202:
532:
judicial official
Friedrich Hansen, who asked Herold to obtain permission from Dr. Richard Thiel, the head of the central administration of the Emslandlager camps. Having failed to obtain permission from Thiel after a lengthy visit, Herold visited Nazi district leader Gerhard Buscher, who got the Gestapo involved. Through Buscher, the Gestapo granted Herold permission to execute the thirty escaped inmates. Over the next two weeks, Herold ordered the execution of the inmates, as well as a large number of
25:
136:
617:. During the summer of 1945, the British investigated Herold's crimes, laboring under the initial impression that his victims had been citizens of Allied countries. On 1 February 1946, Herold and fifty other inmates from CIC Esterwegen were forced by the British to dig up the remains of the inmates murdered at Aschendorfermoor II. A total of 195 bodies were excavated.
349:, when he was ten years old; he was expelled the following year for skipping service and trying to organize his own "pack" of boys, both of which were against the organisation's regulations. Herold then joined the Hitler Youth proper at the age of fourteen, and for a time he was enamored with the group's benefits, including long nature excursions.
493:, Herold received four soldiers under his command. Although he had a core group of twelve people, roughly sixty more would occasionally join him and depart when it was convenient for them. Herold was remarkably only required to provide identification twice despite claiming to be on a special mission from
531:
camp complex which housed German inmates. There, he was asked by one of the camp supervisors, Karl SchĂĽtte, to judge a group of thirty inmates who had escaped during a forced march to
Collinghorst and been recaptured. Herold ordered five of the men to be shot. He was eventually stopped by the
512:. However, this effort failed, and Herold ordered a retreat when he lost too many men to enemy tank fire. Herold started to consider ways to recruit more soldiers as he grew frustrated that he lacked the men and equipment necessary to truly impact the enemy. He encountered local
624:
by the
British, overseen by Colonel Herbert Bown. Herold was notable for his apparently relaxed demeanor and lack of remorse. On 29 August, Herold and six other co-defendants: Karl Hagewald, Bernhard Meyer, Karl SchĂĽtte, Josef Euler, Hermann Brandt and Otto Paeller, were
953:
558:
Herold recruited twelve prisoners and converted them into his bodyguards. They traveled north, terrifying the populace as they went from town to town. The band executed five
Dutchmen accused of
707:
Heinrich and Inge Peters: Pattjackenblut. Dying to die - in line with 5 members. The "Herold
Massacre in the Emsland camp II Aschendorfermoor in April 1945". Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2014,
376:
677:
Kurt Buck: In Search of the Moor
Soldier. Emslandlager 1933-1945 and the historical places today. 6th, extended edition. Documentation and Information Center Emslandlager, Papenburg 2008,
978:
524:
soldiers were waiting for the war to conclude in the
Aschendorfermoor II penal camp. Herold discovered a chance to address his personnel issue and made his way to the camp.
793:
360:. However, he eventually ran away from the village with a friend because he didn't feel like working and wanted to emigrate to the United States. He was apprehended by the
319:
captain, organized the mass execution of German deserters held at a prison camp. He was arrested by
British forces and executed for war crimes on 14 November 1946 at
822:
988:
580:. Herold was put on trial by the authorities on 3 May, but the trial was interrupted and he was conditionally released, thanks to the combined efforts of the
870:
963:
410:) in TangermĂĽnde because of his above-average physical fitness. His division was the last to undergo near-full paratrooper training, with three months of
938:
597:. Herold was brought to a special unit, where he was warmly welcomed, but he swiftly left under the cover of darkness and traveled to the port city of
458:. In the chaos of the retreat, Herold became separated from his unit in late March 1945 and was left to travel by himself on the lengthy route between
629:; Herold in particular was held responsible for the murder of 111 people. On 14 November 1946, Herold and the five other defendants were executed by
504:
missions, Herold also made numerous attempts to engage the enemy, culminating in him and his men joining the unit stationed close to the village of
634:
973:
948:
848:
933:
993:
968:
712:
696:. (2nd edition as: The Executioner of Emsland: Documentation of a barbarism at the end of the war 1945. Schuster, Leer 1995,
943:
89:
768:
Nazi Crimes against Jews and German Post-War
Justice: The West German Judicial System During Allied Occupation (1945–1949)
649:
The massacre at the
Aschendorfermoor camp and other aspects of Herold’s impersonation is depicted in the 2017 German film
601:. Under his true name, he assembled a soldier's paybook and discharge documents before resuming work as a chimney sweep.
