The atrocities committed by Irma Grese are well documented and truly terrifying. As an SS guard, she was responsible for overseeing the brutal treatment of prisoners in the concentration camps of Ravensbrück, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen. She was known for her cruelty and sadism and her victims included women, children and the elderly.
Some of the charges against her include participating in selections of prisoners for the gas chambers, whipping and beating prisoners, attacking dogs, shooting prisoners without reason, and conducting medical experiments on them. She was also said to enjoy selecting prisoners to torture them personally.
The nickname “Hyena of Auschwitz” is an indication of the level of fear and hatred she inspired in those around her. Her trial and execution served as a powerful reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust and the need to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
She was convicted of her crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging at the Belsen Trials. She was executed at the age of 22, making her one of the youngest war criminals to be put to death. Her execution was carried out on December 13, 1945, together with nine other defendants, including Josef Kramer, the commandant of Bergen-Belsen.
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