Gustav Richter
Encyclopedia
Gustav Richter was an aide to Nazi Adolf Eichmann
during World War II
.
Richter was born in 1913 and he received a law degree (died about 1982).
Richter was a devoted Nazi. He was a member of the National Socialist German Workers Party
(Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, NSDAP) and he joined the "Protective Squadron" (Schutzstaffel
, SS).
, Romania
, as the adviser on Jewish Affairs. He collaborated closely with the German Ambassador to Romania
, Manfred Freiherr von Killinger
.
After returning to Berlin
in September 1941, Richter returned to Romania. He remained there until August 1944. It was Richter who insisted on the reintroduction of repressive measures. On 3 September 1941, it was by his order that wearing the yellow badge was re-endorsed.
Richter's primary task was to take a census of the Jews in Romania. He planned the ghettoization and ultimate extermination of 300,000 Romanian Jews. Richter planned the deportation of Romanian Jews to the Belzec extermination camp
in occupied Poland
. His other task was to prevent the emigration of Jewish children from Romania to Palestine
.
On 22 July 1942, Richter received permission from Romania's Prime Minister
and Foreign Minister, Mihai Antonescu
, to deport the Romanian Jews to Belzec. However, while hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed in Romania, in general, Richter's plan to deport them to Belzec fell through.
Richter did manage to prevent the emigration of deportees, particularly orphans from Transnistria
, to Palestine
. Richter did this in accordance with the detailed instructions he received directly from Eichmann and the German Foreign Ministry.
On 23 August 1944, the Romanian royalist forces under King Michael I
(King Mihai) staged a coup, deposed the government of Ion Antonescu
(Romania's military dictator), quit the Axis, and joined the Allies
. Richter found himself besieged in the German embassy in Bucharest by royalist forces. He was captured by the Romanians and he was delivered to the Soviet liberation forces.
, Richter shared a prison cell with Raoul Wallenberg
at Lubyanka prison. On 1 March 1945, Richter was moved from his cell and he never saw Wallenberg again. Richter testified in Sweden in 1955 that Wallenberg was interrogated at least once by the Soviets for about an hour-and-a-half. According to Richter, this interrogation took place in early February 1945.
After ten years in prisoner-of-war camps in the Soviet Union
, Richter was transferred to Germany in 1955 but he never fully escaped prison. Preparations for Richter's trial began in Germany in 1961. But the trial did not begin until December 1981. The basis for Richter's conviction was the plan, signed by him, to deport Romanian Jewry to Belzec. In early 1982, Richter was sentenced to four years of imprisonment but was released on the basis that he had already spent time in prison whilst in the Soviet Union
.
Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Otto Eichmann was a German Nazi and SS-Obersturmbannführer and one of the major organizers of the Holocaust...
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...
.
Richter was born in 1913 and he received a law degree (died about 1982).
Richter was a devoted Nazi. He was a member of the National Socialist German Workers Party
National Socialist German Workers Party
The National Socialist German Workers' Party , commonly known in English as the Nazi Party, was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. Its predecessor, the German Workers' Party , existed from 1919 to 1920...
(Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, NSDAP) and he joined the "Protective Squadron" (Schutzstaffel
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
, SS).
Romania
In April 1941, Richter was sent to BucharestBucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, as the adviser on Jewish Affairs. He collaborated closely with the German Ambassador to Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Manfred Freiherr von Killinger
Manfred Freiherr von Killinger
Manfred Freiherr von Killinger was a German naval officer, Freikorps leader, military writer and Nazi politician. A veteran of World War I and member of the Marinebrigade Ehrhardt during the German Revolution, he took part in the violent intervention against the Bavarian Soviet Republic...
.
After returning 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...
in September 1941, Richter returned to Romania. He remained there until August 1944. It was Richter who insisted on the reintroduction of repressive measures. On 3 September 1941, it was by his order that wearing the yellow badge was re-endorsed.
