Hans-Dietrich Ernst facts for kids

Hans-Dietrich Ernst (born November 3, 1908 Opole - March 1991 ) was a German lawyer, SS squad leader and Sicherheitsdienst (SD) lawyer. He was a commander of the security police and SD (KdS) in German-occupied France during the World War II. He was responsible for the deportation of Jews.

Life

He studied law. After the National Socialists seized power , he joined the party. After completing his studies, he worked in Hamburg and Berlin. After Austria's annexation in 1939, he worked in the office of the "Reich Commissioner for the Reunification of Austria with the German Empire". He was appointed government councilor in 1940, in Hamburg. He became deputy of the district administrator in Tegel in the Karlovy Vary region. He was promoted to Senior Government.

He worked in German-occupied France as a war administration officer in Dux. In 1941 in Bordeaux, he was a consultant for police matters. In early June 1942, he was commander of the security police and SD (KdS) in Angers. Under his command, a transport of Jews from Angers to Auschwitz-Birkenau, began on 20 July 1942 . He left Angers in August 1944, as the Allies advanced. From September to November 1944, he was in the Vosges department.

After the war, Ernst was interned by United States forces, but he escaped. He went into hiding in Leipzig, but was arrested by the Soviet occupying forces. He was sentenced to twenty years of forced labor. From 1947 to 1956, he was imprisoned in the Vorkuta Gulag. labor camp. He moved to Leer in early 1956 and received a fine of 5,520 DM. He was warned not to travel to France. He could not return to the public service. From 1958 he was admitted to the bar in Leer, and from 1964 was a notary. In 1962, the CIA searched for him as a person of interest.