Heinz Auerswald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heinz Auerswald
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| Born | 26 July 1908 Berlin, Province of Brandenburg, German Empire
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| Died | 5 December 1970 (aged 62) |
| Nationality | German |
| Political party | National Socialist German Workers' Party |
Heinz Auerswald (born July 26, 1908 – died December 5, 1970) was a German lawyer. He was a member of the SS, a powerful group in Nazi Germany, which he joined in 1933. In 1937, he also became a member of the NSDAP, the ruling political party at the time.
Early Life and Education
Heinz Auerswald was born in Berlin on July 26, 1908. He spent his childhood with his mother and other family members in the countryside. He went to elementary school and then a higher secondary school in Berlin, finishing in 1927.
After school, he worked for three years at a company called Knorr-Bremse in Berlin. Later, he decided to study law and earned a doctorate degree.
Role in the Warsaw Ghetto
On June 7, 1933, Heinz Auerswald joined the SS. From April 1941 to November 1942, he held an important position as the German Commissioner of the Warsaw Ghetto. This meant he was in charge of the Jewish living area in Warsaw.
The Nazis claimed they were managing the ghetto to help its residents survive. However, in reality, they created terrible conditions that led to great suffering. The goal was to harm the Jewish people living there through starvation, lack of shelter, and diseases.
The Warsaw Ghetto was extremely crowded. Almost 30 percent of Warsaw's population was forced into just 2.4 percent of the city's space. The food provided for Jewish people was very little, sometimes only 181 calories a day. By August 1941, more than 5,000 people were dying each month from hunger and illness.
Auerswald was involved in decisions that led to severe consequences for Jewish people. For example, an order from October 17, 1941, signed by him, resulted in the punishment of Jews who had tried to leave the ghetto. Also, the forced movement of many Jewish people from the ghetto to the Treblinka extermination camp began on July 22, 1942, while Auerswald was the Commissioner.
Life After World War II
After World War II ended, Heinz Auerswald worked as a lawyer in Düsseldorf, Germany. Later, an investigation was started by prosecutors in Dortmund to look into his actions during the war. However, this investigation was stopped because Auerswald passed away in 1970.
