11 Facts About Ludwig Plagge

Ludwig Plagge was an SS-Oberscharfuhrer and member of staff at Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Sachsenhausen, and Majdanek concentration camps.

Ludwig Plagge was prosecuted at the Auschwitz Trial, and executed for war crimes.

Ludwig Plagge joined the Nazi party on 1 December 1931, and the SS in October 1934, with the membership number 270620.

Ludwig Plagge was posted to Auschwitz in July 1940, and was one of the first SS men there.

Ludwig Plagge's roles included Blockfuhrer and SS Rapportfuhrer.

Ludwig Plagge participated in the gassing of thousands of Sinti and Roma people, and Jews from Theresienstadt.

Ludwig Plagge was known for submitting prisoners to punishment in the form of physical exercises, known as "sport" in the camp.

Ludwig Plagge was a specialist in the invention of these exercises, which were to be performed very quickly without any regard to the age and health of the prisoners.

Ludwig Plagge would make prisoners run for hours while carrying his pipe between his teeth, and hit those who fell, forcing them to carry on.

Ludwig Plagge was prosecuted by the Supreme National Tribunal at the Auschwitz Trial in Krakow.

Ludwig Plagge was executed on 24 January 1948 by hanging in Montelupich Prison, Krakow.