Irma Grese was one of the most notorious female war criminals of the Third Reich—infamous for her extreme cruelty as an SS guard at Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. Known to prisoners as the “Hyena of Auschwitz,” Grese's beauty masked a sadistic streak that made her a symbol of the twisted depravity that thrived in Hitler’s concentration camps. At just 22 years old, she was convicted of war crimes and executed by hanging—becoming the youngest woman to be legally executed under British law in the 20th century.
From Farmer’s Daughter to SS Sadist
Born in 1923 in Germany, Grese was a high school dropout from a working-class family. In 1942, she volunteered to become a concentration camp guard and quickly rose through the ranks, serving at Ravensbrück, Auschwitz-Birkenau, and later Bergen-Belsen. At Auschwitz, she became the highest-ranking female officer, overseeing female prisoners and supervising daily roll calls, selections for the gas chambers, and punishments.
Grese stood out for her cruelty and violence, often wearing heavy boots and carrying a whip, pistol, and vicious dogs. Prisoners testified that she would beat women senseless, flog them to death, and send the sick and weak to their deaths with a smile. Her sadism seemed personal—she took pleasure in the suffering.
The Trials at Belsen
After Bergen-Belsen was liberated by British troops in April 1945, Grese was captured alongside other SS personnel. What the British found inside the camp was beyond comprehension—thousands of corpses, piles of human remains, and emaciated survivors. Grese was arrested and stood trial at the Belsen Trial in September 1945 alongside other camp staff.
Throughout the trial, Grese showed no remorse. Witnesses described her cruelty in chilling detail: she selected women for the gas chambers, unleashed her dogs on inmates, and delivered brutal beatings for minor infractions. One survivor testified that Grese personally chose young women for execution out of jealousy. Others spoke of her cold stares and mocking smiles as people were dragged to their deaths.
The Sentence: Death by Hanging
Grese was found guilty of war crimes and sentenced to death by hanging. Despite her age and gender, the court showed no leniency—her crimes were too horrific to ignore. She was to be executed alongside ten others, including Josef Kramer, the “Beast of Belsen.”
Final Hours and Execution
On December 13, 1945, Irma Grese was executed at Hameln Prison by famed British hangman Albert Pierrepoint. She reportedly went to the gallows calmly and defiantly, wearing a white blouse and noose around her neck. When asked if she had any last words, she simply said, “Schnell!” (Quick!)—as if eager for it to end.
Pierrepoint later described her as having “courage greater than I expected,” but survivors believed her composure was just another symptom of her utter lack of remorse.