Günther Theodor Niethammer (28 September 1908 Waldheim – 14 January 1974, Kottenforst) was a German ornithologist who served during the Second World War with the Nazi Waffen-SS at various places including the Auschwitz concentration camp where he conducted studies on birds.
Niethammer at the end of the war
Life and workedit
Niethammer was born in Waldheim, the eighth son of Konrad Niethammer, a paper manufacturer (owner of Kübler & Niethammer paper mills) and politician. After studying zoology at Tübingen in 1927 he moved to Leipzig in 1929 and then worked on the anatomy of the avian crop under J. Meisenheimer.[1] Through Hans Kummerlöwe, also in Leipzig, he met Erwin Stresemann who gave him the task of compiling the Handbuch der Deutschen Vogelkunde. The publication of the first volume led to a position as a curator at the Museum Koenig in Bonn from 1937 and he continued to work on the remaining two volumes, the last published in 1942. In 1937, Niethammer joined the Nazi party (Number 5613683) and in early 1940 he volunteered with the Luftwaffe as he had a flying license. Due to his age, he was rejected and he then tried to join the Wehrmacht which also refused to admit him. He then joined the armed unit, Waffen-SS, in May 1940. He was posted to Oranienburg and shortly after to Auschwitz concentration camp where he was posted at gate G as a part of the security team. Opposite gate G was a gravel pit where prisoners were routinely killed. He made a request to the camp commander Rudolf Höss for alternate duty and towards March 1941 he was given "special ornithological duty" nearby and Niethammer published on the birdlife of the Auschwitz area. There were many fishponds around the area which had dykes that were made of ash from burned prisoners. Niethammer hunted ducks nearby which were shared with Höss and son Klaus.[2] A prisoner named Grembocki helped in preparation of specimens.[3]
From the end of 1941 he was appointed as a zoologist with the Wehrmacht Department of Science at the recommendation of Fritz von Wettstein. He took part in the Ahnenerbe to support Nazi racial theory research. In 1942 he was transferred to unit K led by SturmbannführerErnst Schäfer. By 1 May 1944 he was promoted to Obersturmführer and from 22 April to 8 May 1945 he served in combat operations with the 269th Infantry Division. When the Allied Forces took over the region, he fled in civilian clothes on a bicycle belonging to Richard Heyder (1884-1984). In early February 1946 he reported to the British 320th Field Security Section in Bonn and was arrested. Niethammer was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment but it was reviewed and reduced to three years. He was placed in Mokotów Prison in Warsaw and released in November 1949.[3]
Niethammer became head of the ornithology department at the Museum Koenig in 1950 and became a professor in 1951 and retired in 1973 to Bonn. From 1962 to 1972 he served as editor for the Journal fur Ornithologie. He died of a heart failure while hunting on 14 January 1974. Niethammer's Nazi record was suppressed during his time in West Germany although known from his publications.
Arno Surminski based his 2008 novel Die Vogelwelt von Auschwitz upon Niethammer's ornithological studies around Auschwitz. Niethammer was married to Ruth née Filtzer and one of their four sons, Jochen became a mammalogist of repute.[4] Several subspecies of birds have been named after him including:
^Niethammer, Günther (1941). "Beobachtungen über die Vogelwelt von Auschwitz (Ost-Oberschlesien)". Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien. 52: 164–199. JSTOR 41768435.
^ abNowak, Eugeniusz (2018). Biologists in the Age of Totalitarianism: Personal Reminiscences of Ornithologists and Other Naturalists. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 69–72.
^Hutterer, Rainer (1996). "Jochen Niethammer, Biographie und Bibliographie" (PDF). Bonn. Zool. Beitr. (in German). 46: 5–14.
^Kumerloeve, Hans (1974). "Gunther Niethammer, dem Freunde und Kollegen, zum Gedächtnis". Bonner Zoologische Beiträge: 17–22.
