ARTHUR LIEBEHENSCHEL
Arthur Liebehenschel (SS-Obersturmbannführer), born in 1901, member of the NSDAP and SS with the number 39 254, was adjutant in Lichtenburg concentration camp since 1934 and transferred to the inspectorate of the concentration camps in Berlin two years later. In 1942, when the "SS- Wirtschaftsverwaltungshauptamt" (Office of ecomomiy policy) was founded, he overtook the new "Amtsgruppe D". In November 1943, he followed Rudolf Höß as commander of Auschwitz concentration camp.
Liebehenschel induced a new period in the history of Auschwitz. First, he reformed Block 11 (political police). He stopped the periodical selections and shootings in the bunker. Later executions took place far away from Auschwitz I, in the crematories of Birkenau. According to his order, the "Stehzellen " (celles that offered so little space that one could only stand) were torn down. He granted pardon to all inmates in the bunker and let the black wall (justification wall) disappear. He also prohibited the order to shoot any captured prisoner who tried to escape. All those inmates should be sent to another concentration camp. Nevertheless, the selections went on.
1944, he was dismissed and went to Lublin concentration camp (Majdanek) as commander. After the evacuation of that camp in July 1944, he was sent to Triest to the office of Globocnik, SS- and police president. Liebehenschel was sentenced to death by the Supreme People's court in Crakow, Poland, and executed.