Hermine Braunsteiner, Austrian-German SS officer (b. 1919)

Hermine Braunsteiner Ryan, born on July 16, 1919, and passing away on April 19, 1999, remains a chilling figure in the annals of Holocaust history. A German SS Helferin and a female camp guard, her name is indelibly linked to the unspeakable atrocities committed within the Ravensbrück and Majdanek concentration camps. Her story is particularly notable as she was the very first Nazi war criminal to be extradited from the United States to face justice in what was then West Germany, marking a significant moment in the global effort to hold perpetrators accountable.

The Ascent of a Camp Guard: From SS Helferin to Majdanek

Braunsteiner began her notorious career as an SS Helferin, a term for female auxiliaries who played a crucial, albeit often overlooked, role in the Nazi machinery of oppression. These women, while not part of the SS proper, served in various capacities, including as guards in concentration camps. Her tenure began at Ravensbrück, the primary concentration camp for women in the German Reich. However, it was at Majdanek, a German Nazi concentration and extermination camp located in occupied Poland, near Lublin, that Braunsteiner truly cemented her reputation for extraordinary cruelty. Majdanek, operating from October 1941 to July 1944, was one of the largest concentration camps and a site of systematic murder, including gassing, where she actively participated in the horrors.

The "Stomping Mare": A Legacy of Brutality

To the emaciated and terrified prisoners of Majdanek, Hermine Braunsteiner was known by a dreadful moniker: the "Stomping Mare." This chilling nickname was a direct reflection of her monstrous actions and the sadistic pleasure she seemed to take in inflicting pain. Eyewitness accounts, often harrowing to recount, detailed her involvement in numerous acts of barbarity. She was notorious for brutally beating prisoners, sometimes to death, with no apparent provocation. Among the most horrific accusations were her actions towards children; she was said to have thrown them by their hair onto trucks, destined for the gas chambers where they would meet their untimely end. Young prisoners also suffered at her hands, reportedly hanged for minor infractions, while an old prisoner was gruesomely stomped to death with her heavy jackboots—a detail that underscored her utter lack of humanity and the brutal power she wielded.

From Post-War Escape to American Life

Following the collapse of the Third Reich, Braunsteiner initially managed to evade justice, a common occurrence for many lower and mid-ranking perpetrators amidst the chaos of post-war Europe. She worked various jobs and eventually met an American man, Russell Ryan, whom she married in 1958. She then immigrated to the United States, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1963 and settling in Maspeth, Queens, New York. For years, she lived an unassuming life, seemingly blending into American society, a stark contrast to her dark past. However, the relentless efforts of Nazi hunters, particularly Simon Wiesenthal, eventually brought her past to light. Wiesenthal, dedicated to bringing Holocaust perpetrators to justice, tracked her down in 1964 after receiving information that she was living in the United States.

The Road to Justice: Extradition and Trial

The discovery of Hermine Braunsteiner Ryan living freely in the United States ignited a protracted legal battle that captivated international attention. Her case represented a crucial test of international cooperation in bringing war criminals to justice. After a decade-long process, including the revocation of her U.S. citizenship in 1971 due to her concealment of her wartime activities during her naturalization process, she became the first Nazi war criminal to be extradited from the United States to West Germany. This landmark extradition, which occurred in 1973, paved the way for future similar cases and underscored the global commitment to never forget the atrocities of the Holocaust. Her trial commenced at the District Court of Düsseldorf in West Germany, a lengthy and complex proceeding that relied heavily on the testimony of survivors who had endured her cruelty.

Conviction, Imprisonment, and Final Years

On April 30, 1981, after years of legal proceedings and harrowing survivor testimonies, Hermine Braunsteiner Ryan was finally convicted for numerous murders. The District Court of Düsseldorf sentenced her to life imprisonment, a verdict that reflected the severity of her crimes and the extensive evidence presented against her. However, her full sentence was not served. In 1996, after serving fifteen years, she was released from prison on health grounds, a decision sometimes made within the German legal system for elderly or gravely ill inmates. She passed away three years later, on April 19, 1999, at the age of 79, having spent her final years outside the prison walls, a controversial end for a woman responsible for such profound human suffering.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was an SS Helferin?

An SS Helferin was a female auxiliary member who served various administrative and guard roles within the SS system during World War II, primarily in concentration camps. While not considered full members of the SS, they were integral to the functioning of the Nazi regime's oppressive apparatus.

Where were Ravensbrück and Majdanek located?

Ravensbrück was located near Fürstenberg/Havel, Germany, and was primarily a concentration camp for women. Majdanek was located near Lublin in occupied Poland, functioning as both a concentration and extermination camp where systematic murder, including gassing, occurred.

Why was Hermine Braunsteiner Ryan called the "Stomping Mare"?

She earned the horrifying nickname "Stomping Mare" from prisoners at Majdanek due to her extreme brutality, particularly her habit of violently beating and kicking prisoners, sometimes to death, often while wearing heavy jackboots.

What was the significance of her extradition from the United States?

Her extradition in 1973 was highly significant as she was the first Nazi war criminal to be extradited from the U.S. to West Germany. It set an important legal precedent and demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that perpetrators of Holocaust atrocities could not find safe haven and would face justice regardless of how much time had passed or where they had fled.

Why was she released from prison early?

Hermine Braunsteiner Ryan was released from prison in 1996, after serving fifteen years of her life sentence, on health grounds. This is a provision in some legal systems that allows for the release of inmates who are deemed to be in severely ill or incapacitated health, though such releases for convicted war criminals often remain subjects of public debate and scrutiny.