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Wilhelm Röttger

1894 – 1946

German executioner

Executioner
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About Wilhelm Röttger

Lived 1894 – 1946 (aged 52). Wilhelm Röttger was a German executioner.

Wilhelm Friedrich Röttger (6 March 1894 – 13 September 1946) was an executioner in Nazi Germany.

Life In May 1940, he replaced Gottlob Bordt as first assistant of Friedrich Hehr. When Hehrs became ill in 1941, Röttger conducted his first 26 executions from 2 November 1941 until 5 December 1942.

In June 1942, Röttger applied for the new executioner's position in Berlin. On 23 September 1942, he became executioner of Vollstreckungsbezirkes IV, which consisted of the prisons in Berlin-Plötzensee and Brandenburg-Görden. During the next years Röttger conducted several thousands of executions. Of the 16,000 executions that took place during the Third Reich, Röttger and executioners Johann Reichhart and Ernst Reindel were responsible for 11,881.

Röttger was described by neighbors as a well presented and charming individual, who simply commented that his work was involved in the prison judicial system. Other sources claim Röttger was crude and fond of making jokes even during his job role, and smoked heavily.

In 1946 Röttger was located in a hospital in Hannover. He died shortly after his imprisonment in Hannover.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Executioner
Nationality
Also known as
Wilhelm Friedrich Röttger

People in Wilhelm Röttger's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Wilhelm Röttger's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Wilhelm Röttger?

German executioner (1894–1946)

When was Wilhelm Röttger born?

Wilhelm Röttger was born on 6 March 1894 in Hanover.

When did Wilhelm Röttger die?

Wilhelm Röttger died on 13 September 1946 in Hanover.

What was Wilhelm Röttger's occupation?

Wilhelm Röttger was an executioner.

What nationality was Wilhelm Röttger?

Wilhelm Röttger was German.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Wilhelm Röttger

· Wikidata: Q2574784

· DBpedia: Wilhelm Röttger

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Wilhelm Röttger. https://biography.guide/wilhelm-rottger/

MLA: "Wilhelm Röttger." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/wilhelm-rottger/.

Chicago: "Wilhelm Röttger." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/wilhelm-rottger/.

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