Horst Fischer

Horst Paul Silvester Fischer (31 December 1912 – 8 July 1966) was a German medical doctor and member of the SS who participated in selections in Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during World War II. He selected at least 70,000 prisoners to be gassed, then supervised their gassings. Although he avoided immediate detection after the war, Fischer's crimes came to light in the late 1950s. After tracking him down, Fischer was arrested by East German secret police officials in 1965. In a high-profile public case tried directly by the Supreme Court of East Germany, Fischer, the highest-ranking concentration camp doctor to ever stand trial in front of a German court, was found guilty of crimes against humanity and condemned to death. He was executed by guillotine in 1966.

Early life

After being orphaned Fischer was raised by relatives in Dresden and Berlin. He joined the SS in 1933, and the Nazi Party four years later. After attending medical school at the University of Berlin, Fischer received his medical degree in 1937. In 1939, he started working as a doctor for the SS.

On 1 May 1940, Fischer was promoted to Untersturmführer and became a member of the armed forces of the SS. He was involved in the early stages of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, but was recalled from the front in 1942, after falling ill with tuberculosis. Fischer was offered a job in a concentration camp, which he accepted. In January 1942, Fischer was promoted to Obersturmführer.

Fischer also supervised the gassing of the victims he chose for death and the subsequent disinfections. Fischer also permitted the use of the flogging of prisoners at least 71 times. On 21 June 1944, Fischer was promoted to Hauptsturmführer, making him one of the highest ranking SS doctors in Auschwitz.

Arrest, trial, and execution

After the war, Fischer got his SS blood group tattoo removed to avoid detection. He then carried on with his medical career in the German Democratic Republic for 20 years. He got married, had four children, and lived life as a middle-class citizen. Fischer practiced medicine in the countryside under an alias, giving examinations and vaccinations to kindergarteners. Although Fischer kept his crimes a secret, he reportedly believed enough time had passed that he would not be punished for his crimes.

In 1959, a West German official received material on what Fischer had done in Auschwitz. On 6 April 1960, a West German court in Ludwigsburg issued a warrant for Fischer's arrest, but failed to locate his whereabouts. Fischer drew attention himself by crossing over the border to West Germany and speaking negatively about East Germany. The Stasi became aware of Fischer's crimes in April 1964. They contacted the West German government and requested data on his crimes. West German officials handed over everything they had. However, the court ruled that he should be executed. After the Chairman of the State Council Walter Ulbricht refused clemency, Fischer was executed by guillotine in Leipzig on 8 July 1966, one of the last persons to be executed in this way in East Germany and, indeed, outside of France. He was not the last, as another five individuals were beheaded during 1967, although Fischer's case was by far the most notorious of the period. His remains were cremated, and his ashes buried in an unmarked grave.