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{{Infobox military person
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'''Wilhelm Gideon''' (born 15 November 1898 in [[Oldenburg]] - died after 1975) was a [[Germany|German]] [[Schutzstaffel]] officer and [[Nazi concentration camp]] commandant.
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| name = Wilhelm Gideon
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
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| birth_date = 15 November 1898
| birth_place = Oldenburg, Lower Saxony
| death_date = 23 February 1977 {{cn|date=March 2022}}
| death_place =
| placeofburial =
| nickname =
| allegiance = [[Nazi Germany]]
| branch = [[Schutzstaffel|Schutzstaffel (SS)]]
| serviceyears = 1933–1945
| rank = [[Hauptsturmführer]]
| commands = Gross-Rosen concentration camp
| unit =
| battles =
| awards =
| relations =
| laterwork =
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}}
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'''Wilhelm Gideon''' (15 November 1898, in [[Oldenburg (city)|Oldenburg]] – 23 February 1977){{cn|date=March 2022}} was a [[Schutzstaffel]] officer and [[Nazi concentration camp]] commandant.


A native of Oldenburg, Gideon began work as a trainee [[engineer]] but had his studied ended by the outbreak of [[World War I]] when he volunteered for service in the [[German Imperial Army]].<ref>[[Tom Segev]], ''Soldiers of Evil'', Berkley Books, 1991, p. 68</ref>
A native of [[Oldenburg (city)|Oldenburg]] in the state of [[Lower Saxony]], Gideon began work as a trainee engineer but had his studies ended by the outbreak of [[World War I]], when he volunteered for service in the [[German Imperial Army]].<ref>[[Tom Segev]], ''Soldiers of Evil'', Berkley Books, 1991, pg. 68</ref>


Gideon enlisted in the SS in 1933 (as member number 88,657) and the [[Nazi Party]] itself in 1937 (member 4,432,258).<ref name="Gideon">[http://www.dws-xip.pl/reich/biografie/88569.html Wilhelm Gideon]</ref> He had a varied career in the SS, initially being stationed with the 9th SS-Reiterstandarte (cavalry) from 1934 to 1939. Following this he was moved to the [[3rd SS Division Totenkopf]] until 1942 following which he was briefly attached to the [[SS-Wirtschafts-Verwaltungshauptamt]] and then served for a short spell at [[Neuengamme concentration camp]] and as administrator of the 88th [[SS-Standarte]] in [[Hamburg]].<ref name="Gideon"/>
Gideon enlisted in the [[SS]] in 1933 (member number 88,657) and the [[Nazi Party]] in 1937 (member 4,432,258).<ref name="Gideon">[http://www.dws-xip.pl/reich/biografie/88569.html Wilhelm Gideon profile]; accessed 14 March 2022.</ref> He had various posts in the SS, initially being stationed with the 9th SS-Reiterstandarte (cavalry) from 1934 to 1939. Following this, he was moved to the [[3rd SS Division Totenkopf]] until 1942, after which he was briefly attached to the [[SS-Wirtschafts-Verwaltungshauptamt]]. He also served for a short period at [[Neuengamme concentration camp]] and as the administrator of the 88th [[SS-Standarte]] in [[Hamburg]].<ref name="Gideon"/>


Gideon had been identified by [[Oswald Pohl]] as a reliable SS officer and was promoted to [[Hauptsturmführer]] by the concentration camp chief.<ref>Michael Thad Allen, ''The Business of Genocide: the SS, Slave Labor, and the Concentration Camps'', University of North Carolina Press, 2002</ref> He was appointed commandant of [[Gross-Rosen concentration camp]] on 16 September 1942 in succession to [[Arthur Rödl]] and held the post until 10 October 1943 when [[Johannes Hassebroek]] succeeded him.<ref>Belah Guṭerman, ''A Narrow Bridge to Life: Jewish Forced Labor and Survival in the Gross-Rosen Camp System, 1940-1945'', Berghahn Books, 2008, p. 75</ref> His final post was on staff of the [[SS and Police Leader]] in occupied [[Denmark]] until the surrender in 1945.<ref name="Gideon"/>
Gideon had been identified by [[Oswald Pohl]] as a reliable SS officer, and was promoted to [[Hauptsturmführer]] by the concentration camp chief.<ref>Michael Thad Allen, ''The Business of Genocide: the SS, Slave Labor, and the Concentration Camps'', University of North Carolina Press, 2002.</ref> He was appointed commandant of [[Gross-Rosen concentration camp]] on 16 September 1942, in succession to [[Arthur Rödl]], and held the post until 10 October 1943, when [[Johannes Hassebroek]] succeeded him.<ref>Bella Guṭterman, ''A Narrow Bridge to Life: Jewish Forced Labor and Survival in the Gross-Rosen Camp System, 1940-1945'', Berghahn Books, 2008, pg. 75</ref> His final post was on the staff of the [[SS and Police Leader]] in occupied [[Denmark]] until Germany's surrender in 1945. Legal proceedings against Gideon were dismissed in 1962.<ref name="Gideon"/>


Gideon was last known to be alive in 1975 when [[Israel]]i historian [[Tom Segev]] interviewed him for his book ''Soldiers of Evil'', a study of the concentration camp commandants. However after initially co-operating Gideon terminated the interview when he suddenly claimed that he was a different person who happened to be named Wilhelm Gideon rather than the former commandant of Gross-Rosen.<ref>Segev, ''Soldiers of Evil''. p. 219</ref>
Gideon was found {{clarify|date=March 2022}} {{Where|date=March 2022}} in 1975 when [[Israel]]i historian [[Tom Segev]] interviewed him for his book ''Soldiers of Evil'', a study of concentration camp commandants. However, after initially cooperating with Segev, Gideon terminated the interview when he suddenly claimed that he was a different person who happened to be named Wilhelm Gideon rather than the former commandant of Gross-Rosen.<ref>Segev, pg. 219</ref>

