Beheadings in the Third Reich

[Pete26]

Bernhard Draheim was guillotined by Carl Groepler on 27 July 1917 at 7 AM in the yard of Hamburg prison.

http://file1.npage.de/000623/53/bilder/ ... _hp001.jpg

http://erichs-kriminalarchiv.npage.de/1 ... ellen.html

https://translate.google.com/translate? ... edit-text=

Bernhard Draheim murdered a doctor in revenge for doctor's refusal to diagnose him as suffering from a chronic illness and unable to work when the doctor could not find anything wrong with the 31 year old "patient".

[tomh]

"Es war für viele Jahre die letzte Hinrichtung in Hamburg. Bis die Nationalsozialisten kamen."

Was Bernhard Draheim then actually the last person executed with the old Hamburg fallbeil?

[Pete26]

"Es war für viele Jahre die letzte Hinrichtung in Hamburg. Bis die Nationalsozialisten kamen."

Was Bernhard Draheim then actually the last person executed with the old Hamburg fallbeil?

It is quite possible, because when the Ministry of Justice under Hitler surveyed the condition of fallbeils throughout Germany, the old Hamburg fallbeil was found to be in sad shape, i.e. it was not used or maintained for many years, so it was no longer useable it that condition, so it was decided that it had to be replaced. It was replaced with a Mannhardt fallbeil, which was slightly modified to accept the old Hamburg fallbeil blade.

[Pete26]

An interesting article about the Roter Ochse prison in Halle. Accroding to the article, a fallbeil built by inmates of Tegel prison was shipped to Roter Ochse in Halle in 1942 and the prison paid 904 Reichmarks for it, plus 15.20 Reichmarks for transporting the fallbeil. The first execution with the new fallbeil took place on 23 November 1942 and the victim was a Lithuanian farmer named Michael Schandris. The last beheading took place on 10 April 1945, and the name of the victim was Georg Mentzel.
Also, of interest is beheading of 24 year old Hildegard Trush, who was sentenced to death for taking a pair of trousers, a manicure case, and a small kitchen knife from a bombed out building. The sentence was carried out on 4 February 1944.

The Roter Ochse prison executioner was Friedrich Hehr until April 1944, when he was replaced at that location by his former assistant Alfred Roselieb.

http://www.chefduzen.de/index.php?topic=12889.0;wap2

https://translate.google.com/translate? ... edit-text=

[history1]

[...] Also, of interest is beheading of 24 year old Hildegard Trush, who was sentenced to death for taking a pair of trousers, a manicure case, and a small kitchen knife from a bombed out building. [...]

Hi Pete,

it seems that there is a translation error in your information. The original text mentions only the trouser:

Die damals 24jährige hatte nach einem Bombenangriff in Magdeburg eine Hose aus den Trümmern gefischt und wurde beim versuchten Verkauf der Hose gefasst.

[Pete26]

[...] Also, of interest is beheading of 24 year old Hildegard Trush, who was sentenced to death for taking a pair of trousers, a manicure case, and a small kitchen knife from a bombed out building. [...]

Hi Pete,

it seems that there is a translation error in your information. The original text mentions only the trouser:

Die damals 24jährige hatte nach einem Bombenangriff in Magdeburg eine Hose aus den Trümmern gefischt und wurde beim versuchten Verkauf der Hose gefasst.

I did not quote that statement. I got the additional information on Hildegard Trush from another source, so this is not a translation error. Also, the original article does not mention the name of the last victim beheaded in Halle. This too came from another source. That source is the book "Der Rote Ochse Halle (Saale): politische Justiz 1933-1945/1945-1989".

[Pete26]

Willi Gall was guillotined in Berlin Ploetzensee prison on 25 July 1941.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... _Willi.jpg

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willi_Gall

https://translate.google.com/translate? ... edit-text=

[ML59]

Total executions for all 24 Central Execution Sites: at least 17 336 (1933-1945)

That is comparable with the number of persons executed by the French Revolutionary Government during the Reign of Terror in 1793-94.

True, but out of a much smaller (for the revolutionary France) population.

[Pete26]

This is a scan of the handwritten letter which executioner Willy Roettger wrote on 21 June 1942 and sent to the Ministry of Justice to apply for the position of Ploetzensee executioner.

The text of the letter is:

"Wie ich erfahren habe, beabsichtigt das Ministerium eine neue Nachrichterstelle einzurichten. Erlaube mir hiermit, mich um Dieselbe zu bewerben. Bin 48 Jahre 6.3.94 in Hannover gebr. Seit 1925 im Bestattungswesen, ab Mai 1940 als Gehilfe bei Herrn Scharfrichter Hehr, Hannover. Habe Herrn Scharfrichter Hehr während seiner Krankheit von 2.11.41 bis 5.12.42 in 26 Vollstreckungen vertreten."

Translated:

"As I learned, the Ministry intends to set up a new executioner position. Let me hereby apply for the same. I am 48 years old , born on 06.03.94 in Hannover. Since 1925, have been in funeral business, from May 1940, as an assistant to Mr. Executioner Hehr, Hannover. I have represented Mr. executioner Hehr during his illness from 11/02/41 to 12/05/42 in 26 executions. "

Note: "Heil Hitler" phrase appears before his signature at the end of the letter.

