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Kurt BolenderSS-Oberscharführer during World War II
Date of Birth: 21.05.1912
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Early Life and Nazi Affiliation
- SS-Totenkopfverbände and "T4" Program
- Sobibor Death Camp
- Crimes and Atrocities
- Killing at least 360 Jewish prisoners
- Trial and Suicide
Early Life and Nazi Affiliation
Heinz Kurt Bolender was born on May 21, 1912, in Duisburg, German Empire. He attended school until age 16, when he became a blacksmith's apprentice. In 1930, Bolender joined the Nazi Party (NSDAP).
SS-Totenkopfverbände and "T4" Program
In 1939, Kurt became part of the unit responsible for managing concentration camps, known as the SS-Totenkopfverbände. He was assigned to the Aktion T4 euthanasia program and worked in extermination centers where disabled Germans were killed through gas and lethal injections. Bolender participated in the gassing and cremation processes, and also conducted "test" gassings.
Sobibor Death Camp
In 1942, Bolender was appointed as the deputy commandant of the Sobibor death camp under Franz Stangl. He became the commander of Camp III from April to September 1942, overseeing the gas chambers and crematoria. Bolender was known for his cruelty and sadism.
Crimes and Atrocities
Survivors of Sobibor testified against Bolender, recounting his role in the operation of the gas chambers and his use of extreme violence. He was accused of:
Killing at least 360 Jewish prisoners
Assisting in the murder of over 86,000 people in SobiborBeating prisoners and using his dog to attack them
Ordering Jewish prisoners to fight each other to the death
Post-War and Capture
After the war, Bolender lived under an assumed name and cut off contact with his family. He had himself declared dead. In May 1961, he was identified and arrested in Germany.
Trial and Suicide
In 1965, Kurt Bolender and 11 other former SS members were tried in Hagen, West Germany. Bolender initially denied his involvement in Sobibor, but later confessed under cross-examination. He committed suicide in prison on October 10, 1966, before the trial concluded. In his suicide note, he claimed innocence.
