Auschwitz: SS leisure in the Höcker album

July 1944Solahütte, German-occupied Poland

W–068

In July 1944, Auschwitz personnel relaxed at Solahütte: they sat in deckchairs, posed on a bridge with an accordion and ate blueberries. Karl Höcker placed the photographs in his album. These were members of the staff of a camp where people were murdered on arrival and subjected to forced labour.

Höcker was commandant Richard Baer’s adjutant. He arrived at Auschwitz in May 1944 after service in other camps, including Majdanek. The Nazis were then carrying out the mass deportation of Jews from Hungary. According to the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum, approximately 420,000 people were brought there between 14 May and 9 July. Most arrivals were sent to the gas chambers without being registered as prisoners.

The July leisure photographs concern different gatherings. The female SS auxiliaries’ excursion is dated in the album to 22 July, after the main wave of Hungarian deportations. The women in these photographs were SS-Helferinnen, female SS auxiliaries who worked in communications. Solahütte stood about thirty kilometres south of the main camp, near the Soła river.

Höcker assembled 116 photographs taken between May 1944 and January 1945. The album contains portraits, official gatherings, training and leisure. The photographers of the individual episodes are unknown: Höcker’s ownership does not establish authorship. The album contains no photographs of the killings.

After Auschwitz was evacuated, Höcker served at Mittelbau-Dora. At the end of the war he concealed his connection with camp personnel, entered British captivity posing as an ordinary soldier and was released in 1946. He returned to banking in Lübbecke. He was later prosecuted at the Frankfurt Auschwitz trial of 1963-1965.

The court convicted Höcker of aiding mass murder and sentenced him to seven years in prison. Released on parole in 1970, he returned to work as a bank cashier. On 3 May 1989, a court in Bielefeld sentenced him to another four years for complicity in the mass murder of Jews in Majdanek’s gas chambers. He died on 30 January 2000, aged 88.

The album outlived its owner but remained outside public circulation for decades. An American officer had found it in Frankfurt after the war; in January 2007, it reached the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The museum established its connection to Höcker and published the photographs with names and dates.

Photographs and documents

Karl Höcker at the centre of a group of SS officers and female auxiliaries on a wooden bridge. Solahütte, July 1944. — Karl Höcker at the centre of a group of SS officers and female auxiliaries on a wooden bridge. Solahütte, July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 1

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 10. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number. Exact submitted frame; the complete museum scan is larger than the submitted cropped copy.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2251 × 1552 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2251 × 1552

Commandant Richard Baer and his adjutant Karl Höcker. Album portrait; June 1944. — Commandant Richard Baer and his adjutant Karl Höcker. Album portrait; June 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 2

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 2. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 3377 × 2222 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 3377 × 2222

Solahütte and its surroundings on a postcard mounted in the album. The postcard’s individual date is unestablished. — Solahütte and its surroundings on a postcard mounted in the album. The postcard’s individual date is unestablished.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 3

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 54. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 3458 × 2248 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 3458 × 2248

Officers and women in deckchairs on the Solahütte terrace. July 1944. — Officers and women in deckchairs on the Solahütte terrace. July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 4

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 7. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2227 × 1512 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2227 × 1512

Officers and women in deckchairs on the Solahütte terrace. July 1944. — Officers and women in deckchairs on the Solahütte terrace. July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 5

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 8. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2230 × 1532 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2230 × 1532

Officers and women in deckchairs on the Solahütte terrace. July 1944. — Officers and women in deckchairs on the Solahütte terrace. July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 6

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 9. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2231 × 1529 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2231 × 1529

Another photograph of the group with an accordion on the bridge at Solahütte. July 1944. — Another photograph of the group with an accordion on the bridge at Solahütte. July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 7

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 11. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2206 × 1526 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2206 × 1526

Another photograph of the group with an accordion on the bridge at Solahütte. July 1944. — Another photograph of the group with an accordion on the bridge at Solahütte. July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 8

