marko10 wrote: ↑25 Oct 2020 18:31
how have executions changed with fallbeil in the immediate postwar period? what were the differences regarding the execution procedures?
It appears that notices of execution were pretty much identical to those during the Nazi era. However, I believe that post war scharfrichters no longer wore the formal clothing such as a tuxedo, white gloves, and a top hat for executions. We know from post war fallbeil execution reports in Dresden that executions were carried out quickly, and it took only several seconds from the time the condemned was turned over to the executioner and the fall of the fallbeil blade. It is not clear if the executioner used to same phrase as during Nazi era to report that the verdict has been carried out: "Herr Staatsanwalt, das Urteil ist vollstrect".
Some post war fallbeil executions were carreid out by Nazi era scharfrichters such as Friedrich Hehr, who beheaded more than 60 people in Wolfenbuettel prison after 1945, using the same Nazi Mannhardt fallbeil in the same execution building. Hehr was an experienced guillotiner and knew how to properly maintain the fallbeil.
Unfortunately for some condemned, this was not the case with fallbeil executions carried out in mid 1960s in Leipzig. The fallbell used was an old Tegel type fallbeil tranaferred there from Dresden. Tegel fallbeils were not built as sturdy as Mannhards and would malfunction much easier if not properly maintained. Moreover, the Dresden fallbeil was mounted outside in the courtyard and therefore it was more deteriorated than indoor fallbeils. In 1966 the use of fallbeil in Leipzig was completely abandoned, most likely after some badly botched executions. This was mentioned in several articles i read about these executions. It is certainly possible that the falling blade got partially imbedded in the neck of the condemned person, and then we can only speculate what action was taken to finish the job. If they could not free the stuck blade/sledge by winching it up and letting it fall again, it is possible that one of the assistants jumped on top of the sledge and forced it down to finish the job. The last person beheaded with the fallbeil in Leipzig was Dr Horst Fischer.
I think the biggest problem with poorly maintained fallbeils was that the metal sliding surfaces between the sledge and the outer frame would develop a coating of rust and possibly even become pitted and this would cause so much friction that the sledge could easily get stuck halfway down. Just lubricating the deteriorated rusty surfaces may not have been sufficient for proper functioning.
Also, beheading of Werner Gladow in Frankfurt on Oder in 1950 was a terribly botched affair, as it took three falls of the blade to finally sever his head. The blade would get stuck repeatedly on its way down. It is interesting to note that during his trial, the prosecutors originally asked to seek three death sentences for Gladow, based on three most serious crimes that he had committed, including murder. When Gladow heard of this, he jokingly remarked that "this would be like killing him three times". Well, his actual execution pretty much followed that script. The execution report is not specific about the guillotine blade getting partially stuck in his neck without severing it, but supposedly Gladow screamed like an animal and the prosecutor who witnessed the execution fainted. Therefore, the scene was most likely very ugly.
