Herta Bothe. ……. Lady who did regretted her Job of Nazi Camp Overseer …. 1999 Interview…
Herta Bothe.. Early Life …
Born January,1921,her Father was a woodworker,In 1938 at the age of seventeen,Bothe helped her father in his small Teterow wood shop than as a hospital nurse … In the year 1939 Bothe became a member of the Bund Deutsche Mädel ,( League of German Girls ) a Nazi group formed by Nazi Party ….
Herta Bothe as a Camp Guard ….
In 1942 ,Bothe became the SS -Camp Guard at the Nazi German Ravensbruck Concentration camp for women then she completed 4 months of training course and joined as an Overseer in the Stutthof camp near Danzig.Soon for her ruthless attitude,she was Known to be “Sadisist of Stutthof” due to her Perpetual beatings of the Starved prisoners…..In 1944 ,she was transferred to the Bromberg - Ost Sub Camp.
Herta Bothe participated in Death March …
On 21 January,1945 , the 24 year old Bothe Accompanied a death March of the women prisoners from Central Poland to the Bergen- Belsen concentration Camp near Celle .
….. Death March.. is a forced March of Prisoners of War or other Captives in which individuals are left to die along the way .
…Bothe also supervised a group of 60 women Prisoners who were conscripted to a wooden cutt Bridge. On 15 April 1942l5 Camp was liberated ,Bothe was arrested .
Death March Refrential Image
Trials…
At the trials ,Survivors of the Camp testified their Statements and told … Bothe beaten a Hungarian Jew woman named Eva to the death with a wooden Block …Another testament revealed about Witnessing…. “ I saw several weak prisoners Carrying a food Container from Kitchen block .As it was filled it was very heavy for weak prisoners,so they rested it down ,At that moment I saw Bothe Shoot at the Victims with her pistol “ I cannot say dead or wounded ,but as they were very weak , thin , Undernourished I have no doubt that they died .
Bothe Confessed , She had beaten prisoners in the camp using sticks ,but she never killed any prisoner and Concluded saying, she was doing her job and what was ordered.
Bothe was Convicted for her Crimes and she was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
Shorten Sentence …
While Serving her imprisonment of 10 years ,She was released early from her sentencing,on 22 December 1951, She served her sentence only for 6 years …..
Bothe Interview … 1999 …
She gave an interview,where she told about his Camp duty and experiences in a Complaining manner… …..Allied Soldiers forced them to Burry dead bodies around the Camp into a mass grave which was dug adjacent to the camp .The numbers would shock everyone…..Then… Bothe told, the condition of those bodies was so bad that ,when they tried to move the body helding part tore apart and for such a job ,they were not given any gloves …….She told ,while shifting the bodies ,she got struck with Lifelong Back pain .
Bothe denied to Regret her Choice of Being Overseer Reporter asked Bothe ,did you regretted your Choice of Joining Camp as Overseer……..Bothe replied and defended her ….. Quote …. “ Did I make a mistake? No .The mistake was that it was a Concentration Camp,but I had to go to it, otherwise I would have been put into myself.That was my mistake.”
Image from her 1999 Interview.
Bothe died on 16 March ,2000 …. The interview she gave in 1999 but not broadcast until 7 years ….
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