Ernst Krankemann

Ernst Krankemann was an infamous Kapo in Auschwitz. A German criminal, he was transferred into Auschwitz on August 29th 1940. Although generally disliked amongst the S.S., Krankemann had powerful supporters such as Karl Fritzsch, the camp's Lagerführer (camp leader and deputy of camp commandant Rudolf Hoess). [Rees, Laurence "Auschwitz, The Nazis & The Final Solution" p51]

As a Kapo, Krankemann held great power over other inmates of Auschwitz, including the authority to murder. One infamous incident involved Krankemann ordering other inmates to pull a very heavy roller over a collapsed inmate, killing him. [Rees, Laurence "Auschwitz, The Nazis & The Final Solution" p51]

On July 28th 1941, as part of the newly extended adult euthanasia campaign 14f13, Krankemann was chosen along with around 500 other inmates to be taken by train to a converted mental hospital at Sonnenstein near Danzig. These were the first Auschwitz inmates to be gassed, although ironically they were not gassed at Auschwitz itself. [Rees, Laurence "Auschwitz, The Nazis & The Final Solution" p77]

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