Hans Stark

Hans Stark (14 June 1921 – 29 March 1991) was an SS-Untersturmführer and head of the admissions detail at Auschwitz-II Birkenau of Auschwitz concentration camp.

Life and SS career Stark attended the Volksschule in Darmstadt from 1927 until 1931. He had a strict upbringing at the hands of his father, who as a police officer, gave his sons a "typically Prussian education". However, Stark failed to live up to his father's academic expectations, and thus it was decided that the young man needed firmer guidance. Notwithstanding, Stark joined the 2nd SS Death's Head brigade 'Brandenburg' (II. SS-Totenkopfstandarte "Brandenburg") in December as its youngest recruit with the written permission of his father, as the SS accepted 16 year old applicants. There, the SS gave him an intensive indoctrination in the Nazi ideology. |

Stark also participated in the gassing of prisoners, specifically, the first gassing of prisoners in the small crematorium at the main camp. In a similar manner to his participation in the shootings, Stark stated that he was ordered by Grabner to check the number of prisoners. In August 1965, he was found guilty of at least 44 instances of joint-murder, and sentenced to ten years in prison:

In Stark's conviction, the court noted that:

In his closing speech, Stark stated:

Expert witness Dr Helmut Lechler described Stark:

He was released from prison in 1968, and died on 29 March 1991, aged 69, in his hometown of Darmstadt.