Günther Tamaschke (26 February 1896 – 14 October 1959) was a Nazi German SS-Standartenführer and commandant of the Lichtenburg and Ravensbrück concentration camps. He was never tried for his role in the Holocaust.
Günther Tamaschke was born the son of a merchant. Tamaschke passed his Notabitur, a wartime emergency high school diploma that allowed one to graduate early provided that he then serve in the military. He then volunteered for the German Army in 1914. From 1914, he was employed in various units during the First World War and came under French captivity during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Tamaschke returned to Berlin in March 1920 and took part in the Kapp Putsch. After that, he joined the Freikorps. After three semesters, he left the Handelshochschule Berlin and completed his training as a banker. Tamaschke married and became a partner at his father-in-law's wholesale store in late 1922. Politically, Tamaschke committed himself to the German Völkisch Freedom Party and was the founder of the Berlin branch of the party's Officers Bund. Tamaschke broke up his household in 1930, and quit working in his father-in-law's business at the end of 1932. After a period of unemployment, Tamaschke found a job in the district office in Berlin-Neukölln.[1]
Nazi SS career in concentration campsedit
He joined the NSDAP (Nazi Party member number 36,978) in 1926, and the SS (member number 851); he was one of the first members of the Berlin SS in 1927.[1] Tamaschke rose to the rank of SS-Standartenführer by mid-September 1935.[citation needed]
Through the actions of Kurt Daluege, Tamaschke was made Schutzhaftlagerführer in the Dachau concentration camp and remained in this position until the beginning of 1935. Under Theodor Eicke, the Inspector of Concentration Camps, Tamaschke rose to become head of the Politische Abteilung in the Concentration Camps Inspectorate (CCI). Through Eicke, with whom he had a special relationship of trust, Tamaschke was employed as the director (Lagerdirektor) of the newly established women's camp (Frauenkonzentrationslager) Lichtenburg starting on 1 December 1937.[2] As early as December 1938, he was involved in establishing Ravensbrück concentration camp, a concentration camp for women and children, and stayed on the construction site at Fürstenberg/Havel.[1] After the dissolution of the Lichtenburg concentration camp, Tamaschke moved with his staff to the newly built concentration camp at Ravensbrück, where he retained his position as Lagerdirektor, in May 1939.[3]
By August 1939 Tamaschke was relieved of his duties as director of Ravensbrück concentration camp and released in early September 1939 from the SS-Totenkopfverbände.[3] The reason was Tamaschke's private life. Tamaschke, who was married and had at least one child, began an affair with an Aufseherin (female guard). Since the affair had become public, and Tamaschke's wife had complained to Heinrich Himmler's personal staff, and given the fact that Tamaschke paid her no sustenance, Tamaschke lost the trust of Eicke, and he was removed from his post.[2] His marriage ended in divorce by 1940.[3] In September 1939, he moved to the Land Office near Prague. At the start of January 1942, Tamaschke was dismissed from the SS at Himmler's instigation, because as a trustee in the private sector, Tamaschke had been enriching himself with Jewish assets gained from Aryanization. Himmler processed this dismissal in March 1944, retroactively effective as of January 1942, as the allegations against Tamaschke proved to be untenable according to Himmler's findings.[1] Tamaschke had been reprimanded for attempting to buy the Jewish-owned Czech company Nalus and Mansfeld, something which Himmler described in his official reprimand as Tamaschke taking "advantage of your position as an SS officer in order to lay your hands on a commercial enterprise you could not gain possession of in any other way".[4]
After the war's end, Tamaschke last resided in Uhingen, where he died on 14 October 1959.[5]
Personal lifeedit
Tamaschke's first marriage would end in divorce, although Tamaschke's decision to stop alimony payments led to his being disciplined by the SS as any such scandal was seen as bringing dishonour on the organisation.[6] He subsequently remarried, his second wife being Emmy Hirschberg, an office clerk from Sudetenland. The marriage had initially been delayed when an investigation uncovered that Hirschberg's grandfather had committed suicide and that two of her uncles were involvement in left-wing politics. Eventually, the marriage was allowed to take place.[7]
Bibliographyedit
Ernst Klee: Das Personenlexikon zum Dritten Reich: Wer war was vor und nach 1945. Fischer-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2005, ISBN3-596-16048-0.
