Erich Naumann

Not to be confused withErich Neumann.

Erich Naumann
Naumann's mugshot after his indictment for theNuremberg Military Tribunal(July 1947)
Born	29 April 1905 Meissen,Saxony,German Empire
Died	7 June 1951 (aged 46) Landsberg Prison,Landsberg am Lech,West Germany
Cause of death	Execution by hanging
Criminal status	Executed
Motive	Nazism
Conviction(s)	Crimes against humanity War crimes Membership in a criminal organization
Trial	Einsatzgruppen trial
Criminal penalty	Death
Details
Victims	95,000+
Span of crimes	1939–1944
Country	Poland,Belarusian SSR,Russian SFSR,andNetherlands
SScareer
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	SS
Rank	SS-Brigadeführer
Commands held	Einsatzgruppe VI Einsatzgruppe B Commander of the Security Police and SD in the Netherlands

Erich Naumann(29 April 1905 – 7 June 1951) was anSS-Brigadeführer,member of theSD,and a convicted war criminal. Naumann had a key role inthe Holocaustin Eastern Europe as the commander ofEinsatzgruppe VIand the commander ofEinsatzgruppe B.

Early life and career

Born 29 April 1905, inMeissen,Saxony,Erich Naumann left school at the age of sixteen and was employed in a commercial firm in his home town of Meissen. He joined theNazi Partyin November 1929 (nr. 170257). In 1933, Naumann joined the SA in a full-time capacity and then became an official and officer of police. He joined the SD in 1935. Naumann was the commander of Einsatzgruppe VI during its short-lived existence. During theinvasion of Poland,the unit murdered over 6000 people as part ofOperation Tannenberg.Afterwards, Naumann was Chief of Einsatzgruppe B from November 1941 until February or March 1943.

During November 1941, reports he sent toAdolf Eichmannstate that he was responsible for the deaths of 17,256 people inSmolensk.Under his command, he admitted that hisEinsatzgruppepossessed three gas vans which "were used to exterminate human beings". In another report, dated 15 December 1942, Naumann reported that the Einsatzgruppe B had shot a total of 134,298 people.

From September 1943 to July 1944, Naumann was the commander of the Security Police and SD in theNetherlands.In this position, he assisted the perpetrators ofOperation Silbertanneand approved of executions carried out byHenk Feldmeijerand Feldmeijer's death squad.

War crimes trial and execution

After capture by theAllies,Naumann stood trial in front of a U.S. military court during theEinsatzgruppen trial.During the proceedings he repeatedly stated that he did not consider his actions during his tenure as commanding officer ofEinsatzgruppe Bwrong.When asked on the witness stand whether he saw anything morally wrong about the Führer's orders, he replied specifically that he:

"No, your Honor, I considered the decree to be right, because it was part of our aim of the war and therefore it was necessary."

The tribunal asked Naumann to clarify, "Then the Tribunal will accept from your answer that you saw nothing wrong with the order, even though it did involve the killing of defenseless human beings. That is what we draw from your answer." Naumann replied, "Yes, your Honor."Naumann was found guilty ofwar crimes,crimes against humanity,and membership in a criminal organization, namely the SS and the SD. Naumann was sentenced to death and hanged shortly after midnight on 7 June 1951.

External links

• Naumann's trialfrom The Einsatzgruppen Archives
• Profile of Naumannfrom Musmanno, Michael A.,Justice. The Eichmann Kommandos.London: Peter Davies. 1961. pp. 156 - 16
• Overview