Herta Oberheuser

Herta Oberheuser

Herta Oberheuser (15 May 1911 – 24 January 1978) was a German physician and a war criminal who was involved in medical experiments on prisoners during World War II. She worked at the Ravensbrück concentration camp and was one of the few female doctors tried and convicted for war crimes after the war.

Early Life and Education

Herta Oberheuser was born on 15 May 1911 in Cologne, Germany. She studied medicine and became a licensed physician. Her early career was marked by her involvement with the Nazi Party and its affiliated organizations.

Role in World War II

During World War II, Oberheuser served as a physician at the Ravensbrück concentration camp, where she conducted inhumane medical experiments on prisoners, particularly women and children. These experiments included the deliberate infliction of wounds to study infection and the effects of various treatments. She was known for her brutal methods and lack of regard for human life.

Post-War Trial and Conviction

After the war, Oberheuser was arrested and tried at the Doctors' Trial, part of the larger Nuremberg Trials. She was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. In 1947, she was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but her sentence was later reduced, and she was released in 1952.

Later Life and Death

Following her release, Oberheuser attempted to resume her medical career but faced significant public backlash. She eventually settled in Lübeck, where she lived until her death on 24 January 1978.

Legacy

Herta Oberheuser's actions during World War II remain a stark reminder of the atrocities committed in the name of science and the importance of ethical standards in medical practice. Her story is often cited in discussions about medical ethics and the history of human experimentation.

Related Pages

• Ravensbrück concentration camp
• Nazi human experimentation
• Doctors' Trial
• Nuremberg Trials
• World War II