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 12. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2274 × 1574 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2274 × 1574

SS officers outside the Solahütte building. July 1944. — SS officers outside the Solahütte building. July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 9

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 65. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2532 × 1808 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2532 × 1808

Album leaf captioned with the female SS auxiliaries’ excursion to Solahütte, 22 July 1944. — Album leaf captioned with the female SS auxiliaries’ excursion to Solahütte, 22 July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 10

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 68. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 8397 × 5954 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 8397 × 5954

Höcker, other officers and female SS auxiliaries. Solahütte, 22 July 1944. — Höcker, other officers and female SS auxiliaries. Solahütte, 22 July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 11

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 69. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 3098 × 2203 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 3098 × 2203

Female SS auxiliaries beside the bus during the Solahütte excursion. 22 July 1944. — Female SS auxiliaries beside the bus during the Solahütte excursion. 22 July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 12

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 70. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2247 × 1541 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2247 × 1541

Female SS auxiliaries inside the bus. Solahütte excursion, 22 July 1944. — Female SS auxiliaries inside the bus. Solahütte excursion, 22 July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 13

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 71. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2234 × 1536 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2234 × 1536

Höcker and female SS auxiliaries with bowls of blueberries on the terrace railing. Solahütte, 22 July 1944. — Höcker and female SS auxiliaries with bowls of blueberries on the terrace railing. Solahütte, 22 July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 14

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 73. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2252 × 1548 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2252 × 1548

Höcker and female SS auxiliaries with bowls of blueberries on the terrace railing. Solahütte, 22 July 1944. — Höcker and female SS auxiliaries with bowls of blueberries on the terrace railing. Solahütte, 22 July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 15

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 74. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2256 × 1564 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2256 × 1564

Höcker and female SS auxiliaries with bowls of blueberries on the terrace railing. Solahütte, 22 July 1944. — Höcker and female SS auxiliaries with bowls of blueberries on the terrace railing. Solahütte, 22 July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 16

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 75. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2224 × 1529 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2224 × 1529

Höcker and female SS auxiliaries with bowls of blueberries on the terrace railing. Solahütte, 22 July 1944. — Höcker and female SS auxiliaries with bowls of blueberries on the terrace railing. Solahütte, 22 July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 17

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 76. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2223 × 1512 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2223 × 1512

Höcker and female SS auxiliaries with bowls of blueberries on the terrace railing. Solahütte, 22 July 1944. — Höcker and female SS auxiliaries with bowls of blueberries on the terrace railing. Solahütte, 22 July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 18

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 77. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2253 × 1537 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2253 × 1537

Female SS auxiliaries hold up empty bowls, with Höcker among them. Solahütte, 22 July 1944. — Female SS auxiliaries hold up empty bowls, with Höcker among them. Solahütte, 22 July 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 19

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 78. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 2265 × 1553 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 2265 × 1553

Höcker beside a decorated tree in the album’s “Julfeier 1944” section. December 1944. — Höcker beside a decorated tree in the album’s “Julfeier 1944” section. December 1944.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor

Sources and provenance for frame 20

USHMM album 2007.24, digital leaf/image 26. Photographer unidentified. Complete museum scan retained, including print margins. Digital image number is neither a date nor an individual photographic catalogue number.

USHMM collection: No Known Copyright Restrictions or Public Domain. This is the collection’s stated status, not a Creative Commons licence.

File: 1754 × 2473 px. Downloaded bytes preserved unchanged; separate uncropped WebP preview. Source file.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Anonymous Donor File on WITNESS · 1754 × 2473

All sources for this story

USHMM: Karl Höcker photograph album, 2007.24 USHMM: female staff at Solahütte USHMM: bridge photograph, 34585A USHMM: Höcker album FAQ Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum: deportations from Hungary Fritz Bauer Institut: defendants’ biographies State Museum at Majdanek: trials USHMM: the Höcker album