The tragedy of the Sachsenhausen executioner Paul Sakowski

[@pietrietveld1842]

Verry sad story how can a men have such a terrible life , thank you for sharing this podcast i was realy impressed and emotional verry sad .

[@robertglennon657]

They were bastads wernt they. How can you treat another human like that.

[@josephstabile9154]

Now, THERE was a guy who could not catch a break...

[@christianvik3400]

The Russians themselves executed nearly 22.000 Polish officers during WW2, just like that. Russia also participated in the the invasion of Poland in 1939, together with the Nazis. By this Russia part started the WW2 also.

[@HistoryonYouTube]

Indeed it did but that is nothing to do with this video, anymore than has the performance of the El Salvador national football team in the 1982 World Cup finals.

[@rosesprog1722]

Ouch, how some people have it hard for having committed no crime is just too unfair, one country let him go, the other threw him in a rat hole. I feel incredibly sad in front of situations like this, I must be little crazy, but those few tears are for peace, his peace.

[@MemoriesRR]

Thank you for keeping this documented and available. I find it difficult to give it a thumbs up because of the horror of the topic. I think I need permission to do so!

[@HistoryonYouTube]

Most of my videos are what I call 'feel bad' videos. For the feel good stuff, see my tourism channel!

[@annic7995]

Sorry if I don't chat much, I just get so much into the video. Thank you for uploading!

[@meeeka]

I remember standing in, what I was told was the execution pit under a roof structure within the main camp. As I stood there, I thought about what it must have felt to stand in the places set aside for the shooters as well as for the victims. The nearby grounds were so clean and innocent looking but I could imagine the spilled blood and gore of the executions there.

[@colinsmith6116]

The music at the end of the video sums up, for me, the sadness of what happened in those camps, no matter where they were.

[@j0nnyism]

Jesus this is such a sad story

[@marcoscu]

Fascinating, many thanks for your hard work and research.

[@HistoryonYouTube]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@brunokirchensittenbach9294]

…Don’t forget Guantanamo bay… or Abhu Grahy in Irak when the Champions of Human Rights were running those dungeons…!!!

[@tonymcdonnly6492]

Sad but horrible. Hard to make a determination. I understand for some people it wasn't their fault due to the horrific conditions they were forced to face. Either way we must never allow this horror to hapoen again.

[@tonymcdonnly6492]

@@hakapeszimaki8369 Yes you are right. If your life is threatened and you are forced to do something, the punishment should be abolished. We have never been tested. I pray that none of ever will be tested.

[@tonymcdonnly6492]

@@hakapeszimaki8369 All wars are bad.

[@christophersmith7714]

What a terrible life regardless of whether he was guilty or not. Lets pray that the current situation does not descend into that nightmare! Let this story be a warning to those who try to divide society against each other!

[@4june9140]

Yes, we need to stop them cancelling History for this reason

[@peterswatton7400]

A friend of mine lived in the suburb of Sachsenhausen and was about 11 years old at the wars end. He described the prisoners being marched from the camp and bodies everywhere. Those not capable of marching were shot.

[@HistoryonYouTube]

Thanks for writing about it Peter. That was an image repeated many times over at other camps too.

[@tapsars7911]

It is simply NOT fair that he was convicted along side the SS men . What he did was under duress , nothing more ; it was absolutely unfair to blame him for anything . May Sakowski's soul rest in peace .

[@colinpowis3600]

TRY READING ''THE RIDDLE OF BABI YAR'' BY A SOVIET JEW WHO ESCAPED FROM THE SYRETS CAMP ... it's one of the most horrific I've ever read in 40 years

[@carsten9168]

What horrific bad luck did Sakowski endure all his life. The big question is why did he volunteer to go to communist East Germany rather than West Germany ? Did the Soviet NKVD strike a deal with him to become a Soviet spy in East Germany as Sakowski was an anti-Fascist ?

[@robertevans8010]

Not many survived if any being hung in Sachsenhausen in the style of that particular pleasure of the SS, same Buchenwald and all other Camps where this particular cruel and sadistic method was carried, in many cases if the Prisoner was still alive the next day, they would be despatched with a shot to the Head. Sakowski was an interest of the British, because of the British Prisoners murdered there Commando's and SOE agents.

[@uralbob1]

Tremendous story, tremendous history! Thanks sincerely!

[@HistoryonYouTube]

Thanks Robert! I did a video also on Gustav Sorge and plan to do one on Kurt Eccarius as well.

[@b.j.n.g.354]

THIS IS REALLY A REALLY GREAT PODCAST. STAY STRONG. -SENIOR EMERITUS PROFESSOR BJNG.

