Elisabeth Volkenrath

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

Elisabeth Volkenrath
Volkenrath in 1945
Birth nameElisabeth Mühlau
Born(1919-09-05)5 September 1919
Schönau an der Katzbach, Silesia
Died13 December 1945(1945-12-13) (aged 26)
Hamelin Prison, Hamelin, Germany
AllegianceNazi Germany
Service/branchSchutzstaffel
RankOberaufseherin
SS-Helferin
Unit

Volkenrath, née Mühlau, was an ungelernte Hilfskraft (unskilled worker) when she volunteered for service in a concentration camp. She began in October 1941 at Ravensbrück concentration camp as a simple Aufseherin. In March 1942, she was sent to Auschwitz Birkenau 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. Elisabeth Volkenrath participated in the selection of prisoners for the gas chambers and, in November 1944, was promoted to Oberaufseherin for all camp sections for female prisoners at Auschwitz.[1]:218

Elisabeth Volkenrath was transferred to Bergen-Belsen when Auschwitz was closed. From February 1945, she was Oberaufseherin (supervising wardress) at Bergen-Belsen.[1]:218

Belsen trial

In April 1945, Volkenrath was arrested by the British Army, and was tried in the Belsen Trial at which she was convicted of war crimes[2]. Sentenced to death, she was executed by hanging at Hamelin prison by Albert Pierrepoint on 13 December 1945.[1]:218

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References
  1. Knoch, Habbo (ed) (2010). Bergen-Belsen: Wehrmacht POW Camp 1940–1945, Concentration Camp 1943–1945, Displaced Persons Camp 1945–1950. Catalogue of the permanent exhibition. Göttingen: Wallstein. ISBN 978-3-8353-0794-0.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  2. "1st Belsen Trial". www.bergenbelsen.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-07-11.


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