The Beasts of Buchenwald: Karl & Ilse Koch, Human-Skin Lampshades, and the War-Crimes Trial of the Century

by Flint Whitlock · 2011

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Much has been written about the Nazi concentration camps, but one camp—Buchenwald—stands out as the most horrific of them all. THE BEASTS OF BUCHENWALD is the story of Buchenwald's brutal first commandant, Karl Koch, and his equally brutal wife, Ilse. Their reign of terror, which included beatings, torture, and the killing of helpless inmates so their tattooed skin could adorn lampshades and other personal items, ended with Karl's execution for embezzlement and Ilse's war-crimes trial of the century.

Subject
historyhistoryMore like thisLess of thisbiographybiographyMore like thisLess of this
Genre
war and militarywar and militaryMore like thisLess of this
Setting
HolocaustHolocaustMore like thisLess of thisWorld War IIWorld War IIMore like thisLess of thisGermanyGermanyMore like thisLess of this
Audience
adult
Length
medium · 326 pages

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Liked The Beasts of Buchenwald: Karl & Ilse Koch, Human-Skin Lampshades, and the War-Crimes Trial of the Century? Here’s where I’d start.

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