Horrific execution of Ernst Kaltenbrunner – fanatical anti-Semite & Heydrich's successor скачать в хорошем качестве

Horrific execution of Ernst Kaltenbrunner – fanatical anti-Semite & Heydrich's successor

He pleaded not guilty, spoke of the mistreatment he suffered in English custody, and appeared to be a broken man. After a short time, however, Kaltenbrunner transformed into a man willing to fight for his life by any means necessary. Kaltenbrunner said that all resolutions and legal documents bearing his signature were "rubber-stamped" and filed by an adjutant. He also said that Gestapo chief Heinrich Müller had illegally signed numerous questionable documents. In his defense, Kaltenbrunner argued that his position as head of the Reich Security Main Office was only theoretical and that he was only involved in espionage and intelligence matters. He claimed that Himmler, as his superior, bore the culpability for the atrocities committed during his tenure as head of the Reich Security Main Office. Kaltenbrunner also claimed that he had no knowledge of the so-called "Final Solution" before 1943 and went on to say that he had protested to Hitler and Himmler about the mistreatment of the Jews. Further denials by Kaltenbrunner included statements that he knew nothing about the Commissar Order, which ordered German soldiers to shoot Soviet Communist Party officials upon capture, and that he had never been to Mauthausen, despite photographs documenting his visit there. During all his questioning, Kaltenbrunner refused to be called Heydrich's successor. He added that he received the salary of a police general, which was 1,820 Reichsmarks, whereas Heydrich's income was more than 30,000 Reichsmarks. Kaltenbrunner was one of the main initiators and organizers of Operation Reinhard, a code name for the systematic extermination of Jews in the General Government of German-occupied Poland. Three extermination camps were established as part of this operation: Bełżec, Sobibor, and Treblinka. When Kaltenbrunner was asked whether, during his tenure, he had known about the 450,000 Jews murdered in the Treblinka extermination camp between July 23, 1942, and October 1943, he replied, "No." But his lies did not help him escape justice. On October 1, 1946, the International Military Tribunal found Ernst Kaltenbrunner guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity and sentenced him to death by hanging. Kaltenbrunner was executed by American Army Sergeant John C. Woods, who had no prewar experience as an executioner. It is believed that he deliberately carried out the executions poorly to ensure a long, painful death for the ten Nazi criminals executed that day. The Nazis executed by Sergeant Woods fell from the gallows at a height insufficient to break their necks, in some cases resulting in death by strangulation lasting several minutes. Additionally, the trapdoor was too small, resulting in bloody head injuries for some of the condemned as they fell. On October 16, 1946, the day of his execution, Ernst Kaltenbrunner was the third of the condemned to step onto the scaffold. After his last words: "I loved my German people and my fatherland with a warm heart. I did my duty according to the laws of my fatherland, and I am sorry that my people were led by men who were not soldiers and that crimes were committed of which I knew nothing. I fought honorably. Germany – good luck." Kaltenbrunner was hanged, but because he fell from the gallows with too little momentum to break his neck, his gruesome convulsions lasted 11 minutes until he died. He was 43 years old. Afterwards, his body was cremated and scattered in the Isar River. Sergeant Woods later not only insisted that he had carried out all the executions professionally but also stated that he was very proud of his work. Disclaimer: All opinions and comments below are from members of the public and do not reflect the views of the World History Channel. We do not tolerate the promotion of violence or hatred against individuals or groups based on characteristics such as race, nationality, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. World History reserves the right to review and delete comments deemed inappropriate. ► CLICK SUBSCRIBE to see more interesting videos:    / @worldhistoryvideosde   #worldwar #ww2 #history #worldhistory #holocaust