Summary of "Who Did What Now" Episode 154: Irma Grese - The Hyena of Auschwitz

Introduction

In Episode 154 of "Who Did What Now," titled Irma Grese - The Hyena of Auschwitz, host Katie Charlwood delves deep into the life and atrocities of Irma Grese, one of the most notorious female Nazi concentration camp guards during the Holocaust. This episode is part of Charlwood's focused series on concentration camps, aiming to shed light on lesser-known aspects and figures within this dark chapter of history.

Early Life and Indoctrination

Irma Ilse Ade Grese was born on October 7, 1923, in Wreken, Northern Germany, to Alfred Anton Albert Grese and Bertha Wilminna Winter. Growing up in a patriarchal and impoverished family, Irma's early years were heavily influenced by Nazi ideology. At the age of nine, with Adolf Hitler's rise to Chancellor in 1933, Nazi principles began infiltrating the German education system, molding children into loyal followers. Charlwood notes, "Irma was poor out in the countryside and was being told that she was superior to all these other people... she was always kind of a bit wimpy."

Entry into the SS and Ravensbruck

At 17, after completing her apprenticeship at the Hocken Lichen Sanatorium—a facility later integrated into the Ravensbruck concentration camp system—Irma Grese officially joined the SS as an overseer. The training she received was designed to strip away empathy, making guards like her "cruel, calculated, and efficient." Charlwood highlights, "The training was harsh and brutal, designed to make the guards tough and remove any natural empathy one might have towards other humans."

Auschwitz Birkenau: A Realm of Terror

In March 1943, Grese was transferred to Auschwitz Birkenau (Auschwitz II), where she quickly ascended the ranks due to her zealous cruelty. Assigned to Camp B, the largest section of Auschwitz, she became infamous for her sadistic behavior. Charlwood describes her uniformed presence as "a juxtaposition blonde-haired baby-faced teenager with her blue eyes and her neat suit and shiny boots," masking her horrific actions.

Grese's responsibilities included overseeing punishment details, where she was directly responsible for the deaths of approximately 30 prisoners daily. Her methods were brutal: "20 blows to the bare buttocks with a heavy stick" were commonplace, and she took particular pleasure in inflicting pain. Charlwood recounts a chilling account:

"Irma Greze was enjoying the sight of this human suffering. Her tense body swung back and forth in a revealing rhythmic motion... giving herself completely to the orgasmic spasms which shook her entire body and made saliva run down the corners of her mouth." (Timestamp: 40:09)

Behavior and Cruelty

Irma Grese was notorious for her sadistic practices beyond physical violence. She frequently sexually assaulted female inmates, an abuse of power that went unchecked within the camp system. Charlwood explains, "Irma would sexually assault female inmates, and when she was finished with them, she would send them to the gas chambers because dead men tell no tales."

Her cruelty extended to psychological terror. Grese relished displaying her expensive clothes and perfumes, contrasting sharply with the prisoners' suffering. She employed dogs to enforce discipline, setting them on inmates who failed to keep up during forced marches or made mistakes under her watch.

Transfer to Bergen Belsen and Continued Atrocities

As the war neared its end and the Soviet Red Army advanced, Irma Grese was transferred to Bergen Belsen in March 1945. Even there, her brutality did not wane. She orchestrated severe punishments, including forcing women to stand in freezing conditions for hours and setting elaborate traps like the "potato peel trap," leading to the deaths of numerous prisoners.

Arrest and Trial

With the British Army's liberation of Bergen Belsen on April 15, 1945, Irma Grese attempted to flee but was soon apprehended. During her interrogation, she coldly justified her actions:

"It was our duty to exterminate the antisocial elements so that Germany's future would be assured." (Timestamp: 60:26)

Grese, along with other camp personnel, was indicted for murder and ill-treatment. At her trial, she maintained a facade of stoicism, showing no remorse for her crimes. However, when confronted with personal testimonies from her own sister, she broke down in tears—her only display of vulnerability.

Execution and Legacy

On December 13, 1945, at the age of 22, Irma Grese was executed by hanging at Hamelin Prison, becoming the second youngest Nazi war criminal convicted and the youngest executed by the British in the 20th century. Charlwood reflects on Grese's transformation:

"When you have this socialization, when this is just smothered on you, your ideology, it becomes it. And you do one bad thing and then the next thing you go a little bit worse and you escalate and you escalate until you're the Beast of Belsen." (Timestamp: 60:26)

Conclusion and Insights

Katie Charlwood's detailed exploration of Irma Grese's life serves as a stark reminder of how indoctrination and the abuse of power can transform an individual into a perpetrator of unimaginable atrocities. The episode underscores the importance of understanding the mechanisms of such transformations to prevent history's darkest chapters from repeating.

Notable Quotes

• Katie Charlwood (40:09): "Irma Greze was enjoying the sight of this human suffering... giving herself completely to the orgasmic spasms which shook her entire body and made saliva run down the corners of her mouth."

• Irma Grese (60:26): "It was our duty to exterminate the antisocial elements so that Germany's future would be assured."

Final Thoughts

This episode is a harrowing but essential listen for those seeking to comprehend the depths of human cruelty and the sociopolitical factors that foster such evil. Charlwood effectively combines thorough research with compelling storytelling to present a comprehensive account of Irma Grese's role in the Holocaust.