Meet Hans Münch, a doctor known as The Good Man of Auschwitz because he refused to assist in the atrocities. His experiments were elaborate farces intended to protect inmates. He was the only person acquitted of crimes at the 1947 Auschwitz trials after many inmates testified in his favour.

Hans Münch

In June 1943, he was recruited as a scientist by the Waffen-SS and was sent to the Hygiene Institute of the Waffen-SS [de] in Raisko, about 4 km (2.5 mi) from the main camp at Auschwitz. Münch worked alongside the infamous Josef Mengele, who was the same age and also came from Bavaria. Münch continued the bacteriological research he was known for before the war, as well as making occasional inspections of the camps and the prisoners.

Along with other doctors, Münch was expected to participate in the “selections” at the camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, to decide who among the incoming Jewish men, women and children could work, who would be experimented on, and who would be put to death in the gas chambers. He found this abhorrent and ref… Continue Reading (9 minute read)