camp. Lächert was one of them, along with Hermine Braunsteiner
Hermine Braunsteiner
Hermine Braunsteiner Ryan was a female camp guard and the first Nazi war criminal to be extradited from the United States.-Early life:...
and Alice Orlowski. From November 26, 1975, until June 30, 1981, the accused were tried in a Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
courtroom.
The testimonies heard concerning Lächert's sadistic behaviour were long and detailed. One former prisoner, Henryka Ostrowska, testified, "We always said blutige about the fact that she struck until blood showed," giving her the nickname "Bloody Brigitte" (Krwawa Brygida in Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
). Many other witnesses characterized her as the "worst" or "the most cruel" Aufseherin, as "Beast", and as "Fright of the Prisoners." For her part in selections to the gas chamber, releasing her dog onto inmates and her overall abuse, the court sentenced her to 12 years imprisonment.
Hildegard Lächert died in 1995 in Berlin, aged 75.
Reference links
- Female Nazis, Holocaust History Project, retrieved on December 22, 2006.
- Auschwitz Trial (November-December 1947), Jewish Virtual LibraryJewish Virtual LibraryJewish Virtual Library is an online encyclopedia published by the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise . Established in 1993, it is a comprehensive website covering Israel, the Jewish people, and Jewish culture.-History:...
, retrieved on December 22, 2006.