External linksedit
Commemorative Issue of Bonner zoologische Beiträge (in German, with portrait)
January 01, 1970
günther, niethammer, günther, theodor, niethammer, september, 1908, waldheim, january, 1974, kottenforst, german, ornithologist, served, during, second, world, with, nazi, waffen, various, places, including, auschwitz, concentration, camp, where, conducted, st. Gunther Theodor Niethammer 28 September 1908 Waldheim 14 January 1974 Kottenforst was a German ornithologist who served during the Second World War with the Nazi Waffen SS at various places including the Auschwitz concentration camp where he conducted studies on birds Niethammer at the end of the warLife and work editNiethammer was born in Waldheim the eighth son of Konrad Niethammer a paper manufacturer owner of Kubler amp Niethammer paper mills and politician After studying zoology at Tubingen in 1927 he moved to Leipzig in 1929 and then worked on the anatomy of the avian crop under J Meisenheimer 1 Through Hans Kummerlowe also in Leipzig he met Erwin Stresemann who gave him the task of compiling the Handbuch der Deutschen Vogelkunde The publication of the first volume led to a position as a curator at the Museum Koenig in Bonn from 1937 and he continued to work on the remaining two volumes the last published in 1942 In 1937 Niethammer joined the Nazi party Number 5613683 and in early 1940 he volunteered with the Luftwaffe as he had a flying license Due to his age he was rejected and he then tried to join the Wehrmacht which also refused to admit him He then joined the armed unit Waffen SS in May 1940 He was posted to Oranienburg and shortly after to Auschwitz concentration camp where he was posted at gate G as a part of the security team Opposite gate G was a gravel pit where prisoners were routinely killed He made a request to the camp commander Rudolf Hoss for alternate duty and towards March 1941 he was given special ornithological duty nearby and Niethammer published on the birdlife of the Auschwitz area There were many fishponds around the area which had dykes that were made of ash from burned prisoners Niethammer hunted ducks nearby which were shared with Hoss and son Klaus 2 A prisoner named Grembocki helped in preparation of specimens 3 From the end of 1941 he was appointed as a zoologist with the Wehrmacht Department of Science at the recommendation of Fritz von Wettstein He took part in the Ahnenerbe to support Nazi racial theory research In 1942 he was transferred to unit K led by Sturmbannfuhrer Ernst Schafer By 1 May 1944 he was promoted to Obersturmfuhrer and from 22 April to 8 May 1945 he served in combat operations with the 269th Infantry Division When the Allied Forces took over the region he fled in civilian clothes on a bicycle belonging to Richard Heyder 1884 1984 In early February 1946 he reported to the British 320th Field Security Section in Bonn and was arrested Niethammer was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment but it was reviewed and reduced to three years He was placed in Mokotow Prison in Warsaw and released in November 1949 3 Niethammer became head of the ornithology department at the Museum Koenig in 1950 and became a professor in 1951 and retired in 1973 to Bonn From 1962 to 1972 he served as editor for the Journal fur Ornithologie He died of a heart failure while hunting on 14 January 1974 Niethammer s Nazi record was suppressed during his time in West Germany although known from his publications Arno Surminski based his 2008 novel Die Vogelwelt von Auschwitz upon Niethammer s ornithological studies around Auschwitz Niethammer was married to Ruth nee Filtzer and one of their four sons Jochen became a mammalogist of repute 4 Several subspecies of birds have been named after him including Carpodacus rubicilla niethammeri Keve 1943 Pogoniulus pusillus niethammeri Clancey 1952 Carduelis cannabina guentheri Wolters 1952 Calandrella rufescens niethammeri Kumerloeve 1963 Garrulus glandarius hansguentheri Keve 1967 after Hans Kumerloeve and Niethammer Nothoprocta pentlandi niethammeri Koepcke 1968 Mirafra angolensis niethammeri Da Rosa Pinto 1968 Amandava subflava niethammeri Wolters 1969 A genus of pyralid moth is named after him as Niethammeriodes 5 References edit Immelmann K 1975 07 01 Gunther Niethammer Ibis 117 3 389 390 doi 10 1111 j 1474 919x 1975 tb04230 x ISSN 1474 919X Niethammer Gunther 1941 Beobachtungen uber die Vogelwelt von Auschwitz Ost Oberschlesien Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien 52 164 199 JSTOR 41768435 a b Nowak Eugeniusz 2018 Biologists in the Age of Totalitarianism Personal Reminiscences of Ornithologists and Other Naturalists Cambridge Scholars Publishing pp 69 72 Hutterer Rainer 1996 Jochen Niethammer Biographie und Bibliographie PDF Bonn Zool Beitr in German 46 5 14 Kumerloeve Hans 1974 Gunther Niethammer dem Freunde und Kollegen zum Gedachtnis Bonner Zoologische Beitrage 17 22 External links editCommemorative Issue of Bonner zoologische Beitrage in German with portrait Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gunther Niethammer amp oldid 1216985126, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
