Arthur Liebehenschel

From Freepedia

Arthur Liebehenschel (1901 - 1948) was the commandant of Auschwitz and Majdanek death camps during World War II. Liebehenschel was born in Posen (now Poznan) and studied economics and public administration. He became a sergeant major after the World War I.

In 1932, he joined the Nazi party and in 1934, the SS, where he served in the Totenkopfverbände. Liebehenschel then held a series of ranks in the administration of concentration camps. These ranks include serving as an adjutant in the Columbia Haus and Lichtenburg camps, Inspectorate of Concentration Camps and as a senior director in the SS Economics Department.

On November 10, 1943, Libenhenschel was appointed commandant of Auschwitz extermination camp and on May 19, 1944, the commandant of Majdanek extermination camp. When the camp was evacuated with the tide of the war turning against Nazi Germany, he was given a senior post in the SS Manpower Office.

After the war, Liebenhenschel was arrested by the American Army and was extradited to Poland. He was put on trial in Krakow and was executed on January 24, 1948.