Maria Mandel, often referred to as the "Terrible Beast of Auschwitz," was one of the most infamous female Nazi war criminals during World War II. She was an SS supervisor at the Auschwitz concentration camp, where she played a key role in the systematic abuse and execution of thousands of prisoners, including Jews, Roma, and political dissidents. Mandel’s cruelty earned her a notorious reputation, and after the war, she was held accountable for her actions.
Mandel was born in Austria in 1912 and joined the Nazi Party in the early 1930s. She quickly rose through the ranks of the SS and was appointed as the head of the women’s camp at Auschwitz in 1942. In her position, she was directly involved in the brutality carried out against the prisoners. She supervised forced labor, punishment, and selections for the gas chambers, and was known for her sadistic behavior. Mandel’s actions were responsible for the deaths of thousands, and she often took part in brutal executions and beatings.
After the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet forces in January 1945, Maria Mandel went into hiding but was eventually captured by American soldiers. She was brought to trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. During her trial, many survivors testified to the horrors they had endured under her command. The testimonies painted a vivid picture of the immense suffering caused by her hands.
In 1948, Maria Mandel was found guilty of her crimes and sentenced to death. She was executed by hanging on January 24, 1948, in the women's prison in Kraków, Poland. Her execution was seen as a form of justice for the countless lives she had destroyed during her time at Auschwitz. While her death could not undo the suffering she had caused, it symbolized the effort to hold accountable those responsible for the atrocities of the Holocaust. Mandel’s execution served as a grim reminder of the depths of human cruelty and the importance of seeking justice for the victims of genocide.