Emma Zimmer

Emma Anne Zimmer (August 14, 1888 – September 20, 1948) was a female overseer at the Ravensbrück concentration camp for two years during the war.

Life

Emma Zimmer was born as Emma Anne Mezel in Schlüchtern, Germany. On June 1, 1943, at the age of 54, she was granted permission to stay on staff as a female overseer at Ravensbrück. Emma was the original chief woman officer at Ravensbrueck from 1939 until 1941. She took an active part in the selection of internees to be gassed during 1941 at Bernberg Euthanasia Center near Berlin. Emma also stood out for her abuse she meted out towards the prisoners. She served as a guard in the Ravensbrück bunker, and was known in the camp as a brutal and very sadistic woman guard.

Dismissal

In January 1945, the Emma was dismissed from her camp service because of either her advanced age (female auxiliary only accepted women between the ages of 18 and 45) or because of chronic alcoholism. The Germans had an SS canteen in each camp, where SS officers would have tremendous eating and drinking bouts. Some SS men and women became alcoholics, especially at the end of the war when they knew the Allies would soon be liberating the camps.

Death sentence

Emma Zimmer stood at the seventh Ravensbrück Trial and was sentenced to death for her war crimes. The British government executed her by hanging on September 20, 1948.