SS-Obersturmführer
* 24.11.1888 in Zeiden (Codlea)
† 13.12.1945 in Hameln (gehängt)
Volksdeutscher aus Rumänien
an der Universität Budapest promoviert
01.04.1910 - 30.09.1910
Dienst in der rumänische Armee
(I. Regiment-Tirolischen-Jäger)
1914 - 15.03.1915 (I Weltkrieg)
Dienst in der rumänische Armee
ab 15.03.1915
Russische Gefangenschaft
1939 - 1943
Leutnantarzt in der rumänischen Armee
26.05.1943
„vorläufig“ in die Waffen-SS übernommen
26.05.1943
Beförderung zum SS-Untersturmführer
15.12.1943 - Ende Januar 1945
SS-Lagerarzt in Auschwitz
Ende Januar 1945
Angehöriger einer Begleitmannschaft eines Todesmarsches zum KL Bergen-Belsen
10. Februar - Mitte März 1945
im KL Neuengamme eingesetzt
März 1945 - April 1945
KL Bergen-Belsen
15.04.1945
von den Briten im KL Bergen-Belsen verhaftet
(Klein war einer der wenigen, die nicht flüchteten, sondern zusammen mit dem Kommandanten Josef Kramer die Ankunft der britischen Truppen erwarteten und das Lager übergaben.)
17.09.1945 - 16.11.1945
von einem britischen Militärgericht im Bergen-Belsen-Prozess (in Lüneburg) zum Tode verurteilt)
Am 17. November 1945 verkündete das Gericht seine Urteile: Elf Angeklagte, darunter Kramer, Klein, Hoessler und Grese, wurden zum Tode verurteilt, neunzehn erhielten Freiheitsstrafen, vierzehn wurden freigesprochen. Die zum Tode verurteilten acht Männer und drei Frauen gehörten alle der SS bzw. dem SS-Gefolge an; unter den zu Haftstrafen verurteilten Personen befanden sich acht ehemalige Funktionshäftlinge. Die Todesurteile wurden von Field-Marshal Montgomery als Oberkommandierendem der britischen Streitkräfte bestätigt und am 13. Dezember 1945 im Zuchthaus Hameln durch Erhängen vollstreckt.
Aussage Kleins im Bergen-Belsen-Prozess
»Wenn Transporte in Auschwitz ankamen, war es die Aufgabe der Ärzte, diejenigen herauszusuchen, die zur Arbeit ungeeignet oder unfähig waren. Das betraf auch Kinder, alte Leute und Kranke. Ich habe die Gaskammern und Krematorien in Auschwitz gesehen und habe gewußt, daß diejenigen, die ich aussortierte, in die Gaskammer mußten.« Klein weiter: »Frauen, die im Lager schwanger wurden und somit unfähig zur Arbeit waren, wurden bei späteren Vorbeimärschen ebenfalls aussortiert.«
Aussage Lucas Franz Dr.
Er war ein willfähriges Werkzeug des Standortarztes Dr. Wirths.
Aussage Häftlingsärztin Schwalbova
»Er führte unzählige und rücksichtslose Selektionen unter den Patientinnen durch. Ich war dabei persönlich anwesend. Er hatte ein heimtückisches Verhalten, und zu den ungarischen Juden sprach er ungarisch. Er sagte ihnen, er wähle sie in ein anderes Lager für >leichtere Arbeit< aus.« Klein zu einer Gefangenen, die nach einer Selektion um ihr Leben fleht »Du bist alt genug, um zu sterben, was die anderen aushalten, wirst du auch ertragen können.«
Aussage Häftlingsärztin Lingens
»Zu Dr. Klein, mit dem ich reden konnte, habe ich einmal gesagt, wie er das mit dem Hippokratischen Eid vereinbaren könne. Er antwortete mir darauf: >Aus Achtung vor dem menschlichen Leben schneide ich einen vereiterten Blinddarm heraus, die Juden sind der vereiterte Blinddarm am Körper Europas.«
13.12.1945
im Zuchthaus Hameln gehängt
Eidesstattliche Versicherung Klein Fritz Dr.
