Elisabeth Volkenrath

Elisabeth Volkenrath (née Mühlau; 5 September 1919 – 13 December 1945) was a German supervisor at several Nazi concentration camps during World War II.

Volkenrath, née Mühlau, was an ungelernte Hilfskraft (unskilled worker) when she volunteered for service in a concentration camp.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In October 1941 she began working at Ravensbrück concentration camp as a guard. In March 1942, she was sent to Auschwitz concentration camp where she worked in the same function as at Ravensbrück.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> At Auschwitz, she met SS-Rottenführer Heinz Volkenrath, who had worked there since 1941 as SS-Blockführer. The couple married in 1943. She participated in the selection of prisoners for the gas chambers and, in November 1944, was promoted to Oberaufseherin for all camp sections for female prisoners at Auschwitz.<ref name="New Exhibition Guide">Template:Cite book</ref>

Volkenrath was transferred to Bergen-Belsen when Auschwitz was closed. From February 1945, she was Oberaufseherin (supervising wardress) at Bergen-Belsen.<ref name="New Exhibition Guide"/>

Belsen trial and execution

In April 1945, Volkenrath was arrested by the British Army, and was tried in the Belsen trials, at which she was convicted of war crimes.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She claimed during her testimony that "it was really awful in the camps, but it was awful for us too. We were punished just like the prisoners."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Sentenced to death, she was the first woman to be executed by hanging at Hamelin Prison by British official executioner Albert Pierrepoint<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> on 13 December 1945 at 09:34.<ref>http://www.bergenbelsen.co.uk/pages/Database/Document.asp?DocumentID=207&Submit=View</ref>