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The Dachau Trials: Nordhausen (Dora-Mittelbau) War Crimes Trials

(August - December 1947)

From August 7 to December 30, 1947, twenty-four defendants were indicted for crimes related to the Nordhausen (Dora-Mittelbau) concentration camp. In the first and major case (United States of America v. Kurt Andrae et al.), nineteen Nazi officials were placed on trial at Dachau. Fifteen were found guilty, one was sentenced to death and the remainer to various terms of imprisonment. In five separate cases, additional defendants stood trial in shorter proceedings. One was acquitted, the others were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.


USA v. Kurt Andrae, et al.

Defendant Role Sentence
Kurt Andrae SS master sergeant; in charge of the mail office Life imprisonment
Erhard Brauny SS master sergeant; block leader at Dora and occasional rollcall leader and camp commander of Rottleberode (outcamp) Life imprisonment
Otto Georg Werner Brinkmann SS master sergeant; rollcall leader at Dora and, from January to February 1945, protective custody camp leader at Ellrich (outcamp) Life imprisonment
Emil Bühring SS staff sergeant; tunnel guard later bunker guard Life imprisonment
Heinz Georg Alfred Detmers SS first lieutenant; adjutant and judge advocate at Dora from December 1943 to November 1944. 7 years imprisonment
Josef Fuchsloch SS master sergeant; substitute camp leader at Harzungen (outcamp) Acquitted & released
Kurt Heinrich SS first lieutenant; adjutant and judge advocate at Dora from November 1944 to January 1945 Acquitted & released
Oskar  Georg Helbig SS technical sergeant; in charge of clothing supply at Dora 20 Years imprisonment
Rudolf Jacobi SS master sergeant; in charge of the carpentry shop at Dora Life imprisonment
Josef Killian Inmate; for a short time Kapo and afterward official hangman at Dora Life imprisonment
Georg Wilhelm König SS master sergeant; rollcall leader at Dora and in charge of motor pool Life imprisonment
Paul Maischein  SS corporal; worked in Dora dispensary and acted as medical aide at Rottleberode from January to April 1945 5 Years imprisonment
Hans-Karl Möser SS first lieutenant; protective custody camp leader at Dora Sentenced to death by hanging (Executed - December 30, 1947)
Georg Johannes Rikhey Civilian; general director of entire Mittlebauworks (factory) Acquitted & released
Dr. Heinrich Schmidt SS captain; physician at Boelke-Kaserne (outcamp) Acquitted & released
Wilhem Simon SS technical sergeant; labor allocation leader at Dora Life imprisonment
Walter Ulbricht Inmate; Kapo and clerk at Rottleberode 5 Years imprisonment
Richard Walenta Inmate; Kapo and camp Eldest (head Kapo) at Ellrich and afterward Kapo at Dora 20 Years imprisonment
Willi Zwiener Inmate; Kapo and for a short time camp Eldest and official hangman at Dora 25 Years imprisonment


Other Nordhausen Cases

Michail Grebinski (SS private; block leader at Dora: Acquitted (October 23, 1947)

Albert Mueller (SS corporal; roll call leader): 25 Years Imprisonment (December 1, 1947)

Georg Finkenzeller (Inmate; chief Kapo on tunnel): 2 Years Imprisonment (November 10, 1947)c. 47

Philipp Klein (SS sergeant; German national): 4 Years Imprisonment (December 1, 1947)

Stefan Palko (SS corporal; block leader at Nordhausen): 25 Years Imprisonment (December 12, 1947)


Sources: National Archives.
Skalman.