Origins & Early Life

Rudolf Franz Ferdinand Höss (also Höß, Hoeß, or Hoess; German: [hœs]; 25 November 1901 – 16 April 1947) was a German SS officer, the commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp, and a war criminal. After the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II, he lived under a false name until discovered by the British, who then turned him over to Polish authorities. Höss was convicted in Poland and executed for war crimes committed on the prisoners of the Auschwitz concentration camp and for his role in the Holocaust. Höss was the longest-serving commandant of Auschwitz Concentration Camp (from 4 May 1940 to November 1943, and again from 8 May 1944 to 18 January 1945).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He tested and implemented means to accelerate the systematic extermination of the Jewish population of Nazi-occupied Europe, known as the Final Solution. On the initiative of one of his subordinates, Karl Fritzsch, Höss introduced the pesticide Zyklon B to be used in gas chambers, where over a million people were killed. Höss was hanged in 1947 following a trial before the Polish Supreme National Tribunal. During his imprisonment, at the request of the Polish authorities, Höss wrote his memoirs, released in English...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

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

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alberto Giacometti — Contemporary (Born in 1901) (1901): Swiss master of existential sculpture, known for elongated, fragile human figures.
• Alexandre Alexeieff — Contemporary (Born in 1901) (1901): Russian-born artist, filmmaker, and illustrator known for inventing the pinscreen technique.
• Alfred Tarski — Contemporary (Born in 1901) (1901): Pioneering logician known for model theory and the formal concept of truth.
• Al Capone — Contemporary (Died in 1947) (1947): Notorious American gangster and businessman during the Prohibition era.
• Alan Guth — Contemporary (Born in 1947) (1947): Pioneering cosmologist known for developing the theory of cosmic inflation.
• Alan Sugar — Contemporary (Born in 1947) (1947): Pioneering British entrepreneur, founder of Amstrad, and TV personality.
• Abbé Prévost — Shared historical date (11-25 · Died) (1763): French novelist, best known for the highly popular romance, Manon Lescaut.
• Andrea Doria — Shared historical date (11-25 · Died) (1560): Prominent Genoese statesman, condottiero, and admiral who dominated Mediterranean naval power.
• Akon — Shared historical date (04-16 · Born) (1973): Senegalese-American singer, songwriter, and influential figure in world music.
• Alexis de Tocqueville — Shared historical date (04-16 · Died) (1859): French philosopher known for analyzing Western democracy and social trends.
• 1901 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1901
• November 25 (11-25) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 25
• 1947 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1947
• April 16 (04-16) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on April 16