61:
688:
TXH Pantcheff: The Executioner of the Emsland. Willi Herold, 19 years old. A German lesson . Bund-Verlag, Cologne 1987,
539:
Herold also chose a large number of inmates, equipped them with uniforms and weapons and dispatched them to the town of
983:
682:
776:
701:
693:
108:
68:
482:
443:
269:
251:
562:
after removing them from a nearby prison, making them dig their own graves, and hanging a farmer who had flown a
548:
459:
46:
75:
958:
509:
42:
472:
automobile that was lying in a ditch on the side of the road, he found the uniform of a highly decorated
310:
57:
547:. However, this plan was ultimately unsuccessful since the troops quickly surrendered to advancing
891:
726:
651:
423:
380:
352:
After completing his elementary education, at the age of 15, Herold began an apprenticeship as a
185:
175:
35:
590:
446:
and the Infantry Badge. Records of him ever receiving these medals have so far not been found.
577:
928:
923:
794:"Two Films About Nazis Show the Difference Between Engaging with History and Exploiting It"
368:
223:
82:
8:
823:"Massacre by Nazi impostor Willi Herold to be retold in film Der Hauptmann (The Captain)"
431:
626:
540:
533:
435:
341:
274:
406:
797:
772:
708:
697:
689:
678:
741:
621:
555:
battery, and a few bombs hit Aschendorfermoor II, destroying the camp completely.
357:
766:
732:
572:
430:
1st and 2nd Class (for supposedly destroying two British tanks on the beaches of
419:
159:
638:
320:
171:
415:
384:
917:
801:
598:
586:
372:
353:
241:
660:
582:
552:
528:
494:
486:
463:
455:
400:
On 30 September 1943, Herold entered military service. He was trained as a
346:
302:
295:
207:
527:
On 11 April, Herold's group arrived at Aschendorfermoor II, a part of the
364:
and sent back to Lunzenau, where he completed his apprenticeship in 1943.
613:
personnel on 23 May for the theft of a loaf of bread and was sent to CIC
594:
439:
401:
290:(11 September 1925 – 14 November 1946), also known as the
279:
630:
614:
610:
563:
427:
559:
478:
474:
468:
315:
306:
298:
219:
414:
training and a sixteen-day parachute course. Herold was promoted to
24:
513:
501:
411:
332:
151:
954:
German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United Kingdom
517:
490:
361:
567:
505:
454:
In March 1945, Herold's unit retreated from the Netherlands to
336:
155:
135:
740:) - film based on the events surrounding Herold. Directed by
481:
and assumed the fictional identity of "Captain Herold of the
261:
Executing 200 prisoners, bluffing to be a Luftwaffe captain
979:
People executed by the British military by decapitation
620:
In August 1946, Herold and twelve others were tried in
551:. On 19 April, British bomber planes attacked a nearby
871:"In falscher Uniform vom Schornsteinfeger zum Henker"
379:. Three weeks after turning eighteen, he joined the
771:. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. p. 122.
367:Between June and September 1943, Herold served his
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
849:"'Der Henker vom Emsland': Kleider machen Mörder"
915:
566:. He and his men were taken into custody in an
989:Recipients of the Iron Cross (1939), 1st class
604:
846:
536:from a list of 400 names compiled by Thiel.
426:in early 1944. He claimed he was awarded the
964:Nazis executed by British occupation forces
520:, who informed him that hundreds of former
939:Executed Nazi concentration camp personnel
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
892:"'The Captain': Film Review - TIFF 2017"
516:commander Jann Budde in the village of
339:, on September 11, 1925. He joined the
974:Nazis executed by the British military
916:
821:Berlin, Allan Hall (14 October 2017).
820:
418:after participating in the battles of
868:
791:
644:
949:German Army soldiers of World War II
869:Wöste, Hans-Christian (2015-04-26).
847:Pfaffenzeller, Martin (2017-08-14).
