Ernst Biberstein alias Szymanowski

[Ludger]

An early pic of Ernst Biberstein is to be seen on http://www.kz-kaltenkirchen.de where he still wears the name "Szymanowski"

Greetings from

Ludger

[Max Williams]

An early pic of Ernst Biberstein is to be seen on http://www.kz-kaltenkirchen.de where he still wears the name "Szymanowski"

Ludger

A good discovery. As you've credited the internet source, there's nothing wrong in posting the picture. Here it is.
Max.

[Ludger]

Thanks a lot for your appreciation Max!

Greetings from

Ludger

[Shane A Beaver]

Does anyone know when Biberstein was commissioned as an Ustuf and his other promotion dates? Thanks.

[Ludger]

That's all I have about him:

BIBERSTEIN, ERNST EMIL HEINRICH
SS-Ostubaf.; Senior Government Counsellor [Oberregierungsrat (ORR)]
Commander, EK 6/EGr. C

Date of birth : 15.02.1899 (Hilchenbach/Siegen)
Date of death : 08.12.1986 (Neumünster)
NSDAP-No. : 40 718
SS-No. : 272 962

Original name: Emil Heinrich Szymanowski (He changed his name in "Biberstein" in 1941)
He descended from a prussian family of civil servants and as a child he had a deep relationship to God.

Attended the Basic School in Mühlheim/Ruhr and the humanistic High School in Neumünster/Holstein.
1917 final examinations at the High School in Neumünster.
1917 – Mar. 1919 took part in WW I as a Private.
Mar. 1919 – 1921 studied protestantic theology.
Apr. 1921 first theological examination; afterwards he attended a preacher seminary for half a year; the a teachers curacy for one year.
28.12.1924 protestantic priest in Kating (Sleswig-Holstein).
1926 member of the NSDAP.
1927 protestantic priest in Kaltenkirchen.
Nov. 1933 – Aug. 1935 church provost in Bad Segeberg.
A suggestion to be appointed as a bishop was declined by the church direction.
1934 – 1935 District Schooling Leader [Kreisschulungsleiter] of the NSDAP in Bad Segeberg.
Aug. 1935 entered the Reich Ministry for Church Matters [Reichsministerium für kirchliche Angelegenheiten].
Aug. 1935 – 10.03.1940 there he became an expert advisor in theological matters.
May 1936 Senior Government Counsellor [Oberregierungsrat (ORR)].
13.09.1936 member of the SS.
1936 entered the SD.
1938 dismissed from the protestantic church.
30.01.1939 SS-Stubaf.
10.03. - 20.10.1940 as a soldier in the army he took part in the western campaign (Netherlands, France) as a Corporal.
20.10.1940 classificated as "Reserved" [unabkömmlich (UK)] by the Reich Plenipotentiary for Inner Administration [Reichsbevollmächtigter für die innere Verwaltung] and attached to the Chief of the Security Police and SD [Chef der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD (CSD)].
01.06.1941 – Jun. 1942 chief, Stapo HQ [Stapostelle] Opole (Oppeln).
Jun. 1942 detached to Kiew as chief, action command 6/action group C [EK 6/Egr. C].
Sep. 1942 – Jun. 1943 Commander, EK 6/Egr. C.
Jun. 1943 – 1944 without function.
Feb. 1944 – 29.04.1945 with the Economic Department of the High Commissioner in Triest.


awards:
· Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
· Goldenes Ehrenzeichen der NSDAP
· Ehrendegen RFSS
· SS-Totenkopfring


post war:
01.07.1945 arrested in Neumünster/Holstein.
15.09.1947 – 10.04.1948 defendant in the trial "US vs. Otto Ohlendorf et al. (The Einsatzgruppen Case)" before US-Military Tribunal IIa in Nuremberg.


Counts : I, II, III (I = Crimes against humanity; II = War crimes; III = Membership in criminal organizations)
Findings : I, II, III
Sentence : Death by hanging
Counsel : Dr. Friedrich Bergold
Assistant : Dr. Oskar Ficht


04.03.1949 affirmation of the sentence by US-Military Governor Lucius D. Clay.
31.01.1951 revision by US-High Commissioner John J. McCloy to lifetime prison.
09.05.1958 release from custody as moved by the established church [Landeskirche] Sleswig-Holstein.
Afterwards he was employed with the Congregational League in Neumünster, later with the private economy.
Biberstein was supposed to be a co-worker with the "Organisation Gehlen", the predecessor of the later Federal Intelligence Service [Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND)].

[J. Duncan]

Great photo. Thanks for posting it. Biberstein looks like a young Party hack on his way up. He was the Einsatz. leader who started some Christian group called the "Brotherhood of Love"...this was way before he joined the SS and became "Gottglaubig". In the book by Michael Musmanno "The Eichmann Kommandos", Biberstein is described as a cold-hearted executive and mass murderer......when asked by Musmanno how he could reconcile his former Christian life with his orders to commit mass executions, Biberstein coldly replied "One must not cast pearls before swine."