[@richardshiggins704]

Some people have undeserving hard lives for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time .

[@eastpark4864]

I just wonder what happen to all those nice concentration camps guards, who were treating prisoner nicely and humanly. How did they end up at the end of the war? Nobody makes any videos about them.

[@HistoryonYouTube]

I have spent the last week doing a video on one and I am still not finished!

[@marklutz95]

Look at the story of Arthur Liebehenchel. He was commandant of Auschwitz and instead of brutally crushing a revolt, he allowed the prisoners to elect a committee and he negotiated. He eliminated some of the forms of brutality and he tried to compromise. The Polish court sent him to the gallows anyway.

[@willemventer3935]

Looks like a kangaroo court

[@svy99n]

Christ, poor Guy.

[@robertsettle2590]

That is some sad ass shit!!!

[@Izannaziza]

What a journey he had………

[@Madmen604]

Considering that he was anti nazi and forced to take on that prison role he should not have been imprisoned again. He went through enough.

[@paweltrawicki2200]

Fantastic video,on one of the best videos that i have ever viewed.

[@HistoryonYouTube]

That is very nice that you say so Paweł!

[@lampaertjill756]

Thank you for your video. I am a French speaker and am doing research on Sachsenhausen. I can manage a bit in English. Would you have any reference books to recommend?

[@HistoryonYouTube]

Nothing really comes to mind as far as reference books are concerned. I tend to use original documents rather than what other people have already said.

[@badmonkey2222]

And some people think they got it hard man this guy just couldn't get catch a break.

[@sadsackkvisling9694]

Allied executions, especially the SUMMARY hanging, shooting and bayonneting of civilians and the starvation or fusilading of "Disarmed Enemy Combatants" (ordinary POWs) are NEVER "tragic" of course. The British narrator tells me everything. Rest assured, nothing is forgotten. We don't need Hollywood to continually remind us. You do it for us. Viele dank, and Have A Nice Moralistically Snide Day.

[@HistoryonYouTube]

Utter nonsense, you just made it up. The question is why?

[@pobinr]

Music's OK for intro. But please leave it out after then. Oh it does stop eventually

[@alwilkins3836]

Thanks for that.

[@janetwunder3000]

Saddest story I ever heard.

[@HistoryonYouTube]

Unfortunately most stories on my channel are sad.

[@rodrigogonzalogallegosgaja9566]

Real hard and horrible life, an at the end a fighter and a héroe, inside, GOD bless his Soul, a victim!

[@rabbitss11]

That's a cursed life if ever there was since up until his incarceration in Sachsenhausen his intentions were to fight against the fascists and he only committed the incriminating acts after being tortured.

[@michaelmonaghan2717]

Well, that was cheerful!

[@HistoryonYouTube]

It is what I call a feel bad video.

[@JesterEric]

The Republican Spanish government recieved massive aid from the Soviet Union aswell as international brigades

[@rbilleaud]

Yep, there were a lot of Americans that fought for the Republican government as well. I tell you what, that was a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Do you want a fascist dictator like Franco running your country or Cabanellas and his communist cohorts doing it? It seems like despite all the death and destruction caused by the war, people came to terms with Franco and his rule, keeping him on til the 70s.

[@HistoryonYouTube]

The Spanish government received weoponry from the USSR but it was paid for well over the going rate.

[@HistoryonYouTube]

The Communists were able to stage their own revolution only after Franco caused a break down in the institutions of the legal government which was not communist. This was very well described by George Orwell amongst others who ended up fighting the Fascists at the front and the Bolsheviks when he was on leave.

[@mdogg1604]

@@rbilleaud A great novel about that conflict is Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls"

[@stewartbeche686]

Thank God Franco won.

[@Byezbozhnik]

If he died in 2006, how was he still being tried a few months ago?

[@HistoryonYouTube]

Maybe he came back from the dead?

[@Byezbozhnik]

@@HistoryonKZbin Oh, that must be it!

[@larryrobinson6914]

His being alive was a tragedy

[@daveanderson3805]

Very good video! One question though Is putting a man who is a hundred years old on trial really a good use of tax payers money?

[@HistoryonYouTube]

I think the reason is because the German government is trying to make up for the mistakes of the 1950s and 1960s when various major criminals got off almost scot free. So it has got this 100 year old guard and the 96 year old secretary from Stutthof on trial. I think trying the book keeper from Auschwitz who openly talked of his experiences was a major mistake.

