RichardQ Loc: Colorado

From August. 1945, to October, 1946, the indicted Nazi leaders in the grim prison next to the Nuremberg Palace of Judgment found themselves at the mercy of the U.S. Army's 6850th Internal Security Detachment.

Col. Burton C. Andrus, the 53-year-old prison commandant and head of security, sported a shiny shellacked helmet, freshly pressed uniform, and a swagger stick as he strode back and forth before his prisoners and their guards. TIME magazine made snarky fun of him, calling him an "inflated pouter pigeon" and "pompous."

But Col. Andrus knew far more than any TIME reporter about how to run an army prison. He commanded his first stockade in 1917 as a lieutenant and made captain in two years, then went on to run increasingly important security posts.

In May, 1945, General Eisenhower picked Andrus to open a top secret interrogation center where major Nazi leaders were assembled after the German surrender. Its code name was "Ashcan."

The location was Mondorf les Bains, a former Luxembourg hotel from which all signs of luxury had been removed. The "guests" were interrogated and held until August 12, 1945. Those indicted -- including Hermann Goering, the No. 2 Nazi after Hitler -- were then flown to Nuremberg and incarcerated to await trial.

In Nuremberg, the 6850th Internal Security Detachment consisted of 44 officers and 100 enlisted men. Each of the 24 prisoners occupied a harsh cell equipped only with a bed, toilet, sink,chair, and a flimsy table. A guard stood outside each cell door and watched that prisoner through a small barred window at 30-second intervals.

The guard carried only one weapon -- a blackjack.

At night, the prisoner was forced to sleep on his back, with his hands outside the covers and his head facing forward. If he turned over or faced the wall, the guard entered the cell and made him conform.

Some were obstinate. Reportedly, Goering once attacked Pfc Josph Traina, who subdued him.

Two teams (24 guards each) worked alternate shifts of two hours on, two hours off, for 24 hours straight, followed by 24 hours off, during which another 48 guards took over on the same schedule. They were assigned different prisoners on each subsequent shift to prevent familiarity from developing.

Not the life style that any of them -- prisoners or guards -- were accustomed to. The depressing routine lasted for some 14 months. Andrus reportedly estimated the personnel turnover at more than 600%. Like GIs everywhere, some expressed their sentiments in graffiti on the walls.

Reveille was at 6:00 AM. The cells were unheated. Breakfast (oatmeal and coffee) was brought to the cell at 7:00 AM on a GI mess kit, followed by a shave (by a German POW). Col. Andrus lined up his charges for inspection every morning before they marched off to court at 9:00 AM. He warned them to behave themselves...or else.

Despite the stringent precautions, three prisoners -- including Hermann Goering -- committed suicide in their cells. Goering poisoned himself just an hour or two before his scheduled hanging.

The remaining ten condemned men were escorted to the gallows by Col. Andrus on October 16, 1946. He did not view their executions.

Andrus blamed himself for Goering's suicide and was relieved of his command. He was subsequently reassigned to various posts in the U.S.. Israel, and Brazil. But no more prisons.

Col. Andrus retired in 1952 and authored two books, "I was the Nuremberg Jailer? and "The Infamous of Nuremberg." He died in 1977.

Col. Burton C. Andrus, commander of the Nuremberg prison in 1945-46


Army guards outside each cell for two hours on two hours off, for 24 hours


Reichsmarshall Hermann Goering dines in his Nuremberg prison cell - 1946

Doddy Loc: Barnard Castle-England

wonderful reading Richard..thanks for posting.

Leicaflex Loc: Cymru

:thumbup:

davefales Loc: Virginia

Another informative post, Richard. Many thanks.

RichardQ Loc: Colorado

Many thanks for your comment, Doddy!

RichardQ Loc: Colorado

Many thanks for the thumbup, Leicaflex! Much appreciated!

RichardQ Loc: Colorado

Great to hear from you, Dave! Appreciate the comment.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

Always interesting.

richosob Loc: Lambertville, MI

Love reading your posts Richard, very informative, thanks for the photos also

God bless,

Rich

bigalw Loc: Essex - UK

Many thanks for your very informative post(s), I am actually off to Nuremburg in a few weeks, but I doubt that I'll get time to visit the prison (if it's still there ?) I've been visiting Germany/Poland since about 1970 and have have visited most of the P.O.W./concentration camps over that period of time. I will be back in Germany in June and plan to visit Ravensbruck and Sachsenhausen concentration camps near to Berlin. Keep your stories coming :thumbup:

WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio

Great story, really enjoyed it. Thanks a lot. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Fkaufman3 Loc: Florida, LA ie lower Alabama

Would like to read his books?

nikonwaddy

Thanks Richard..always good reads. Was it ever determined how Goering got his pill.....????

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Most interesting. Thanks for posting.

Mercer Loc: Houston, TX, USA

Col. Andrus sounds like a fine and effective prison commandant. I would ask for him if I wanted the best. I would not have enjoyed working in his command. I can't imagine Ike dismissing him, but suspect that was the chain of command and politics at work.