Origins & Early Life

Margarete Ilse Koch (née Köhler; 22 September 1906 – 1 September 1967) was a German war criminal who committed atrocities while her husband Karl-Otto Koch was the commandant at Buchenwald. Though Ilse Koch had no official position in Nazi Germany, she became one of the most infamous Nazi figures at the war's end and was referred to as the "Kommandeuse of Buchenwald". Because of the egregiousness of her alleged actions, including that she had selected Jewish prisoners for death in order to fashion lampshades from human skin and other items from it, her 1947 U.S. military commission court trial at Dachau received worldwide media attention, as did the testimony of survivors who ascribed sadistic and perverse acts of violence to Koch—giving rise to the image of her as "the concentration camp murderess".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

However, the most serious of these allegations was found to be without proof in two different legal processes, one conducted by an American military commission court at Dachau in 1947, and another by the West German Judiciary at Augsburg in 1950–1951. Harold Kuhn and Richard Schneider, two U.S. Army lawyers tasked with conducting the official review of her conviction at Dachau, noted that...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. J. P. Taylor — Contemporary (Born in 1906) (1906): Influential English historian specializing in 19th and 20th-century European diplomacy.
• Billy Wilder — Contemporary (Born in 1906) (1906): Versatile Austrian-American filmmaker known for sharp screenplays and directorial mastery.
• Charles Revson — Contemporary (Born in 1906) (1906): Pioneering American cosmetics magnate, founder of Revlon.
• Aleksandr Karelin — Contemporary (Born in 1967) (1967): Dominant Greco-Roman wrestler, nicknamed the "Russian Bear", celebrated for unmatched Olympic success.
• Benicio del Toro — Contemporary (Born in 1967) (1967): Esteemed Puerto Rican actor known for intense, versatile performances.
• Carson McCullers — Contemporary (Died in 1967) (1967): American novelist known for Southern Gothic explorations of isolation and outcasts.
• André Gorz — Shared historical date (09-22 · Died) (2007): Austrian-French philosopher known for critiques of work and political ecology.
• August Wilhelm Iffland — Shared historical date (09-22 · Died) (1814): Prominent German actor and dramatic author, celebrated for his roles in Schiller's works.
• A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada — Shared historical date (09-01 · Born) (1896): Pioneering global spread of Krishna consciousness teachings and the Hare Krishna mantra.
• Abraham Isaac Kook — Shared historical date (09-01 · Died) (1935): Pioneering Orthodox Rabbi and Father of Religious Zionism.
• 1906 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1906
• September 22 (09-22) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on September 22
• 1967 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1967
• September 1 (09-01) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on September 1