I am aged 58 years and a Rumanian by birth. Before volunteering for service in the SS in June, 1943, I was a general practitioner at Zeiden near Kronstadt in Rumania. On joining the SS I was sent to Yugoslavia as recruiting doctor. On the 15th December, 1943, I went to Auschwitz as a doctor in the concentration camp. On the 15th December, 1944, I was transferred to Neuengamme near Hamburg. I was only in Belsen Camp for about 6 to 8 weeks before the British came, having been loaned to them because their own doctor (Dr. Schnabel) was ill. I was acting as doctor for the SS men and only went into the camp three days before the British came, to take the place of Hauptsturmführer Dr. Horstmann, who was sent away by Kommandant Kramer.
When I arrived at Auschwitz the SS officer in charge was Kommandant Hoess; he was succeeded by Kommandant Liebehenschel, and then in June, 1944, Kommandant Baer took over. There were several doctors in that camp, the chief one being Dr. Wirtz; others whose names I can remember are Dr. Fischer, Dr. Kitt, Dr. Lucas, Dr. Mengele, Dr. Thilo, Dr. Rohde and Dr. König. When transports arrived at Auschwitz it was the doctor's job to pick out those who were unfit or unable to work. These included children, old people and the sick. I have seen the gas chambers and crematoria at Auschwitz, and I knew that those I selected were to go to the gas chamber. But I only acted on orders given me by Dr. Wirtz. I cannot say from whom Dr. Wirtz received his orders and I have never seen any orders in writing relating to the gassing of prisoners. All orders given to me were given verbally. All the doctors whom I have previously mentioned have taken part in these selections, and although SS guards were on parade they took no active part in choosing those who were unfit to work. I never protested against people being sent to the gas chamber, although I never agreed. One cannot protest when in the Army. It was not a pleasure to take part in these parades, as I knew the persons selected would go to the gas chamber. Persons who became pregnant whilst in the camp and therefore unfit for work were also selected on later parades. I have heard that Himmler had visited Auschwitz camp, although I have never actually seen him. It was certainly known to the higher-ups that these methods were being used at Auschwitz Camp.
Brothels were run at Auschwitz Camp for the benefit of the prisoners. Girls who went in these brothels did so quite voluntarily. It was one of my duties to select girls for this job and about fifteen would be brought before me, and I selected what were, in my opinion, the ten best. The girls in the brothels were inspected twice a week by a Polish doctor who was himself a prisoner. I know that, on orders from Berlin, certain individuals were sterilised, but I never took any part in it as I am not an expert. Those who were sterilised were usually mental cases, as far as I know. I cannot say who gave the orders.
Whilst at Belsen I made several complaints to Kommandant Kramer about the conditions there. I was told that I was only a doctor and that it was nothing to do with me. Three days before the British came, when I took over the camp, I had a talk with Kramer about the conditions. I told Kramer that the corpses should be removed, and that water should be supplied to prisoners as many were dying from thirst. Kramer said he did not take orders from me. I told him, had I been the English [ British ] officer taking the camp over, I would have taken the Kommandant and the doctor, put them against the wall and shot them. The food was not much and hardly enough to live on. The person who was responsible for the distribution of food was Hauptsturmführer Vogler. I do not think more food could have been given as there was a general shortage in Germany, although we SS lived quite well. Belsen Camp was very overcrowded. It was originally built to house 14000 people and was used as a convalescent camp for those prisoners who were unable to work. I understood that after a period there they should have returned to working camps.
I have seen people shot by the SS, but I cannot remember the names of people who had done the shooting. I have also seen people beaten by the SS and by prisoners, and I have submitted reports to the Lagerführer about this. I cannot say whether anything was ever done about it.
I realise that I am as responsible as those from the top downwards for the killing of thousands in these camps, particularly at Auschwitz.
Als Romanfigur taucht Fritz Klein in „Zeiden, im Januar“ von Ursula Ackrill auf.