764:
760:
758:
47:adding citations to reliable sources
18:
390:
13:
14:
1005:
755:
200:
134:
23:
666:
395:
34:needs additional citations for
934:Executed German mass murderers
884:
862:
840:
814:
785:
449:
356:in the neighboring village of
1:
792:Brody, Richard (2018-07-24).
748:
489:he met at a control point in
326:
994:Reich Labour Service members
969:Nazis executed by guillotine
508:, which was occupied by the
7:
944:Executed people from Saxony
605:Arrest, trial and execution
252:6. Fallschirmjäger-Division
10:
1010:
663:plays Herold in the film.
169:14 November 1946 (aged 21)
984:People from Mittelsachsen
593:Horst Franke and Admiral
570:hotel on 30 April by the
331:Willi Herold was born in
265:
257:
247:
237:
229:
213:
195:
191:
181:
165:
145:
130:
123:
671:
483:Sixth Parachute Division
719:
609:Herold was arrested by
186:Execution by guillotine
176:Allied-occupied Germany
736:
485:." After convincing a
377:German-occupied France
301:. Near the end of the
292:Executioner of Emsland
896:Hollywoodreporter.com
335:, a small village in
230:Years of service
959:Hitler Youth members
765:Raim, Edith (2014).
500:Along with numerous
383:and was deployed to
369:Reich Labour Service
224:Reich Labour Service
43:improve this article
898:. 20 September 2017
591:East Frisian region
534:political prisoners
345:, a section of the
321:WolfenbĂĽttel Prison
182:Cause of death
172:WolfenbĂĽttel Prison
16:German war criminal
645:In popular culture
627:sentenced to death
436:Close Combat Clasp
342:Deutsches Jungvolk
305:in Europe, Herold
275:Close Combat Clasp
713:978-3-7357-6297-9
444:Parachutist Badge
313:and, posing as a
285:
284:
270:Parachutist Badge
149:11 September 1925
119:
118:
111:
93:
1001:
908:
907:
905:
903:
888:
882:
881:
879:
878:
866:
860:
859:
857:
856:
844:
838:
837:
835:
833:
818:
812:
811:
809:
808:
789:
783:
782:
762:
742:Robert Schwentke
578:Hitler's suicide
391:Second World War
303:Second World War
215:
206:
204:
203:
138:
121:
120:
114:
107:
103:
100:
94:
92:
51:
27:
19:
1009:
1008:
1004:
1003:
1002:
1000:
999:
998:
914:
913:
912:
911:
901:
899:
890:
889:
885:
876:
874:
867:
863:
854:
852:
845:
841:
831:
829:
819:
815:
806:
804:
790:
786:
779:
763:
756:
751:
744:. Germany 2017.
722:
674:
669:
647:
607:
576:, hours before
573:Feldgendarmerie
466:. In a shot-up
452:
407:Fallschirmjäger
398:
393:
329:
277:
272:
222:
201:
199:
170:
160:Weimar Republic
150:
139:
126:
115:
104:
98:
95:
52:
50:
40:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1007:
997:
996:
991:
986:
981:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
951:
946:
941:
936:
931:
926:
910:
909:
883:
861:
839:
827:Thetimes.co.uk
813:
784:
777:
753:
752:
750:
747:
746:
745:
721:
718:
717:
716:
705:
686:
683:978-3926277169
673:
670:
668:
665:
646:
643:
635:Friedrich Hehr
606:
603:
451:
448:
434:), the Silver
416:lance corporal
397:
394:
392:
389:
328:
325:
283:
282:
267:
263:
262:
259:
258:Known for
255:
254:
249:
245:
244:
239:
235:
234:
231:
227:
226:
217:
211:
210:
197:
193:
192:
189:
188:
183:
179:
178:
167:
163:
162:
147:
143:
142:
141:
140:
133:
128:
127:
124:
117:
116:
58:"Willi Herold"
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1006:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
935:
932:
930:
927:
925:
922:
921:
919:
897:
893:
887:
872:
865:
850:
843:
828:
