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Kurt PlotnerGerman doctor, Ahnenerbe employee, SS Sturmbannführer
Date of Birth: 19.10.1905
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- German Physician and SS Officer
- Membership in the Nazi Party and SS
- Academic Career
- Medical Service in the Waffen-SS
- Concentration Camp Experiments
- Transfer to the Ahnenerbe
- Involvement in V2 Rocket Experiments
- Post-War Activities
- Return to Academic Life
German Physician and SS Officer
Kurt Plötner was a German physician and a member of the Nazi SS, known for his role in medical experiments conducted during the Holocaust.
Membership in the Nazi Party and SS
In 1933, Plötner joined the Nazi Party (NSDAP), the SS, and the National Socialist German Doctors' League. He worked as an assistant in university clinics in Jena and Leipzig.
Academic Career
Despite becoming a university lecturer in 1940, Plötner never received a professorship due to the low quality of his scientific work.
Medical Service in the Waffen-SS
During the war, Plötner served as a military doctor in the Waffen-SS, including in a hospital in Minsk.
Concentration Camp Experiments
From 1941 to 1942, and again from 1943, Plötner worked at the Dachau concentration camp. He assisted Professor Klaus Schilling in experiments related to malaria infection, which resulted in the death of prisoners. Plötner also experimented with the hallucinogenic effects of mescaline on Soviet and Jewish prisoners.
Transfer to the Ahnenerbe
In 1944, Plötner joined the Ahnenerbe Institute, where he headed the "P" department. He continued his experiments at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, investigating the effects of blood-stopping drugs.
Involvement in V2 Rocket Experiments
In September 1944, Plötner was authorized to investigate the toxic effects of the V2 rocket. He requisitioned prisoners sentenced to death from Sachsenhausen for these experiments.
Post-War Activities
In April 1945, Plötner fled from advancing French troops to Vorarlberg, but was soon captured. He escaped custody in 1946 and lived under the alias Kurt Schmidt until 1952. Some believe his escape was aided by American intelligence due to the interest in his research.
Return to Academic Life
In 1952, Plötner began working under his real name at the University of Freiburg. His Nazi-era research was recognized by the scientific community, and he became associate professor in 1954. Despite questions about his past, Plötner was never charged with crimes against humanity due to insufficient evidence. In 1967, he claimed that his experiments "did not cause any harm to the subjects."
