Dr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner

 

Born: October 4, 1903

Died: October 16, 1946

Herr Dr. Kaltenbrunner was born in Ried im Innkreis, Austria.  In 1926, he obtained a doctorate in law from Graz University.  Kaltenbrunner joined the Austrian National Socialist party and the SS in 1932. 

He was imprisoned on two occasions:

1. January 1934 – jailed with other Austrian Nazis by Dollfuss government.

2. Later in 1934 – received six months for Conspiracy.  Also suspected of High Treason in the assassination of Engelbert Dollfuss.

By 1935, Kaltenbrunner was the head of the Austrian SS.  He assisted in the Anschluss (German annexation of Austria), evidenced by his promotion within the SS on the day of its completion.

Ernst Kaltenbrunner earned his infamous position in history when he replaced Reinhard Heydrich as Head of the RHSA (Reich Security Head Office), which is composed of the Security Police (Sipo) & the SD (intelligence service) – a position of extreme power within the Nazi party. 

As head of the RSHA, Kaltenbrunner had direct responsibility for:

• Mass murders of civilians of occupied countries by Einsatzgruppen (execution squads which followed the German army into occupied territory).
• Screening of prisoner of war camps and executing racial and political undesirables.
• The taking of recaptured prisoners of war to concentration camps, where in some cases they were executed.
• Establishing concentration camps and committing racial and political undesirables to concentration and annihilation camps for slave labor and mass murder.
• Deportation of citizens of occupied countries for forced labor and disciplining of forced labor.
• The execution of captured commandos and paratroopers and protection of civilians who lynched Allied fliers.
• The taking of civilians of occupied countries to Germany for secret trial and punishment.
• Punishment of citizens of occupied territories under special criminal procedure and by summary methods.
• The execution and confinement of people in concentration camps for crimes allegedly committed by their relatives.
• Seizure and spoliation of public and private property.
• Murder of prisoners in SIPO and SD prisons.
• Persecution of Jews.
• Persecution of the churches.

Click here for a more detailed list.  Better yet, click here.

As the war in Europe was coming to a close and it became abundantly clear Germany would suffer defeat.  Kaltenbrunner fled.  He was captured by the Allies and gave a false name.  He was identified, imprisoned and tried at Nuremberg.

At Nurmenberg, Dr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner was charged with conspiracy to commit crimes against peace, war-crimes and crimes against humanity.  He was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging.  The sentence was carried out on October 16, 1946 – twelve days after his 43rd birthday.

In the very end, he claimed to have no knowledge of any crimes committed by the Nazis.  Funny, then why did he give a fake name when apprehended by the Allies?

Universal Newsreel – Nazi Murder Camps

“Frontline” on the Holocaust