824:
817:
803:
799:
795:
788:
780:
778:9783110300666
774:
770:
769:
761:
759:
754:
743:
739:
738:
737:Der Hauptmann
734:
729:
728:
724:
723:
714:
710:
706:
703:
702:3-7963-0324-2
699:
695:
694:3-7663-3061-6
691:
687:
684:
680:
676:
675:
664:
662:
658:
654:
653:
652:Der Hauptmann
642:
640:
636:
632:
628:
623:
618:
616:
612:
602:
600:
599:Wilhelmshaven
596:
592:
588:
587:Chief Justice
585:
584:
579:
575:
574:
569:
565:
561:
556:
554:
550:
549:Polish forces
546:
542:
537:
535:
530:
525:
523:
519:
515:
511:
507:
503:
498:
496:
492:
488:
484:
480:
477:
476:
471:
470:
465:
461:
457:
447:
445:
441:
438:, the Silver
437:
433:
429:
425:
424:Monte Cassino
421:
417:
413:
409:
408:
403:
388:
386:
382:
378:
374:
373:Atlantic Wall
370:
365:
363:
359:
355:
354:chimney sweep
350:
348:
344:
343:
338:
334:
324:
322:
318:
317:
312:
308:
304:
300:
297:
293:
289:
281:
276:
271:
268:
264:
260:
256:
253:
250:
246:
243:
242:Obergefreiter
240:
236:
232:
228:
225:
221:
218:
212:
209:
198:
194:
190:
187:
184:
180:
177:
173:
168:
164:
161:
157:
153:
148:
144:
137:
132:
131:
129:
125:Willie Herold
122:
113:
110:
102:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
63:
60: –
59:
55:
54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
902:14 September
900:. Retrieved
895:
886:
875:. Retrieved
864:
853:. Retrieved
842:
832:14 September
830:. Retrieved
826:
816:
805:. Retrieved
787:
767:
731:
725:
667:Bibliography
661:Max Hubacher
656:
650:
648:
639:WolfenbĂĽttel
631:guillotining
619:
608:
583:Kriegsmarine
581:
571:
557:
553:antiaircraft
544:
543:to join the
538:
529:Emslandlager
526:
521:
499:
495:Adolf Hitler
473:
467:
464:Bad Bentheim
456:Nazi Germany
453:
405:
399:
396:c. 1943–1944
366:
351:
347:Hitler Youth
340:
330:
314:
299:war criminal
291:
288:Willi Herold
287:
286:
208:Nazi Germany
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
929:1946 deaths
924:1925 births
873:(in German)
851:(in German)
727:The Captain
657:The Captain
595:Kurt Weyher
450:Spring 1945
440:Wound Badge
402:paratrooper
385:TangermĂĽnde
381:German Army
311:German Army
296:Nazi German
280:Wound Badge
918:Categories
877:2020-06-30
855:2020-06-30
807:2019-08-10
749:References
615:Esterwegen
611:Royal Navy
564:white flag
428:Iron Cross
327:Early life
196:Allegiance
69:newspapers
802:0028-792X
622:Oldenburg
560:espionage
545:Wehrmacht
522:Wehrmacht
475:Luftwaffe
469:Wehrmacht
316:Luftwaffe
309:from the
233:1943-1945
220:Luftwaffe
99:July 2018
641:prison.
589:for the
514:garrison
502:scouting
412:infantry
358:Waldheim
333:Lunzenau
307:deserted
294:, was a
214:Service/
152:Lunzenau
518:Surwold
491:Ochtrup
479:captain
432:Salerno
420:Nettuno
371:on the
362:Gestapo
278:Silver
273:Silver
83:scholar
800:
775:
733:German
711:
700:
692:
681:
568:Aurich
510:Allies
506:Lathen
460:Gronau
442:, the
337:Saxony
266:Awards
216:branch
205:
156:Saxony
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
672:Books
487:major
90:JSTOR
76:books
904:2018
834:2018
798:ISSN
773:ISBN
720:Film
709:ISBN
698:ISBN
690:ISBN
679:ISBN
541:Leer
462:and
422:and
248:Unit
238:Rank
166:Died
146:Born
62:news
659:).
637:in
633:by
375:in
45:by
920::
894:.
825:.
796:.
757:^
735::
704:).
497:.
387:.
323:.
174:,
158:,
154:,
906:.
880:.
858:.
836:.
810:.
781:.
730:(
715:.
685:.
655:(
404:(
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
