Ilse Koch was a German war criminal notorious for her cruelty during her time at the Buchenwald concentration camp where her husband Karl-Otto Koch was the commandant. She is infamously known as the "Witch of Buchenwald" due to her brutal treatment of prisoners and alleged sadistic acts, including cruelty, torture, and ordering the killing of prisoners with interesting tattoos to turn their skin into artifacts such as lampshades and book covers—though these specific allegations were later found to lack concrete proof.
What she did
Ilse Koch was involved in or accused of numerous atrocities, including beating prisoners, forcing them to perform exhausting activities, and ordering the deaths of inmates with tattoos. She was known for dressing provocatively to taunt prisoners, and her cruelty was legendary among camp survivors. She also reportedly had a fascination with human skin tattoos, which she supposedly used to make souvenirs or artifacts, although this was not definitively proven in court.
Background and Life
Born in Dresden in 1906, Ilse Koch joined the Nazi Party in 1932 and later married Karl Otto Koch, a Nazi officer and commandant of Sachsenhausen and subsequently Buchenwald. She lived with her family within the camp grounds and was known for her sadistic behavior during her husband's tenure.
Post-war and Trial
After WWII, Ilse Koch was captured, tried, and initially sentenced to life imprisonment. She was labeled one of the most infamous women of the Nazi era and died by suicide in 1967 while serving her sentence.
Summary
Ilse Koch became emblematic of Nazi cruelty due to her alleged involvement in torture, murders, and grotesque artifacts from prisoners’ tattoos, which cemented her reputation as one of the most notorious figures of World War II.