Emil Pleissner

Emil Pleissner in April 1947

Emil Paul Pleissner (born May 23, 1913 in Plauen ; †  November 26, 1948 in the Landsberg War Crimes Prison ) was SS-Hauptscharführer and was used as the command leader of the crematorium in Buchenwald concentration camp .

Life

Emil Pleissner, a member of the SS , was a member of the camp staff of the Dachau concentration camp from 1934 to 1937 . He was transferred to the Buchenwald concentration camp in 1938, where Pleissner was initially employed as a block leader until March 1942. Pleissner then worked as a commando in the Buchenwald concentration camp crematorium until February 1943. In this capacity, Pleissner said he was present at two hangings in the crematorium and, as a member of Command 99, participated in at least two executions and was present at at least fifteen. From spring 1943 Pleissner served in a Panzer division of the Waffen SS until early May 1945.

After the end of the war, Pleissner was charged with 30 other accused in the main Buchenwald trial , which took place as part of the Dachau trials . Pleissner was accused of ill- treating Allied prisoners. On August 14, 1947, Pleissner was sentenced to death by hanging for his participation in executions and work in the crematorium for “helping and participating in the operations of the Buchenwald concentration camp” . Despite several requests for clemency, Pleissner was executed on November 26, 1948 in the Landsberg war crimes prison .

literature

• Buchenwald main trial: Deputy Judge Advocate's Office 7708 War Crimes Group European Command APO 407 (United States of America v. Josias Prince zu Waldeck et al. - Case 000-50-9), November 1947: Original document in English (PDF file )
• Ernst Klee : The person lexicon for the Third Reich: Who was what before and after 1945. Fischer-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2007. ISBN 978-3-596-16048-8

Web links

• Photo by Emil Pleissner