Richter's primary task was to take a census of the Jews in Romania. He planned the ghettoization and ultimate extermination of 300,000 Romanian Jews. Richter planned the deportation of Romanian Jews to the Belzec extermination camp
Belzec extermination camp
Belzec, Polish spelling Bełżec , was the first of the Nazi German extermination camps created for implementing Operation Reinhard during the Holocaust...
in occupied Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. His other task was to prevent the emigration of Jewish children from Romania to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
.
On 22 July 1942, Richter received permission from Romania's Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Romania
The Prime Minister of Romania is the head of the Government of Romania. Initially, the office was styled President of the Council of Ministers , when the term "Government" included more than the Cabinet, and the Cabinet was called The Council of Ministers...
and Foreign Minister, Mihai Antonescu
Mihai Antonescu
Mihai Antonescu was a Romanian politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister during World War II.-Early career:...
, to deport the Romanian Jews to Belzec. However, while hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed in Romania, in general, Richter's plan to deport them to Belzec fell through.
Richter did manage to prevent the emigration of deportees, particularly orphans from Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
, to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. Richter did this in accordance with the detailed instructions he received directly from Eichmann and the German Foreign Ministry.
On 23 August 1944, the Romanian royalist forces under King Michael I
Michael I of Romania
Michael was the last King of Romania. He reigned from 20 July 1927 to 8 June 1930, and again from 6 September 1940 until 30 December 1947 when he was forced, by the Communist Party of Romania , to abdicate to the Soviet armies of occupation...
(King Mihai) staged a coup, deposed the government of Ion Antonescu
Ion Antonescu
Ion Victor Antonescu was a Romanian soldier, authoritarian politician and convicted war criminal. The Prime Minister and Conducător during most of World War II, he presided over two successive wartime dictatorships...
(Romania's military dictator), quit the Axis, and joined the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
. Richter found himself besieged in the German embassy in Bucharest by royalist forces. He was captured by the Romanians and he was delivered to the Soviet liberation forces.
Prisoner of war
On 21 January 1945, while in Soviet custody immediately following World War IIWorld 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...
, Richter shared a prison cell with Raoul Wallenberg
Raoul Wallenberg
Raoul Wallenberg was a Swedish businessman, diplomat and humanitarian. He is widely celebrated for his successful efforts to rescue thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary from the Holocaust, during the later stages of World War II...
at Lubyanka prison. On 1 March 1945, Richter was moved from his cell and he never saw Wallenberg again. Richter testified in Sweden in 1955 that Wallenberg was interrogated at least once by the Soviets for about an hour-and-a-half. According to Richter, this interrogation took place in early February 1945.
After ten years in prisoner-of-war camps in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Richter was transferred to Germany in 1955 but he never fully escaped prison. Preparations for Richter's trial began in Germany in 1961. But the trial did not begin until December 1981. The basis for Richter's conviction was the plan, signed by him, to deport Romanian Jewry to Belzec. In early 1982, Richter was sentenced to four years of imprisonment but was released on the basis that he had already spent time in prison whilst in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
See also
- Wiesel CommissionWiesel CommissionThe Wiesel Commission is the common name given to the International Commission on the Holocaust in Romania, which was established by former President Ion Iliescu in October 2003 to research and create a report on the actual history of the Holocaust in Romania and make specific recommendations for...
- History of the Jews in RomaniaHistory of the Jews in RomaniaThe history of Jews in Romania concerns the Jews of Romania and of Romanian origins, from their first mention on what is nowadays Romanian territory....
- Romania during World War IIRomania during World War IIFollowing the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939, the Kingdom of Romania officially adopted a position of neutrality. However, the rapidly changing situation in Europe during 1940, as well as domestic political upheaval, undermined this stance. Fascist political forces such as the Iron...
- Battle of Romania (1944)Battle of Romania (1944)The Jassy–Kishinev Operation, named after the two major cities, Iaşi and Chişinău, in the staging area, was a Soviet offensive against Axis forces, which took place in Eastern Romania from 20–29 August 1944...
External links
- http://www.shoa.de/content/view/348/230/ death about 1982