In the final days of World War II, as the Allied forces closed in on Nazi Germany, the horrors of the Holocaust began to be exposed to the world in all their horrific detail. Among the most infamous concentration camps liberated was Bergen-Belsen, located in northern Germany.
When British troops entered the camp in April 1945, they were met not only by thousands of corpses and emaciated survivors, but also by the guards responsible for those horrors—many of them women. What followed was one of the most public and significant war crimes trials of the 20th century, ending in the execution of several female Nazi guards whose cruelty shocked even seasoned soldiers.
The Horrors of Bergen-Belsen
Originally a prisoner-of-war camp, Bergen-Belsen became a concentration camp in 1943. By 1945, conditions had deteriorated so severely that typhus, starvation, and neglect killed tens of thousands. At the time of its liberation, more than 13,000 corpses littered the camp grounds, and another 14,000 inmates would die in the following weeks despite Allied efforts to save them.
What appalled the liberators even more was the indifference—and sometimes open cruelty—of the SS guards, many of whom continued acting as if they were still in control even as Allied troops moved in. Among these guards were female SS overseers, known as Aufseherinnen, whose brutal behavior was later documented in court.
The Female Guards Put on Trial
After the liberation, British authorities quickly arrested many of the camp’s staff, including male and female guards. This led to the Bergen-Belsen Trials, held in Lüneburg, Germany, from September to November 1945. The trial prosecuted 45 men and women for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and mass murder.
These women had served in other camps like Auschwitz before being transferred to Bergen-Belsen. Their reputation for violence, sadism, and abuse made them some of the most feared figures among the inmates.
Irma Grese: The “Hyena of Auschwitz”
Perhaps the most notorious of all, Irma Grese was just 22 years old at the time of her trial. She had joined the SS at 19 and worked at Ravensbrück and Auschwitz before arriving at Bergen-Belsen. Survivors testified that Grese beat prisoners with whips and rubber truncheons, sicced dogs on women, and selected victims for the gas chambers.
Her cold demeanor, youthful beauty, and unapologetic stance made her a symbol of female brutality in Nazi Germany. Found guilty, Grese was sentenced to death.