Amon Göth
Austrian SS commandant of Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp.
Amon Leopold Göth was an Austrian SS functionary and war criminal who served as the commandant of the Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp in German-occupied Poland during World War II. He was tried after the war by the Supreme National Tribunal of Poland and found guilty of personally ordering the imprisonment, torture, and extermination of individuals and groups, as well as homicide—the first such conviction at a war crimes trial. Göth was executed by hanging near the former site of the Płaszów camp.
Quick Facts
- Birth Name
- Amon Leopold Göth
- Birth Date
- 1908-12-11
- Death Date
- 1946-09-13
- Birth Place
- Vienna, Austria-Hungary
- Death Place
- Montelupich Prison, Kraków, Poland
- Trial
- Supreme National Tribunal
- Conviction
- Crimes against humanity
- Criminal Penalty
- Death
- Criminal Status
- Executed
- Known For
- Commandant of Płaszów labour camp
- Spouse
- Olga Janauschek · 1934 · 23 October 1938 · 1944
- Partner
- Ruth Irene Kalder
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Göth was born in Vienna to a family in the book publishing industry. He joined a Nazi youth group at age 17 and was a member of the Heimwehr from 1927 to 1930. He joined the Austrian Nazi Party in September 1930 and the Austrian SS the same year. After the Austrian Nazi Party was declared illegal in June 1933, he fled to Germany, where he smuggled radios and weapons into Austria. He was arrested in October 1933 but released for lack of evidence, and later escaped custody after the assassination of Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss in July 1934. He temporarily quit SS and Nazi Party activities until 1937, then returned to Vienna after the Anschluss in 1938 and resumed party activities. He married Anna Geiger in an SS civil ceremony in October 1938; the couple had three children, one of whom died in infancy.
Reader's Guide
Göth's significance lies in his role as commandant of the Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp, where he oversaw the construction, operation, and brutal treatment of prisoners. He was also responsible for the liquidation of the Tarnów ghetto, where he personally shot between 30 and 90 women and children, and the liquidation of Szebnie concentration camp. His trial by the Supreme National Tribunal of Poland resulted in a conviction for homicide, the first such conviction at a war crimes trial, for personally killing, maiming, and torturing a substantial but unidentified number of people. Göth's legacy is further shaped by his depiction in the 1993 film Schindler's List, which brought his actions to a global audience. His execution by hanging near the former site of the Płaszów camp marked the end of his direct involvement in the Holocaust.
Did You Know?
- Göth joined a Nazi youth group at age 17 and was a member of the antisemitic nationalist paramilitary group Heimwehr from 1927 to 1930.
- He was arrested in October 1933 by Austrian authorities but released for lack of evidence in December 1933.
- On his birthday in 1943, Göth ordered prisoner Natalia Karp to play the piano; she performed Chopin's Nocturne in C-sharp minor so well that he allowed her and her sister to live.
- Göth was executed by hanging not far from the former site of the Płaszów camp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Amon Göth?
Amon Leopold Göth was an Austrian SS officer who served as the commandant of the Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp in German-occupied Poland during World War II. Born in Vienna in 1908, he became one of the most widely recognized figures associated with the Holocaust.
What was Amon Göth's role in the Nazi regime?
He held the top command position at the Płaszów camp, where he directly oversaw the daily detention, mistreatment, and killing of prisoners under his authority. His role placed him in charge of one of the most feared camps in occupied Poland.
Why is Amon Göth historically significant?
His trial was notable because it was the first war crimes proceeding to convict a defendant specifically for personally ordering the detention, torture, and killing of individuals and groups. That ruling set an important legal precedent in post-war justice.
Where does Amon Göth appear in popular culture?
He is most famously portrayed as a primary antagonist in Steven Spielberg's 1993 film Schindler's List. That depiction introduced his name and the horrors of the Płaszów camp to a worldwide audience.
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