Kurt Franz
Kurt Franz is most often remembered for his photo scrapbook of his time as commandant of Treblinka; this album is titled “Beautiful Years”. Like the other Nazis profiled here, Franz initially escaped justice for his crimes. In many ways, Franz is an entirely unremarkable figure, only distinguishing himself as a Nazi.
Raised by a right-wing stepfather, Franz, born in 1914, joined the Nazi party in 1932 and the army in 1935. He was discharged from the army in 1937. He joined the SS-Totenkopfverbände or SS-Death’s Head Regiment following his military discharge. He first served in Aktion T4 before being transferred to the extermination camp at Belzec in 1942. Following a reorganization of Operation Reinhard, the name given to the first death camps in Poland, Franz was reassigned to serve at Treblinka. He eventually became commandant of the camp
Franz was particularly known for his cruelty during his time at Treblinka. He routinely patrolled the camp on horseback with his St. Bernard dog. The dog was frequently commanded to maul prisoners, often attacking the buttocks or genitals. The few Jewish laborers kept alive to dispose of remains and sort possessions were, at Franz’s command, ordered to learn and sing a song, “Looking squarely ahead, brave and joyous, at the world. The squads march to work. All that matters to us now is Treblinka. It is our destiny. That’s why we’ve become one with Treblinka in no time at all. We know only the word of our Commander. We know only obedience and duty. We want to serve, to go on serving until a little luck smiles on us again. Hurray!” He frequently whipped prisoners, shot them, or kicked babies from the transports to death.
Kurt Franz did not flee Germany at the end of the war. He simply remained and worked as a cook for a number of years. He was finally arrested, and the evidence of his work in Treblinka became clear. The Treblinka trials took place in 1965. Franz was tried for the deaths of 300,000, but denied nearly all charges. He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Kurt Franz was released from prison in 1993 due to his health, and died in Germany in 1998.