Schutzhaftlagerführer

Franz Hößler served as Schutzhaftlagerführer at Mittelbau-Dora. Posing after capture by the Allies in 1945

Schutzhaftlagerführer (head of the "preventive detention camp") was a paramilitary title of the SS, specific to the concentration and extermination camps Totenkopfverbande ("Death's-Head units"). A Schutzhaftlagerführer was in charge of the economic function of the camp. Usually, there was more than one SS man performing that function at each location due to their enormous size. Schutzhaftlagerführers received orders from the central offices in Berlin, such as DEST run directly by the SS. Prisoners' lives were entirely in their hands. Their orders, which usually involved routine maltreatment of condemned victims, were carried out through "assignments" so they would not have to deal with the dead resulting from them.[1]

The Schutzhaftlagerführer and his adjutant were responsible for the operation of the camp. The Schutzhaftlagerführer had to maintain order, take care of daily routines, roll calls and so on. Under him were the Rapportführer, the Arbeitseinsatzführer and the Oberaufseherin (if there was a women's camp). They were directly responsible for order in the camp and they assigned prisoners to the outside work details. The Blockführer, each of whom were responsible for one or more barracks, were subordinate to them.

Notable people
Name Highest SS rank attained US/UK equivalent rank Concentration camp
Aumeier, HansHans Aumeier SS-Sturmbannführer Major Auschwitz I
Bachmayer, GeorgGeorg Bachmayer SS-Hauptsturmführer Captain Mauthausen
Baranowski, HermannHermann Baranowski SS-Oberführer Senior colonel Dachau
Forster, HeinrichHeinrich Forster SS-Hauptsturmführer Captain Sachsenhausen, Mittelbau-Dora
Fritzsch, KarlKarl Fritzsch SS-Hauptsturmführer Captain Auschwitz, Flossenbürg
Harder, OttoOtto Harder SS-Untersturmführer Second lieutenant Ahlem
Hössler, FranzFranz Hössler SS-Obersturmführer First lieutenant Auschwitz, Mittelbau-Dora, Bergen-Belsen
Koch, Karl-OttoKarl-Otto Koch SS-Standartenführer Colonel Lichtenburg
Kramer, JosefJosef Kramer SS-Hauptsturmführer Captain Natzweiler-Struthof
Müller, Paul Heinrich TheodorPaul Heinrich Theodor Müller SS-Obersturmführer First lieutenant Auschwitz
Piorkowski, AlexanderAlexander Piorkowski SS-Sturmbannführer Major Dachau
Ruppert, WilhelmWilhelm Ruppert Dachau, Majdanek
Sauer, AlbertAlbert Sauer Sachsenhausen
Schitli, WilhelmWilhelm Schitli SS-Hauptsturmführer Captain Neuengamme
Tamaschke, GüntherGünther Tamaschke SS-Standartenführer Colonel Dachau
Thumann, AntonAnton Thumann SS-Obersturmführer First lieutenant Gross-Rosen, Majdanek, Neuengamme
Weiseborn, JakobJakob Weiseborn SS-Sturmbannführer Major Dachau, Sachsenhausen, Buchenwald
Zill, EgonEgon Zill SS-Sturmbannführer Major Lichtenburg, Dachau, Buchenwald

See also

References

  1. Paul B. Jaskot (Jan 4, 2002). "The Architecture of Oppression" (Google Books). The Architecture of Oppression: The SS, Forced Labor and the Nazi Monumental Building Economy. Routledge (reprint). p. 38. ISBN 0203007670. Retrieved 2013-05-26.
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