Peter Weingärtner was born on 4th June, 1913, in Putinci, then part of the Kingdom of Serbia. In Germany, the 1930s saw the rise of the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler, driven by the nation's struggles after World War I and the economic devastation of the Great Depression. Exploiting widespread discontent, the Nazis promised to restore Germany's power and prosperity, ultimately seizing control in January 1933 and establishing a totalitarian regime. Peter Weingärtner was 26 years old when on 1 September 1939 Germany invaded Poland and started the Second World War. Weingärtner went to Auschwitz and did weapon training for three months, after which he was assigned there as a guard. At Bergen-Belsen, Weingärtner became a block leader in the women's compound and he held this position right up until the liberation of the camp. As a block leader he had to ensure that everyone was present or account for any missing individuals. According to his statement, he had no direct involvement with the work kommandos in Bergen-Belsen, but he was required to stand at the gate and count the outgoing and incoming prisoners to ensure the numbers matched. He also had to perform telephone duties near the gate.
Working in the kitchens was one of the most in-demand jobs. Getting a job there meant to have the possibility of taking some food away after work. One night, during a shift change, instead of the expected 100 to 150 workers, an overwhelming crowd of 600 to 700 desperate, starving prisoners had gathered. Chaos erupted as they pressed forward, refusing to form an orderly line. Weingärtner, tasked with restoring control, quickly grew frustrated with their disobedience. Enraged by the chaos, he grabbed a rubber hose and viciously lashed out at Lidia Sunschein, the female Kapo responsible for keeping order, striking her five or six times with brutal force, leaving no doubt of his fury. The Bergen-Belsen concentration camp was liberated by British troops on 15 April 1945 and Weingärtner was soon arrested and interrogated by the British.
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