Johannes Hassebroek

Johannes Hassebroek (11 July 1910, in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt – 17 April 1977, in Westerstede) was a German SS commander during the Nazi era. He served as a commandant of the Gross-Rosen concentration camp and its sub-camps from October 1943 until the end of the war. Hassebroek was tried for his crimes by the British occupational authorities, convicted to life imprisonment, and released in 1954. The later prosecution by the West German authorities proved unsuccessful.

Early years Hassebroek was born in Halle, and was the son of a prison guard who had joined Der Stahlhelm after his service in the First World War. He encouraged his son to become involved in right-wing politics, and enrolled him in the conservative Bismarckbund youth movement. The young Hassebroek also attempted to enlist in the army but was rejected, due largely to the reduction in size ordered by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, and as such he was apprenticed to a factory instead. During this time, he was a regular in the SA street fights against Communist Party supporters whilst also serving as a volunteer counsellor with the Hitler Youth. However, he appealed the decision, and was allowed to enter the officer training scheme at Braunschweig. Initially he failed, but, following another appeal, was given a second chance, and at 26 passed the course and was given a trial run as an SS officer. When Esterwegen was closed in 1936, he was transferred to a unit near Sachsenhausen concentration camp before being sent for Wehrmacht training, and was sent to the front when the Second World War broke out. Hassebroek's reports improved significantly whilst he was at war, and in 1942, he was promoted to Hauptsturmführer, his first promotion. Whilst at the latter facility, he met Richard Glücks, who had overall charge of the concentration camps, and he soon requested that Hassebroek be sent to his units. It was estimated that as many as 100,000 people had died at the camp under Hassebroek's command. For his part, Hassebroek was adjudged a success in his new role, with Glücks reporting that he "exudes self-confidence and toughness" near the end of the war. He was sentenced to death, but this was quickly commuted to life imprisonment and finally to fifteen years. He was released from prison in 1954. In the case that followed, he was acquitted by the Braunschweig court and then again, following an appeal by the prosecution, by the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany. He was under investigation until his death in 1977.