Martin Sommer

[Marek]

(...) Found it.....From Scapbook Pages....Half way down the link.

The photograph below, taken in the Dachau Museum in May 2001, shows a scene that was created in 1958 for an East German DEFA film. (Source: H. Obenaus, "Das Foto vom Baumhängen: Ein Bild geht um die Welt," in Stiftung Topographie des Terrors Berlin (ed.), Gedenkstätten-Rundbrief no. 68, Berlin, October 1995, pp. 3-8) This photo was removed from the Dachau Museum because it is a recreation, not an authentic photo.

http://www.scrapbookpages.com/dachauscr ... Weiss.html

Interesting thing, I would never thought, this is a fake picture!

[MisterJack]

I found a photo of Schobert on Wikipedia and my recollection has always been that the person I met in a political prison at Reinbach, a medical doctor, who was described as the Butcher of Buchenwald was much more swarthy. I have wondered where one might be able to find records of those who were in that prison during the months of May and June of 1945.

Along with the doctor from Buchenwald and Hans Goebbels was a niece of Friedrich Werner von der Schulenburg who was the last ambassador to the Soviet Union before Operation Barbarossa. Whenever someone visited the prison dispensary for a medical problem I maintained the records as no other medic had had German in school. Our Army doctor who headed the medical contingent assigned to the prison knew some German but he died a few years ago at age 95. I have the name of only one inmate of the prison and who was an alleged collaborator -- Helene Pagi. She signed a document I have in my possession. Now I wish I had made some notes.

[Shane A Beaver]

Some confusion regarding Martin Sommer. On the English version of Wikipedia it states that he was a Russian POW until 1950, then this was upgraded to war criminal. Released in 1955 and then arrested by the West German authorities in 1957. However, on the German version of Wikipedia it claims that he entered US captivity in the summer of 1950 under a false name and was released in June 1947. He was subsequently recognised by a former inmate and arrested in February 1950. Brought to trial in 1955, but this was broken up because of his infirmity (loss of leg and arm in combat) and he was released. Married in 1956, he was re-arrested again 1957 and sentenced to life imprisonment in July 1958. Now obviously these two versions are conflicting, so which one of them is actually correct and which is utter tosh?

[Björn]

The german version is the right one.

[Max Williams]

......the German version of Wikipedia it claims that he entered US captivity in the summer of 1950 under a false name and was released in June 1947.

The german version is the right one.

How can he be released 3 years before his capture?!!

[Shane A Beaver]

That was my reaction Max! I believe that like many SS men he was captured under a false name between May and December 1945, and then released in 1947. That would make more sense!

[Björn]

Seems to be some confusion regarding his captivity "Nach dem Lazarettaufenthalt wurde er schließlich im Sommer 1945 von der US Army in Ludwigsburg unter falschem Namen interniert. Im Juni 1947 wurde er in das Versehrtenheim Possenhofen entlassen, wo er von einem ehemaligen Häftling erkannt und schließlich am 22. Februar 1950 festgenommen wurde."

"He had been sent to Bavaria as an SS tank driver at the tail-end of the war and was captured by U.S. troops after his vehicle was hit by an artillery shell that blew off his left leg and shredded his body with bits of steel. GI’s took him to a PW hospital, where Jewish army doctors saved his life by dint of 30 surgical operations. Later, he was transferred to a leading German-run veterans hospital. His identity as the “Beast of Buchenwald” was learned only when his first wife filed suit for divorce in 1950. “No one bothered to ask me before,” he told interrogators."

Will try to find out more regarding the period 1945-50 when i get back home next week.

[eindhoven]

I found a photo of Schobert on Wikipedia and my recollection has always been that the person I met in a political prison at Reinbach, a medical doctor, who was described as the Butcher of Buchenwald was much more swarthy. I have wondered where one might be able to find records of those who were in that prison during the months of May and June of 1945.

Along with the doctor from Buchenwald and Hans Goebbels was a niece of Friedrich Werner von der Schulenburg who was the last ambassador to the Soviet Union before Operation Barbarossa. Whenever someone visited the prison dispensary for a medical problem I maintained the records as no other medic had had German in school. Our Army doctor who headed the medical contingent assigned to the prison knew some German but he died a few years ago at age 95. I have the name of only one inmate of the prison and who was an alleged collaborator -- Helene Pagi. She signed a document I have in my possession. Now I wish I had made some notes.

Mister Jack,

Thank you for your contributions from your memories. It would be interesting to see your documentation even if it is notated in German.