Franz Ziereis

Franz Ziereis was the commander of the concentration camp of Mauthausen-Gusen at the time of its release on May 5th, 1945 by the American forces.

Biography

Childhood and youth

It was born the August 13rd 1905 in Munich, in Germany. His/her father, coachman, were killed during the First World War. Ziereis spent 8 years to the elementary school before becoming apprentice and dispach rider in a department store. He studied the trade in the course of the evening. From 1922 he worked more or less regularly as a carpenter.

He knew various layoffs and then decided to engage in the army in 1924 per one 12 years duration. He was built-in the Reichswehr on April 1st, 1924 and returned to the civil life on September 30th, 1936 with the rank of sergeant.

Engagement and career in the S

At its exit it joined the Nazi party (NSDAP) and engaged in the S, being seen proposing functions like SS-Obersturmführer (lieutenant) with good prospects for advance.

At the beginning missions of military nature were entrusted to him and its superiors, on which Eicke, congratulated it for its aptitudes as an instructor. In 1937 he became the commander of the detachment of Brandebourg of the 22e " Hundertschaft" (unit of one hundred men), pertaining to sadly celebrates division of S Totenkopf (death's-head). It was then seriously wounded with the knee with the drive and had to undergo a long hospitalization.

In 1938, Ziereis was transferred in Austria, where it was in charge of the drive of young recruits S of the Thuringia regiment of division S Totenkopf.

Command of the camp of Mauthausen-Gusen

On the order of the commander of division S Totenkopf, it took the command of the concentration camp of Mauthausen-Gusen on February 9th, 1939, to replace Albert Sauer. It was promoted with the row of SS-Sturmbahnführer (commander) on August 25th, 1939, then of SS-Standartenführer (colonel) on April 20th, 1944, in reward of its " réussite" as a commander of the camp In Mauthausen, Ziereis made it possible his/her 11 year old son to draw with rifle on the prisoners since the balcony from his residence.

After the release of the concentration camp of Mauthausen, on May 5th, 1945, he flees with his wife and his son. The American soldiers located them in his hut of hunting on the Phyrn mount in High-Austria on May 23rd. It tried to escape to them, but was seriously wounded. Transported with the American military hospital of Gusen, he died the May 24th. Its corpse was hung by former deportees on the barbed wires of the camp of Gusen I, then buried in a tomb without indication of name.

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