Karin Orth: Die Konzentrationslager-SS. dtv, München 2004, ISBN3-423-34085-1.
Silke Schäfer: Zum Selbstverständnis von Frauen im Konzentrationslager. Das Lager Ravensbrück. Berlin 2002 (Dissertation as pdf)
Johannes Tuchel: Konzentrationslager: Organisationsgeschichte und Funktion der Inspektion der Konzentrationslager 1934–1938. (= Schriften des Bundesarchivs, Band 39). H. Boldt, 1991, ISBN3-7646-1902-3.
Referencesedit
^ abcdeJohannes Tuchel: Konzentrationslager: Organisationsgeschichte und Funktion der Inspektion der Konzentrationslager 1934–1938. 1991, p. 392.
^ abKarin Orth: Die Konzentrationslager-SS. Munich 2004, p. 134f.
^ abcdSilke Schäfer: Zum Selbstverständnis von Frauen im Konzentrationslager. Das Lager Ravensbrück. Berlin 2002, p. 169f.
günther, tamaschke, february, 1896, october, 1959, nazi, german, standartenführer, commandant, lichtenburg, ravensbrück, concentration, camps, never, tried, role, holocaust, born, 1896, february, 1896berlin, german, empiredied14, october, 1959, 1959, aged, uhi. Gunther Tamaschke 26 February 1896 14 October 1959 was a Nazi German SS Standartenfuhrer and commandant of the Lichtenburg and Ravensbruck concentration camps He was never tried for his role in the Holocaust Gunther TamaschkeBorn 1896 02 26 26 February 1896Berlin German EmpireDied14 October 1959 1959 10 14 aged 63 Uhingen West GermanyOccupation s Commandant of the Lichtenburg and Ravensbruck concentration campsPolitical partyNazi PartySpouseEmmy Hirschberg Contents 1 Early life 2 Nazi SS career in concentration camps 3 Post war 4 Personal life 5 Bibliography 6 ReferencesEarly life editGunther Tamaschke was born the son of a merchant Tamaschke passed his Notabitur a wartime emergency high school diploma that allowed one to graduate early provided that he then serve in the military He then volunteered for the German Army in 1914 From 1914 he was employed in various units during the First World War and came under French captivity during the Battle of the Somme in 1916 Tamaschke returned to Berlin in March 1920 and took part in the Kapp Putsch After that he joined the Freikorps After three semesters he left the Handelshochschule Berlin and completed his training as a banker Tamaschke married and became a partner at his father in law s wholesale store in late 1922 Politically Tamaschke committed himself to the German Volkisch Freedom Party and was the founder of the Berlin branch of the party s Officers Bund Tamaschke broke up his household in 1930 and quit working in his father in law s business at the end of 1932 After a period of unemployment Tamaschke found a job in the district office in Berlin Neukolln 1 Nazi SS career in concentration camps editHe joined the NSDAP Nazi Party member number 36 978 in 1926 and the SS member number 851 he was one of the first members of the Berlin SS in 1927 1 Tamaschke rose to the rank of SS Standartenfuhrer by mid September 1935 citation needed Through the actions of Kurt Daluege Tamaschke was made Schutzhaftlagerfuhrer in the Dachau concentration camp and remained in this position until the beginning of 1935 Under Theodor Eicke the Inspector of Concentration Camps Tamaschke rose to become head of the Politische Abteilung in the Concentration Camps Inspectorate CCI Through Eicke with whom he had a special relationship of trust Tamaschke was employed as the director Lagerdirektor of the newly established women s camp Frauenkonzentrationslager Lichtenburg starting on 1 December 1937 2 As early as December 1938 he was involved in establishing Ravensbruck concentration camp a concentration camp for women and children and stayed on the construction site at Furstenberg Havel 1 After the dissolution of the Lichtenburg concentration camp Tamaschke moved with his staff to the newly built concentration camp at Ravensbruck where he retained his