SS career
editOn 1 April 1934 Höss joined the SS, on Himmler's effective call-to-action,[1] and in the same year moved to the Death's Head Units. He came to admire Himmler so much that he considered whatever he said to be the "gospel" and preferred to display his picture in his office rather than that of Hitler.[citation needed] Höss was assigned to the Dachau concentration camp in December 1934, where he held the post of Block leader. His mentor at Dachau was the then SS-brigadier general Theodor Eicke, the reorganizer of Nazi concentration camp system. In 1938, Höss was promoted to SS-captain and was made adjutant to Hermann Baranowski in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. There he led the firing squad that, on Himmler's orders on 15 September 1939, killed August Dickman, a Jehovah's Witness who was the first conscientious objector to be executed after the start of the War. Höss fired the fatal shot from his pistol.[2] He joined the Waffen-SS in 1939 after the invasion of Poland. Höss excelled in that capacity, and was recommended by his superiors for further responsibility and promotion. By the end of his tour of duty there, he was serving as administrator of prisoners' property.[3][4]
- ^ Höß 1996, p. 81.
- ^ Müller, Hans (1994). Führung gut – politisch unzuverlässig. Oberhausen, Germany: Asso Verlag. p. 152. ISBN 3-921541-87-5.
- ^ Prof. Douglas O. Linder, "Testimony of Rudolf Höß at the Nuremberg Trials, April 15, 1946" available online at Famous World Trials: The Nuremberg Trials: 1945–48, UMKC School of Law. OCLC 45390347
- ^ Paul R. Bartrop (2014). Rudolf Hoess. ABC-CLIO. p. 111. ISBN 978-1610693318. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
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