For many, the concentration camps of the Third Reich remained the most terrible memory in their lives. Those horrors that were happening outside their walls cannot be conveyed in simple words, much less explained on the basis of morality. At the same time, the Third Reich, without a twinge of conscience, tortured not only men, but also women and children. A heartless guard only exacerbated the situation of prisoners.
Recalling the past, it is safe to say that Hertha Bothe was one of the most terrifying warders of the time. She has accounted for more than a dozen ruined, crippled and broken lives.
Hertha Bothe: a biography of the early years
Hertha was born in the small town of Teterovo on January 8, 1921. At that time it was the territory of the Free State of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (one of the republics of Germany). Her parents were local entrepreneurs who owned a timber factory.
From early childhood, Hertha helped her father in the workplace. Perhaps it was because of the hard physical work that she grew up a big and strong girl. Rumor has it that she was taller than many local men, which set her apart from the rest of the townspeople.
Upon reaching adulthood, in 1939, Hertha joins the Union of German Girls. Thanks to her strength and endurance, she becomes one of the best representatives of this movement. In particular, she repeatedly took first places in athletics competitions, for which she was awarded diplomas.
The beginning of World War II
Like most Germans, Hertha Bothe gladly received the news of the outbreak of hostilities. For her, this was a turning point in the history of Germany - the time of her great triumph. Naturally, the young girl wanted to help her state in this war, and therefore got a job in one of the military hospitals.
According to official figures, she worked as a nurse from 1940 to 1942. It would seem that everything led to the fact that Hertha Bothe would become a man saving the lives of other people. However, in 1942 she was offered a new, more promising job, and she agreed without hesitation to it.
German concentration camps
With the advent of the war, the concentration camps of the Third Reich quickly began to be filled with new captives. A similar increase in prisoners led to the fact that the government had to quickly begin to build new prisons. Therefore, it was necessary to find those who would follow the order in their territory.
It should also be remembered that in Germany a tough line was established between female and male concentration camps. So, only representatives of the same sex could protect the girls, regardless of whether they were war criminals or civilians captured. Therefore, starting in 1940, Germany began to actively recruit women overseers, including Hertha Bothe.
"Stutthof Sadist"
One of the quiet evenings of 1942, an officer of the Third Reich came to visit Hertha. The purpose of his visit was a tempting offer, promising good monetary and ideological benefits. In his eloquent speech, he noted that war criminals were a real disaster for Germany, and the country is in desperate need of those who will help solve this problem.
Bothe almost immediately accepted the officer’s offer. And a few days later she was sent for an internship at the Ravensbrück concentration camp. Here, the young German woman was explained the basics of prison laws, emphasizing that prisoners can not be considered full-fledged people. Ultimately, in just one month, Hertha Bothe turned from a nurse-rescuer into an executioner overseer.
However, Hertha organized a real orgy upon arrival at the Stutthof concentration camp in 1942. Surviving prisoners described her as an unbalanced, aggressive and malicious person with obvious sadistic inclinations. So, the warden could beat the captive women half to death only because they squinted at her.
In addition, Hertha Bothe independently selected prisoners for gas chambers. At the same time, the torment of conscience did not touch her at all. And if you believe the witnesses, then she even felt a certain pleasure from the fact that she could decide the fate of people. Such behavior led to the fact that Hertha was remembered by history as the "Stutthof sadist", who killed more than one hundred people.
Death march
In the winter of 1944, an active offensive of the Soviet troops began, because of which the Germans had to quickly curtail their concentration camps. Naturally, in such a turmoil, few people cared about the fate of the prisoners - they were simply driven into one line and forced to go forward. Many prisoners died on the way from the cold, hunger and bullets of the Germans. That is why such a transition from place to place was called the death march.
In the early summer of 1944, Hertha Bothe was transferred to serve in the Bromberg-Ost concentration camp . Because of his remoteness from the front, he remained in a state of relative calm for a long time. Only at the end of January 1945 did the news of the approach of the Soviet forces make the overseers drive the prisoners out on their death march. Thus, on February 26, 1945, Hertha Bothe arrived in Bergen-Belsen, one of the last concentration camps in Germany.
Unfortunately, the liberation forces arrived at the camp only on April 15, 1945. But even so, they were able to capture most of the German officers and warders guarding the temporary prison. Among them was Hertha Bothe, humbly awaiting her fate.
The fate of the Stutthof sadist
Like many fascists, Bert was tried at the Belsen trial. Alas, at that time there was not much evidence against her, which is why the verdict was softened. Therefore, Bothe was sentenced to only 10 years in prison. In addition, the German woman went far ahead of schedule, and to be more precise, on December 22, 1951.
Hiding away from prying eyes, she led a completely calm and measured life. Only in old age did reporters find her in order to get a truthful interview. But even after many years, Hertha Bothe did not repent of her sins. She only said that people who came up with concentration camps were to blame. As for the overseers, they simply complied with the orders received. Bothe died on March 16, 2000, when she was 79 years old.