Baer

SS Major Richard Baer came from Bavaria and in 1933 became a member of the guard troop at the Dachau concentration camp. Later on he was also in other camps. In 1939 he went to the Death’s Head Division [of the Waffen SS], where he remained until he was wounded. Since he was unable to return to the fighting troops, he was transferred to concentration camp duty at Neuengammen in 1942, where he became adjutant. In 1943, through Maurer’s prompting, he was transferred to Auschwitz to become my adjutant. Three days later, however, he was called back again because Pohl wanted him as his adjutant. Pohl had again become tired of his adjutant and gave the order to fmd the best adjutant in all the Economic Headquarters. In Gliicks’s and Maurer’s opinion, Baer was the best, subsequently he was stationed with Pohl. Baer soon learned how to gain Pohl’s complete trust and confidence and was able to get himself into such a position of trust that no other adjutant had been able to do before. He skillfully led Pohl by the hand and influenced him. He knew how to get his ideas and opinions across to Pohl in such a manner that Pohl thought they were his own!

Baer was skillful, could speak well, and knew how to get his way. He handled the various department heads and office managers as if they were his subordinates, always very skillfuUy, so as not to offend. The word soon got around that if you wanted to get something from Pohl, you had to get into the good graces of Baer, and it didn’t matter what rank the person held. Because of all this, Baer became very spoiled, power hungry, and eccentric. He also started to spin his own webs. But Pohl had the greatest confidence in him and called him his friend! Attempts to call Pohl’s attention to Baer’s intrigues not only bounced off Pohl, but reflected badly on those making the attempt. Later GlUcks and Maurer bitterly regretted having recommended Baer as adjutant and even later as the successor to Liebehenschel. When Liebehenschel had to leave Auschwitz, Baer was proposed as his successor. Baer realized that if he continued as he had been doing, he would one day run into conflict with Pohl. Baer preferred, therefore, to retreat to a safe position which at the same time meant a promotion for him and a chance to advance himself. He was promoted to major. It was amazing for anyone to be promoted to major after such a short time and at his age. This normally would have been strictly refused by Pohl. Incidentally, Baer behaved very rudely toward Liebehenschel and his second wife when he was transferred. Anyone else but Liebehenschel would surely have made Baer account for this. In June 1944 Baer assumed his position as senior officer and camp commander of Auschwitz I [the main camp]. I, myself, had the honor to install him and to show him how the camp was run. In his opinion, it was unnecessary because he had had enough experience in concentration camps. Anyway, I had very little time to make him acquainted with the existing indescribable conditions. He said he had seen everything for himself and would have no trouble managing things. In almost three weeks while I was in Auschwitz, he improved absolutely nothing and did not make any effort to do so. He had other interests. He often went hunting and fishing, or went for walks. Baer believed that he had worked enough when he was Pohl’s adjutant, and that he was now in need of a rest. He also became arrogant and very unfriendly.

He did not care for the program against the Jews. He left all that to me.

He also did not involve himself much in the transports of able-bodied prisoners. He only got involved from time to time if Pohl had something important for him. In fact, I had to personally get involved with the federal train authority in order to untangle a tie-up of railroad cars and get them rolling again. In any case, it was an unpleasant working relationship. He hardly ever saw his other two camp commanders, Krause and Schwartz. They heard from him only through camp orders. He cared very little about the prisoners and had hardly any time for them. Because he was very moody, he constantly changed his point of view. As far as the prisoners were concerned, the officer of the day and the camp commander were responsible for them.

He looked at the orders and directives from Group D only if they interested him. He could afford to neglect these things without any repercussions. Glucks took no action against him and Maurer overlooked things after he received a few severe reprimands regarding Baer.

According to Pohl’s orders the evacuation of Auschwitz was to be thoroughly prepared. I had to write the precise evacuation plan in great detail, which had to be observed. Baer had over two months time to make all the preparations. He did nothing. The proof of this now came to light. When the evacuation order came from Maurer, Baer immediately climbed into the biggest and best car he could fmd and transferred himself to Gross-Rosen concentration camp so that he could “prepare things” there! The evacuation and the cleanup he left to Kraus and Hdssler. He left it up to them to fmd a way to carry out all the orders. Had he planned and thought out the evacuation well, we would never have seen the conditions that existed on the streets and railways in Silesia and the Sudeten area four days later. I had been ordered there by Pohl to take action in case Baer couldn’t solve the difficulties and because Pohl had received no reports from Baer. I no longer had authority in this situation, and I could only observe and report. When I returned, I reported to Pohl without coloring The facts. I also harshly criticized Baer and his behavior. Pohl became silent and did not say a word. A few days later Baer was appointed Kommandant in Mittelbau. Schwartz, who was originally scheduled to go there, was “honored” to command the sorry leftovers from Natzweiler. It became increasingly dangerous in Mittelbau as the air raids steadily increased in intensity. Baer sprained his foot and went to Steiermark [in Austria] to recuperate. Hdssler was left behind and, according to his orders, had to fight his way to Bergen-Belsen. In short sketches, these were Baer’s activities as camp commander at Auschwitz and Mittelbau.