On April 16, 1947, Rudolf Höss was executed in the old field of Auschwitz I, in occupied Poland.
On April 16, 1947, Rudolf Höss was executed in the old field of Auschwitz I, in occupied Poland. As the founder and first commander of the Auschwitz complex, he had overseen one of the largest mass killing systems of the Holocaust during World War II.
After Germany’s defeat, Höss was captured by British forces in 1946. He later testified at the Nuremberg Trials before being tried by the National Supreme Court of Poland.
The court found him guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced him to death.
His execution was carried out beside the ruins of the old Gestapo building, only a few meters from the villa where he had lived with his family while the extermination complex was in operation. The location was deliberately chosen as a symbolic reminder of responsibility.
Although no sentence could restore the lives of more than one million victims murdered at Auschwitz, Höss’ trial and execution marked a significant step in post-war justice. It reaffirmed the international commitment to memory, historical truth, and accountability.

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