Elisabeth Lupka
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth Lupka was a Nazi
female guard at two camps during World War II
.
Lupka was born in Klein-Damner, Germany
. She married in 1934, had no children and soon divorced. In 1937 she went to Berlin
to work in an aircraft factory.
In 1942 she left her menial job as a laborer and came to Ravensbrück
to undergo training as a camp guard. Elisabeth graduated and later became an Aufseherin over several work details. In March 1943, she was assigned to the Auschwitz-Birkenau
camp in Poland as an Aufseherin then as a Blockfǖhrerin (Block Overseer). There she struck many prisoners with her whip and selected many other for the gas chambers. Elisabeth stayed in the camp until its last evacuations in early January 1945 and accompanied a death march to Loslau. She returned to Ravensbrück in January where she continued her reign of terror.
On June 6, 1945, Elizabeth was arrested by Allied troops and sent to an internment camp. On July 6, 1948, after a long investigation, she appeared at a Kraków
court for war crimes, mainly the maltreatment of prisoners and her involvement in selections of inmates to the gas chambers. Lupka was found guilty, and on January 8, 1949, was hanged in the Montelupich prison
in Kraków aged 46. Her corpse was later sent to Jagiellonian University
in Krakow, Poland for use by medical students.
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
female guard at two camps during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Lupka was born in Klein-Damner, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. She married in 1934, had no children and soon divorced. In 1937 she went to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to work in an aircraft factory.
In 1942 she left her menial job as a laborer and came to Ravensbrück
Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück was a notorious women's concentration camp during World War II, located in northern Germany, 90 km north of Berlin at a site near the village of Ravensbrück ....
to undergo training as a camp guard. Elisabeth graduated and later became an Aufseherin over several work details. In March 1943, she was assigned to the Auschwitz-Birkenau
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
camp in Poland as an Aufseherin then as a Blockfǖhrerin (Block Overseer). There she struck many prisoners with her whip and selected many other for the gas chambers. Elisabeth stayed in the camp until its last evacuations in early January 1945 and accompanied a death march to Loslau. She returned to Ravensbrück in January where she continued her reign of terror.
On June 6, 1945, Elizabeth was arrested by Allied troops and sent to an internment camp. On July 6, 1948, after a long investigation, she appeared at a Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
court for war crimes, mainly the maltreatment of prisoners and her involvement in selections of inmates to the gas chambers. Lupka was found guilty, and on January 8, 1949, was hanged in the Montelupich prison
Montelupich Prison
Montelupich prison was a prison located in Kraków, which was used by theGestapo throughout World War II. Prisoners in Montelupich included politicalprisoners, members of the SS and Security Service who had been...
in Kraków aged 46. Her corpse was later sent to Jagiellonian University
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kazimierz . It is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe and one of the oldest universities in the world....
in Krakow, Poland for use by medical students.