Rudolf Franz Ferdinand Hoess was born in Baden-Baden a small town in Southwest Germany. As a young child his father encouraged him to train to become a priest, but when World War I broke out he changed career paths. In 1920, Hoess joined the Freikorps and took part in suppressing workers in Latvia that were staging a revolt in the Ruhr. It was through the Freikorps that Hoess was introduced to Hitler in early 1922.
Almost immediately Hoess joined the Nazi Party and renounced his association with the Catholic Church. Hoess participated in the assassination of Walter Kadow, a fellow Freikorpsman, and was sentenced to ten years in prison in 1923 but only ended up serving five years of his sentence. In 1933, Hoess joined the SS and was sent to work at Dachau for a short period of time. Later he was sent to supervise Sachsenhausen until his appointment as Commandment of the newly built camp at Auschwitz in 1940. …show more content…
Hoess is known for his calm and collected composure, and is often quoted as saying, “I had been given orders, and I had to carry them out.” His family lived on the same property as the camp on a farm where Hoess would often spend his time writing poetry about the “beauty” of
Almost immediately Hoess joined the Nazi Party and renounced his association with the Catholic Church. Hoess participated in the assassination of Walter Kadow, a fellow Freikorpsman, and was sentenced to ten years in prison in 1923 but only ended up serving five years of his sentence. In 1933, Hoess joined the SS and was sent to work at Dachau for a short period of time. Later he was sent to supervise Sachsenhausen until his appointment as Commandment of the newly built camp at Auschwitz in 1940. …show more content…
Hoess is known for his calm and collected composure, and is often quoted as saying, “I had been given orders, and I had to carry them out.” His family lived on the same property as the camp on a farm where Hoess would often spend his time writing poetry about the “beauty” of