Elisabeth Volkenrath

Elisabeth Volkenrath ( Mühlau; 5 September 1919 – 13 December 1945) was a German supervisor at several Nazi concentration camps during World War II.

Volkenrath, née Mühlau, was an ungelernte Hilfskraft (unskilled worker) when she volunteered for service in a concentration camp. In October 1941 she began working at Ravensbrück concentration camp as a guard. In March 1942, she was sent to Auschwitz concentration camp where she worked in the same function as at Ravensbrück. At Auschwitz, she met SS-Rottenführer Heinz Volkenrath, who had worked there since 1941 as SS-Blockführer. The couple married in 1943. She participated in the selection of prisoners for the gas chambers and, in November 1944, was promoted to Oberaufseherin (supervising wardress) for all camp sections for female prisoners at Auschwitz.

Volkenrath was transferred to Bergen-Belsen when Auschwitz was closed. From February 1945, she was Oberaufseherin at Bergen-Belsen. She claimed during her testimony that "it was really awful in the camps, but it was awful for us too. We were punished just like the prisoners." Sentenced to death, she was the first woman to be executed by hanging at Hamelin Prison by British official executioner Albert Pierrepoint on 13 December 1945 at 09:34.