Willi Auerswald

Willi Auerswald (1894–1956) was a member of the German SS in the rank of a SS-Oberscharführer. Auerswald belonged to the guards of the Mauthausen Concentration camp. Between spring 1942 and November 1944 he was one of the leaders of the subcamp Steyr-Münichholz.

Auerswald was feared by the prisoners due to his brutality. Executions and brutal punishments made him one of the most terrible guards at Mauthausen.

After the end of World War II Auerswald was charged by an US-military tribunal in Dachau. The trial document lists a case where a Russian prisoner, begging for his life, was pushed by Auerswald into a fence secured by high voltage. He died immediately. The documentation also mentioned that 300 healthy prisoners were brought from Mauthausen to the sub-camp St. Aegyd. More than 50% died within the next few weeks or became severely sick so that they were brought back to Mauthausen where they died. Auerswald was the head of the St. Aegyd sub-camp at that time.

Auerswald was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. Later it was changed to life imprisonment.

Willi Auerswald

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