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Johann ReichhartGerman executioner
Date of Birth: 29.04.1893
Country:  Germany |
Content:
Biography of Johann Reichhart
Johann Reichhart, a German executioner, is famous for his detailed records of executions, totaling 3,165. He was born in Wichenbach, near Wörth an der Donau in Bavaria, Germany, into a family of hereditary executioners. By the mid-18th century, the Reichhart family had eight generations of executioners, including Johann's uncle Franz Xaver and his brother Michael.
Career
Reichhart's career began in 1924 and spanned both the Weimar Republic, which attempted to establish liberal democracy in Germany, and the period of the Third Reich. He personally executed over 3,000 people, with the majority of these executions occurring between 1939 and 1945. During this time, he executed 2,876 prisoners, many of whom were sentenced by the People's Court, the highest extraordinary judicial body of the Third Reich. These political crimes included treason, exemplified by the execution of members of the anti-fascist student organization "White Rose," Hans and Sophie Scholl.
Execution Methods
Reichhart executed individuals using the Fallschwert guillotine, a modified version of the standard French guillotine. Despite the extensive workload, Reichhart was meticulous in following the rules of his profession. He always wore the traditional attire of German executioners, including a black jacket, white shirt, gloves, black bow tie, and a top hat. His duties took him to various parts of occupied Europe, including Poland and Austria. He even requested permission from the government to exceed speed limits during his travels between execution sites but was denied.
Post-War Period
After Germany's surrender to the Allied forces on May 8, 1945, Reichhart, as a member of the Nazi Party, was arrested and sent to Landsberg Prison. Interestingly, Adolf Hitler had also served time in this prison for his involvement in the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923, during which he wrote much of his book "Mein Kampf." Although Reichhart was placed in Landsberg Prison for denazification, he was never charged for his role as an executioner, which resulted in thousands of deaths. In fact, in late May 1946, the Occupation authorities hired Reichhart to hang 156 Nazi war criminals in Landsberg am Lech.
Legacy
Reichhart collaborated closely with John C. Woods, the Master Sergeant of the U.S. Army and the chief executioner, in preparing for the executions of Nazis found guilty and sentenced to death at the Nuremberg Trials. While many believe Reichhart executed more people than any other practicing executioner, this record belongs to Vasili Blokhin, a Soviet major-general who executed seven thousand prisoners in just 28 days. However, Reichhart strived to minimize the suffering of the condemned, leading to his important role in modifying the guillotine to reduce execution time to 3-4 seconds.
Later Life and Death
The position of executioner left Reichhart isolated and, in the eyes of many, an unpleasant person. Even after the abolition of the death penalty in West Germany in 1949, his situation did not improve. His marriage failed, and his son Hans committed suicide in 1950 due to the constant association with his father's previous profession. In 1963, when a series of murders led to public demands to reinstate the death penalty in West Germany, Reichhart voiced his support for the law. He passed away in Dorfen, near Erding, in 1972.