[@jamallabarge2665]

Serves as an example to kids who think that they can do evil and then hide. Justice will catch you even at your death bed.

[@roberttelarket4934]

Dave: The usual idiotic reasoning of wasting tax money!!! What exactly does it cost some papers, sitting in a room(court) and exercising vocal chords. Is this much usage of say costly fuel, etc.?

[@yourgirlme9163]

it was tax payers money that bankrolled historys most monstrous crime

[@brunokirchensittenbach9294]

@@HistoryonKZbin …And the late 40’s early 50’s they send hundreds of Nazis to South and Central America thanks to the US to help them to spread Democracy and Human Rights ( Walther Rauff, Roschmann, Priebke, to mention few to help Stroessner and Pinochet own Gestapo)… As well the US( Operation Paper Clip)…Even the Federal Republic were complicit and financing War Criminals during the 60’s 70’s( Colonia Dignidad in Chile)….The rest is History…

[@ladylaois8184]

new here! thanks 🙏 so interesting

[@HistoryonYouTube]

Welcome!

[@edwardgoering1237]

I mean God put this Man thru Hell for a reason maybe he was needed for a stronger Task in the after-life I hope his wife gave him comfort these times were terrifying all because of Greedy Leaders Never Again I believe Wall Street absence of credit had alot to do to the desperation

[@baddoopey]

How can you look at humanity and believe in a God?

[@edwardgoering1237]

@@baddoopey Once I read into Stalin's NVKD and their systemic Siberian Slave Trade How they starved millions of Ukrainians while they grew the wheat ! I understand your statement - Even without the NVKD hentchman on the battle field I wonder if they could have won

[@clintonearlwalker]

I remember reading a story about a guy that entered Sachsenhausen (Saxon house) and a German guard shoved him, he protested, "don't shove me". The guard had them bring out a whipping block and beat him viciously, he begged them to stop, the German guard apparently said "stop? I'll start over". The beaten man was taken away and never seen again. "Sachsenhausen Lied" --kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHaTn4N5rbqtqZo

[@anvilbrunner.2013]

Unlucky

[@gnolan4281]

I wish you would dial down the music.

[@karenharper2266]

I love the way you handle the trolls!! Keep up the good work. Honestly, the criticism is just petty. WW II was not fun, nor pretty, nor fair, but gosh, the slaughter was ridiculous. People were cruel, mean, and inhumane. There was a lot of hell on earth during that time period. All humans should be treated right.

[@HistoryonYouTube]

Unfortunately sites like this seem to encourage the brain dead trolls Karen! Thanks for watching!

[@witekkopyrda6924]

This could never happen again. People are too educated and vigilant for signs of tyranny 🙄

[@dennisfraser6896]

Really look at America and the UK.We seem to be heading that way.

[@PhylipHRees]

I would kindly remind you that many architects of the Holocaust had PHD”S , Hans Frank had two. Assisted dying is high on the agenda in a number of countries today, and that is exactly how the Holocaust began.

[@woowah32]

@@dennisfraser6896 What a ridiculous, clueless comment with no relevance whatsoever.🤡

[@MD-rd7bn]

@@dennisfraser6896 Look at Russia, China, North-Korea, Bjelorus

[@2doodledo]

It's happening now! Wake up!!

[@homefront3162]

🍕I LIKE PIZZA🍕

[@andremarais2706]

Just walk away in shame. It was your people. You lost the war. Twice. Perhaps your great great grandchildren will become entitled to express an opinion.

[@kristansmith1757]

Why dont you say anything about the movie the russians made about the camp, where they show the gas chamber and demonstrate how it works? It's very interesting.

[@HistoryonYouTube]

I don't know what movie you are referring to Kristan.

[@kristansmith1757]

@@HistoryonKZbin The "Todeslager Sachsenhausen" movie they did for the trial where they walk around the camp pointing at everything and demonstrated how the gas chamber worked. Sakowski has a big part in it.

[@BaronVonBiffo]

First minute and a half almost impossible to understand because of loud music competing with the voiceover. Why do people sabotage their videos by this stupidity?

[@douglasturner6153]

I've often wondered about this myself. It appears he stopped. Some video's they actually turn up the volume just as they're discussing important points. Crazy

[@greghawkins1025]

Stop calling people by their last names. Call them by their first names.

[@HistoryonYouTube]

OK, Greg.

[@woowah32]

Ok, Hawkins 👍🏻

[@mdogg1604]

@@woowah32 I love it.

[@greghawkins1025]

@@woowah32 My first name is Greg.

[@woowah32]

@@greghawkins1025 Do you prefer Hawkins?🤔