==Literature==

* Orth, Karin: ''Die Konzentrationslager-SS''. dtv, München 2004, {{ISBN|3-423-34085-1}}.
* [[Tom Segev]]: ''Die Soldaten des Bösen. Zur Geschichte der KZ-Kommandanten''. Rowohlt, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1995, {{ISBN|3-499-18826-0}}.
* [[Ernst Klee]]: ''Das Personenlexikon zum Dritten Reich: Wer war was vor und nach 1945.'' Fischer-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2005. {{ISBN|3-596-16048-0}}.


==References==
==References==
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{{Authority control}}

{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
{{Subject bar |portal1=Biography |portal2=Germany }}
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| NAME = Gideon, Wilhelm

| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = German [[Schutzstaffel]] officer and [[Nazi concentration camp]] commandant
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| DATE OF BIRTH = 15 November 1898
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Oldenburg]], [[Germany]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
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}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gideon, Wilhelm}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gideon, Wilhelm}}
[[Category:1898 births]]
[[Category:1898 births]]
[[Category:Year of death unknown]]
[[Category:1977 deaths]]
[[Category:SS-Hauptsturmführer]]
[[Category:SS-Hauptsturmführer]]
[[Category:Neuengamme concentration camp personnel]]
[[Category:Neuengamme concentration camp personnel]]
[[Category:Gross-Rosen concentration camp personnel]]
[[Category:Gross-Rosen concentration camp personnel]]
[[Category:People from Oldenburg]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Oldenburg (city)]]
[[Category:Nazi concentration camp commandants]]
[[Category:Nazi concentration camp commandants]]
[[Category:People from Oldenburg (state)]]
[[Category:People from Oldenburg (state)]]
[[Category:Waffen-SS personnel]]
[[Category:Waffen-SS personnel]]
[[Category:SS and Police Leaders]]

[[Category:Place of death missing]]

[[Category:German Army personnel of World War I]]


{{Nazi-stub}}
{{Nazi-stub}}
{{Germany-bio-stub}}

Latest revision as of 14:53, 18 February 2024

Wilhelm Gideon
Born15 November 1898
Oldenburg, Lower Saxony
Died23 February 1977 [citation needed]
AllegianceNazi Germany
Service / branchSchutzstaffel (SS)
Years of service1933–1945
RankHauptsturmführer
CommandsGross-Rosen concentration camp

Wilhelm Gideon (15 November 1898, in Oldenburg – 23 February 1977)[citation needed] was a Schutzstaffel officer and Nazi concentration camp commandant.

A native of Oldenburg in the state of Lower Saxony, Gideon began work as a trainee engineer but had his studies ended by the outbreak of World War I, when he volunteered for service in the German Imperial Army.[1]

Gideon enlisted in the SS in 1933 (member number 88,657) and the Nazi Party in 1937 (member 4,432,258).[2] He had various posts in the SS, initially being stationed with the 9th SS-Reiterstandarte (cavalry) from 1934 to 1939. Following this, he was moved to the 3rd SS Division Totenkopf until 1942, after which he was briefly attached to the SS-Wirtschafts-Verwaltungshauptamt. He also served for a short period at Neuengamme concentration camp and as the administrator of the 88th SS-Standarte in Hamburg.[2]

Gideon had been identified by Oswald Pohl as a reliable SS officer, and was promoted to Hauptsturmführer by the concentration camp chief.[3] He was appointed commandant of Gross-Rosen concentration camp on 16 September 1942, in succession to Arthur Rödl, and held the post until 10 October 1943, when Johannes Hassebroek succeeded him.[4] His final post was on the staff of the SS and Police Leader in occupied Denmark until Germany's surrender in 1945. Legal proceedings against Gideon were dismissed in 1962.[2]

Gideon was found [clarification needed] [where?] in 1975 when Israeli historian Tom Segev interviewed him for his book Soldiers of Evil, a study of concentration camp commandants. However, after initially cooperating with Segev, Gideon terminated the interview when he suddenly claimed that he was a different person who happened to be named Wilhelm Gideon rather than the former commandant of Gross-Rosen.[5]

Literature

[edit]
  • Orth, Karin: Die Konzentrationslager-SS. dtv, München 2004, ISBN 3-423-34085-1.
  • Tom Segev: Die Soldaten des Bösen. Zur Geschichte der KZ-Kommandanten. Rowohlt, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1995, ISBN 3-499-18826-0.
  • Ernst Klee: Das Personenlexikon zum Dritten Reich: Wer war was vor und nach 1945. Fischer-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2005. ISBN 3-596-16048-0.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Tom Segev, Soldiers of Evil, Berkley Books, 1991, pg. 68
  2. ^ a b c Wilhelm Gideon profile; accessed 14 March 2022.
  3. ^ Michael Thad Allen, The Business of Genocide: the SS, Slave Labor, and the Concentration Camps, University of North Carolina Press, 2002.
  4. ^ Bella Guṭterman, A Narrow Bridge to Life: Jewish Forced Labor and Survival in the Gross-Rosen Camp System, 1940-1945, Berghahn Books, 2008, pg. 75
  5. ^ Segev, pg. 219
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