position as Lagerdirektor in May 1939 3 By August 1939 Tamaschke was relieved of his duties as director of Ravensbruck concentration camp and released in early September 1939 from the SS Totenkopfverbande 3 The reason was Tamaschke s private life Tamaschke who was married and had at least one child began an affair with an Aufseherin female guard Since the affair had become public and Tamaschke s wife had complained to Heinrich Himmler s personal staff and given the fact that Tamaschke paid her no sustenance Tamaschke lost the trust of Eicke and he was removed from his post 2 His marriage ended in divorce by 1940 3 In September 1939 he moved to the Land Office near Prague At the start of January 1942 Tamaschke was dismissed from the SS at Himmler s instigation because as a trustee in the private sector Tamaschke had been enriching himself with Jewish assets gained from Aryanization Himmler processed this dismissal in March 1944 retroactively effective as of January 1942 as the allegations against Tamaschke proved to be untenable according to Himmler s findings 1 Tamaschke had been reprimanded for attempting to buy the Jewish owned Czech company Nalus and Mansfeld something which Himmler described in his official reprimand as Tamaschke taking advantage of your position as an SS officer in order to lay your hands on a commercial enterprise you could not gain possession of in any other way 4 Subsequently Tamaschke served in the Heer 3 and was still on the staff of the SS Oberabschnitt Bohmen Mahren in October 1944 1 Post war editAfter the war s end Tamaschke last resided in Uhingen where he died on 14 October 1959 5 Personal life editTamaschke s first marriage would end in divorce although Tamaschke s decision to stop alimony payments led to his being disciplined by the SS as any such scandal was seen as bringing dishonour on the organisation 6 He subsequently remarried his second wife being Emmy Hirschberg an office clerk from Sudetenland The marriage had initially been delayed when an investigation uncovered that Hirschberg s grandfather had committed suicide and that two of her uncles were involvement in left wing politics Eventually the marriage was allowed to take place 7 Bibliography editErnst Klee Das Personenlexikon zum Dritten Reich Wer war was vor und nach 1945 Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag Frankfurt am Main 2005 ISBN 3 596 16048 0 Karin Orth Die Konzentrationslager SS dtv Munchen 2004 ISBN 3 423 34085 1 Silke Schafer Zum Selbstverstandnis von Frauen im Konzentrationslager Das Lager Ravensbruck Berlin 2002 Dissertation as pdf Tom Segev Soldiers of Evil The Commandants of the Nazi Concentration Camps 1988 ISBN 0 07 056058 7 Johannes Tuchel Konzentrationslager Organisationsgeschichte und Funktion der Inspektion der Konzentrationslager 1934 1938 Schriften des Bundesarchivs Band 39 H Boldt 1991 ISBN 3 7646 1902 3 References edit a b c d e Johannes Tuchel Konzentrationslager Organisationsgeschichte und Funktion der Inspektion der Konzentrationslager 1934 1938 1991 p 392 a b Karin Orth Die Konzentrationslager SS Munich 2004 p 134f a b c d Silke Schafer Zum Selbstverstandnis von Frauen im Konzentrationslager Das Lager Ravensbruck Berlin 2002 p 169f Tom Segev Soldiers of Evil Berkley Books 1991 p 95 Ernst Klee Das Personenlexikon zum Dritten Reich Frankfurt am Main 2007 p 617 Tom Segev Soldiers of Evil Berkley Books 1991 p 80 Tom Segev Soldiers of Evil Berkley Books 1991 p 78 Military offices Preceded byNone Director of Lichtenburg concentration campDecember 1937 May 1939 Succeeded byNone Preceded byNone Commandant of Ravensbruck concentration campMay 1939 August 1939 Succeeded bySS Sturmbannfuhrer Max Koegel Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gunther Tamaschke amp oldid 1182763193, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