Source: Gott, Die Liebe und der Galgen by Manfred Overesch.

[Pete26]

This is a scan of Plotzensee file letter, stating that 324 people were executed in the month of September 1943 by executioner Roettger.

Source: Gott, Die Liebe und der Galgen by Manfred Overesch

[Pete26]

Czech architect Jan Podracky was one of those executed by Willy Roettger during the bloody nights in September 1943.

According to prison chaplain Harald Poelchau, piles of naked dead bodies lay in front of the execution chamber for days afterwards. They could not be removed because frequent and fierce aerial bombings made any attempt to move the bodies impossible.

Source: Svedek Z Cely Smrti by Stanislav Motl

[Pete26]

Vilem Boruvka attempted a suicide while waiting to be beheaded in Pankrac prison. He took unknown poison and stabbed himself with a sharp instrument. However, he did not succeed, was saved, and guillotined on 23 February 1944. He was 34 years old.

Source: Svedek z Cely Smrti by Stanislav Motl

[Pete26]

A short video clip. The guy in the video does not realize that Germany used the axe for executions way past the 1890's - well into mid 1930's in fact. He also thinks that guillotine (fallbeil) replaced the axe. Actually both were used at the same time in different parts of Germany for many years until mid 1930's, after which only guillotine was designated as the official beheading instrument. After all, Mannhardt fallbeils were all built in the 1850's. And Germany was also using old tall wooden fallbeils.

I do not know if this is an authentic axe or a replica. It could be an original, but it was definitely cleaned up by removing surface corrosion prior to the auction. Here is an authentic axe in a Berlin museum. Notice how much surface rust is on the blade.

http://www.cicero.de/sites/default/file ... 135981.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tRfBWhS4X0

[fredric]

A short video clip. The guy in the video does not realize that Germany used the axe for executions way past the 1890's - well into mid 1930's in fact. He also thinks that guillotine (fallbeil) replaced the axe. Actually both were used at the same time in different parts of Germany for many years until mid 1930's, after which only guillotine was designated as the official beheading instrument. After all, Mannhardt fallbeils were all built in the 1850's. And Germany was also using old tall wooden fallbeils.

I do not know if this is an authentic axe or a replica. It could be an original, but it was definitely cleaned up by removing surface corrosion prior to the auction. Here is an authentic axe in a Berlin museum. Notice how much surface rust is on the blade.

http://www.cicero.de/sites/default/file ... 135981.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tRfBWhS4X0

The richtbeil shown in the video by Mr. Steve Santini (Dark Archeology) bears the stamped maker's name "J Grosmann Berlin" indicating the beil was made by "Zeugschmied Grosmann" a specialty Berlin metalsmith. Grosmann produced Reindel's original richbeil (for 33 marks) in the late 1800's. Grosmann then produced a "genuine copy" of Reindel's axe for the Berlin History Museum. I am trying to find more information about J Grosmann. I therefore am sure Steve Santini's richbeil is authentic but the polishing may have decreased its antique value. It is quite formidable and wish we had its weight, size, etc.

The richtbeil with a lot of surface rust dates from the late 18th or early 19th century. It is exhibited at the Sauerland Museum in Ansberg, not in Berlin.

[Pete26]

Letter written by Olga Bancic to her daughter shortly before her execution by guillotine in Stuttgart on 10 May 1944. She was beheaded on her 32nd birthday. According to the linked article, all 22 male members of Manouchian resistance group were shot, and she alone, as the only woman in the group, was beheaded. Apparently there was a law in place which prohibited shooting of condemned women by Wehrmacht.


"Ma chère petite fille, mon cher petit amour.
Ta mère écrit la dernière lettre, ma chère petite fille, demain à 6 heures, le 10 mai, je ne serai plus.
Mon amour, ne pleure pas, ta mère ne pleure pas non plus. Depending meurs avec la conscience tranquille et avec toute la conviction que demain tu auras une vie et un avenir plus heureux que ta mère. Tu n'auras plus à souffrir. Sois fière de ta mère, mon petit amour. J'ai toujours ton image devant moi.
Je vais croire que tu verras ton père, j'ai l'espérance que lui aura un autre sort. Dis-lui que j'ai toujours pensé à lui comme à toi. Je vous aime de tout mon cœur.
Tous les deux vous m'êtes chers. Ma chère enfant, ton père est pour toi, une mère aussi. Il t'aime beaucoup.
Tu ne pas sentiras le manque de ta mère. Mon cher enfant, depending finis ma lettre avec l'espérance que tu seras heureuse pour toute ta vie avec ton père, avec tout le monde.
Je vous embrasse de tout mon cœur, beaucoup, beaucoup.
Adieu mon amour.
Ta Mere ".


http://www.lemondejuif.info/2013/02/olg ... che-rouge/



Male members of Manouchian resistance group await their execution by shooting on 21 February 1944.

https://matthieulepine.files.wordpress. ... =640&h=413



Executions of male Manouchian resistance group members on 21 February 1944.

https://matthieulepine.files.wordpress. ... =640&h=426