Otto Gustav Wachter Austrian lawyer Date of Birth: 08.07.1901 Country: Austria

1. Early Life and Nazi Involvement
2. Collaboration with Nazi Germany
3. Role in Nazi-Occupied Poland
4. War Crimes and Escape
5. Death and Legacy

Early Life and Nazi Involvement

Otto Wächter was an Austrian lawyer and a prominent figure in the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and Schutzstaffel (SS). In 1923, he joined the Sturmabteilung (SA), the paramilitary wing of the NSDAP. In 1930, he became a member of the NSDAP and held leadership positions in the Austrian branch of the party, which operated illegally at the time.

Collaboration with Nazi Germany

In July 1934, Wächter participated in the failed attempt to assassinate Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss. After the coup's failure, he fled to Germany and renounced his Austrian citizenship. From May 24, 1938, to April 30, 1939, Wächter served as State Commissioner in the Liquidation Ministry after the Anschluss (annexation of Austria).

Role in Nazi-Occupied Poland

In October 1939, Wächter became the head of the Krakow Regional Administration in Nazi-occupied Poland. From 1942 to 1944, he served as the head of the Galicia District. He encouraged the activities of Ukrainian nationalist organizations, including the pro-German Ukrainian Central Committee led by Volodymyr Kubiyovych. Wächter authorized Kubiyovych to form the SS Division "Galizien," a Ukrainian volunteer force that fought alongside the Nazis.

War Crimes and Escape

Wächter was directly involved in the Nazi genocide of Jews. In 1943, he was transferred to Northern Italy. In 1945, he fled to Rome, where he hid under the alias Otto Reinhardt in a Catholic seminary.

Death and Legacy

Otto Wächter died of tuberculosis in Rome in 1949. His legacy is marked by his role in the Nazi regime and his complicity in the Holocaust. He was a key figure in the Nazi occupation of Austria and Poland and shared responsibility for the atrocities committed against innocent civilians during World War II.