Landsberg Prison is remembered mostly in History for a site where Adolf Hitler was held following
his failed attempt to seize control of Munich and spark revolution in Germany. It was the
place where the future Dictator of Germany would be held in relative luxury as imprisonments
go for 8 months, and here he would write Mein Kampf with his Nazi party cronies such as
Rudolf Hess. But it was the site after the Second World War, where hundreds of Nazis
and former members of staff inside of concentration camps would be executed. The Gallows there
would be in use a lot following war crimes trials, and because of this it became a place
where many of the worst monsters of the Third Reich took their final breathes. Join us today
as we look at ‘The Gallows of Landsberg Prison.’ Remember to support our channel,
please make sure to subscribe.
Landsberg Prison was built between 1905 and 1908 and was initially established with a
capacity of 500 prisoners. After the First World War, part of the prison was changed
to allow for ‘fortress imprisonment’ which was considered an honourable type of incarceration
in which privileged prisoners could have some luxuries inside of the castle, and here they
would be allowed visitors in a relaxed environment. It was here where Hitler would spend his time
after the Munich Putsch, but after he seized control of power inside of Germany, and instigated
his Nazi regime Landsberg would be a place where political prisoners would soon be held.
It was a Nazi fortress, and in 1942 four policemen sentenced in the Guernsey Police Trial were
deported briefly to Landsberg Prison before being sent to other concentration camps.
It was also a place where operations allegedly were performed, as a prisoner in 1943 named
Alfred Baker stated, ‘Firstly, I am scarred for life, left lower jaw, owing to the fact
that I was run down, lost weight to 52 kilos, & they had to operate on me, that was at Landsberg/Lech
Germany, at the foot of some mountains. The doctor said to me, “I can’t give you more
food as you are my enemy.” The day after the operation I had to go straight to work
(forced labour). I also had an abscess in my ear a little time after the operation.
On entering Buchenwald Horror Camp I was kicked to hell by a big Nazi.’
The conditions inside of Landsberg during the Second World War do differ, as some lived
within rather mild conditions and were forced to work jobs such as a potato peeler in the
kitchen. But from early 1944 until the end of the war, it’s believed that the conditions
deteriorated, and at least 210 people died there as a result of being executed or being
starved to death. However as the war ended in Europe, the Prison was designated as War
Criminal Prison Number 1 by the American Army to hold convicted Nazi war criminals. Inside
of here, it was guarded by men from the United States Army Military Police.
Those who were arrested following the war of crimes against humanity, and those who
had worked inside of concentration camps were held there. Many prisoners were made up of
former guards, and other members of staff such as cooks and kapos. Between 1945 and
1946, Landsberg would hold 110 prisoners convicted at the Nuremberg Trials, and hundreds more
criminals would be held there following the Dachau Trials, and 18 prisoners from the Shanghai
Trials. However it became more well known as a site where nearly 300 war criminals would
be executed in a period of time lasting 5 and a half years. In total, there were 259
death sentences carried out by hanging, and also 29 of them by firing squad inside Landsberg
Prison. Following war crimes trials, the executions would be carried out, and often there were
too many to be hanged on one day, so they would be carried out over a number. For example,
28 former SS guards from Dachau were hanged during 4 days at the prison on the gallows.
Inside of Landsberg, the executions followed a similar pattern. The condemned would be
held inside of the prison for a period of time until their scheduled date of execution,
and they would be held inside of cells often with other prisoners in shared facilities.
They were kept under close watch, and then on the day of execution they would be led
out of their cells by the MPs and also a priest who would accompany them onto the gallows.
They would be led into the courtyard of Landsberg, where there were two gallows assembled for
simultaneous executions so that they could be carried out quicker when there were more
people to be put to death. Using two gallows meant that two individuals could be hanged
at once, and this would speed up the process. Whilst inside the courtyard, many guards would
be there to witness the proceedings and then identity would be confirmed for the condemned
at the bottom of the stairs. The war criminal accompanied by the priest was then taken up
the many stairs of the gallows which had a trapdoor, and then once they had walked up
the numerous stairs they were asked for their final words.
After this they were handed over to the executioner, who would ensure that the arms and legs were
secured before they were shuffled over the trapdoor. After this, the executioner placed
a black hood over the condemned’s head, before he then placed the noose over the head.
When the lever was released, the condemned would plunge through the trapdoor and they
were left some time before death was confirmed and then their body was placed in a coffin.
If bodies were not claimed, they were buried inside of an unmarked grave in the cemetery
next to the chapel. The prison was also used as a site of execution for Us soldiers who
had been court-martialled and also criminals. For example, Piotr Chemy, who had survived
the concentration camps was executed there as he had murdered a German couple and their
young daughter.
There were many high ranking nazis and former commandants of concentration camps who were
hanged at Landsberg, and it was seen as a reliable site for the executions to be carried
out. It was alongside other prisons such as Hamelin which was used by the British to execute
Nazi War criminals, and this was where expert executioner Albert Pierrepoint was based.
Some notable prisoners who were held inside of the US Army’s prison at Landsberg Prison
includes, Karl Brandt, Hitler’s former escort doctor and medical officer who was involved
in the T4 programme and was responsible for the deaths of thousands. He was hanged there.
Oswald Pohl the head of the SS Main Economic Administrative Office and a key administrator
of the concentration camps was also hanged at Landsberg, as was Hermann Sister a commandant
of Buchenwald concentration camp. Others held at the prison include Joachim Peiper, a tank
commander in the Waffen SS who was found guilty of being involved in the Malmedy massacre.
He was held here for a number of years in prison, as was Sepp Dietrich an SS commander.
The final executions at Landsberg Prison occurred on the 7th June 1951, but following this the
prisoners began to be seen as political prisoners, and their releases were asked for. In May
1958, the US Army relinquished control of Landsberg Prison and the last four prisoners
were released, and these were all former high ranking SS officers convicted during the Einsatzgruppen
Trial. Today Landsberg is still used as a prison and as a correctional facility that
allows criminals a chance to reform by providing training and new skills, where they can learn
different trades such as plumbing, tailoring, bricklaying and others.
The executions at Landsberg Prison saw almost 300 nazi war criminals walking to the gallows,
or by being tied to a post at the end of a firing range. Many of these individuals had
been involved in the horrific crimes of the concentration camps, and also many were of
the Einsatzgruppen, those responsible for massacring innocent people during the war.
The place in which Adolf Hitler was held in luxury, became the site where some of those
who carried out his bidding for his despicable regime would meet their end at the gallows.
These were convicted war criminals, and some of the people who caused such suffering during
the Second World War to innocent people.
Thanks for watching.
To support our channel, please make sure to subscribe.
Thanks again for watching.