Siegfried Wolfgang Fehmer
Encyclopedia
Siegfried Wolfgang Fehmer (10 January 1911 in München - 16 March 1948) was a German
Gestapo
officer during World War II
. He was stationed in Norway
during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
, and at the end of the war he was a Kriminalrat
, the police investigator heading the infamous Abteilung IV from its headquarter in Victoria Terrasse
, Oslo
. He had also reached the rank of Hauptsturmführer
in the SS
. Along with Josef Terboven
, Fehmer was considered one of the most despised members of the German occupation forces in Norway.
Fehmer joined the National Socialist German Workers Party
in January 1930 and was employed by the Gestapo from 1934. He was promoted several times and held different positions within the organization, until in April 1940 he was sent to Norway. There he worked with counter-intelligence
and suppressing the resistance.
Fehmer wore an SS uniform with Sicherheitsdienst
badges. The Sicherheitsdienst (SD, Security Service) was primarily the intelligence service of the SS and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. With a striking appearance and charm, he was perceived as quite the ladies man. Despite this outward appearance, Fehmer was ruthless, and did not hesitate to use torture
during interrogation of suspects. He has been described by his victims as capable of switching from using a friendly approach to sadistic torture in a heartbeat.
Milorg
(the military branch of the Norwegian resistance movement
) saw him as a severe threat. Several plans for his assassination
were made, and Fehmer survived one such attack with several gunshot wounds to his chest.
At the end of the war, on 8 May 1945, Fehmer attempted to escape to Sweden
, but was apprehended by Sergeant John Maclean (later Second Lieutenant) from British Military Intelligence, assisted by Norwegian police officers, near the border. Throughout the war Fehmer had used his pet German shepherd
to torture his victims, and Maclean realised that Fehmer would attempt to retrieve his dog before leaving Norway. Through interrogation of some of Fehmer's associates Maclean discovered the location for the dog, where he waited until Fehmer duly appeared. Fehmer was tried and convicted of war crime
s, and sentenced to death
by the Supreme Court of Norway
. The sentence was carried out by firing squad at Akershus festning on 16 March 1948.
One of the main characters in the 2008 Norwegian film Max Manus
, he was portrayed by the German actor Ken Duken
.
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...
Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
officer 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...
. He was stationed in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
, and at the end of the war he was a Kriminalrat
Kriminalpolizei
is the standard term for the criminal investigation agency within the police forces of Germany, Austria and the German-speaking cantons of Switzerland. In Nazi Germany during 1936, the Kripo became the Criminal Police Department for the entire Reich...
, the police investigator heading the infamous Abteilung IV from its headquarter in Victoria Terrasse
Victoria Terrasse
Victoria Terrasse is a building complex in central Oslo, Norway.Built in the 1880s, it was taken over the by Norwegian government in 1913 and put to use by the police and various political departments....
, Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. He had also reached the rank of Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...
in the SS
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...
. Along with Josef Terboven
Josef Terboven
Josef Antonius Heinrich Terboven was a Nazi leader, best known as the Reichskommissar during the German occupation of Norway.-Early life:...
, Fehmer was considered one of the most despised members of the German occupation forces in Norway.
Fehmer joined 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...
in January 1930 and was employed by the Gestapo from 1934. He was promoted several times and held different positions within the organization, until in April 1940 he was sent to Norway. There he worked with counter-intelligence
Counter-intelligence
Counterintelligence or counter-intelligence refers to efforts made by intelligence organizations to prevent hostile or enemy intelligence organizations from successfully gathering and collecting intelligence against them. National intelligence programs, and, by extension, the overall defenses of...
and suppressing the resistance.
Fehmer wore an SS uniform with Sicherheitsdienst
Sicherheitsdienst
Sicherheitsdienst , full title Sicherheitsdienst des Reichsführers-SS, or SD, was the intelligence agency of the SS and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. The organization was the first Nazi Party intelligence organization to be established and was often considered a "sister organization" with the...
badges. The Sicherheitsdienst (SD, Security Service) was primarily the intelligence service of the SS and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. With a striking appearance and charm, he was perceived as quite the ladies man. Despite this outward appearance, Fehmer was ruthless, and did not hesitate to use torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
during interrogation of suspects. He has been described by his victims as capable of switching from using a friendly approach to sadistic torture in a heartbeat.
Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
(the military branch of the Norwegian resistance movement
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
) saw him as a severe threat. Several plans for his assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
were made, and Fehmer survived one such attack with several gunshot wounds to his chest.
At the end of the war, on 8 May 1945, Fehmer attempted to escape to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, but was apprehended by Sergeant John Maclean (later Second Lieutenant) from British Military Intelligence, assisted by Norwegian police officers, near the border. Throughout the war Fehmer had used his pet German shepherd
German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog...
to torture his victims, and Maclean realised that Fehmer would attempt to retrieve his dog before leaving Norway. Through interrogation of some of Fehmer's associates Maclean discovered the location for the dog, where he waited until Fehmer duly appeared. Fehmer was tried and convicted of war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s, and sentenced to death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
by the Supreme Court of Norway
Supreme Court of Norway
The Supreme Court of Norway was established in 1815 on the basis of the Constitution of Norway's §88, prescribing an independent judiciary. It is located in Oslo and is Norway's highest court...
. The sentence was carried out by firing squad at Akershus festning on 16 March 1948.
One of the main characters in the 2008 Norwegian film Max Manus
Max Manus (film)
Max Manus is a Norwegian 2008 biographic war film based on the real events of the life of resistance fighter Max Manus . The story follows Manus from the Winter War against the Soviet Union, through the outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Norway until peacetime in 1945...
, he was portrayed by the German actor Ken Duken
Ken Duken
Ken Duken is a German actor.Ken Duken is the third child of film and stage actress Christina Loeb; his father is a doctor. Duken never attended a drama school but took courses in drama, including under James Reynold...
.