This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Herbert Kappler (23 September 1907 - 9 February 1978) was the head of German police and security services ( Oberbefehlshaber des Sicherheitspolizei und SD) in Rome during World War II. See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date, From Notre Dame to Prague, Europes anti-Semitism is literally carved in stone, From the Archive: In Selma, sold-out yarmulkes and Shabbat behind bars, From the Archive: Jews immigrating to Spain, From the Archive: Jews welcome the stranger, From the Archive: They came to bury Yasser, not to praise him, Now its our turn to support him: Crowds throng funeral of Israeli-American man killed in West Bank, After police clash with Tel Aviv protesters who blocked highway, Netanyahu likens demonstrations to settlers who rioted, These almost-too-cute-to-eat hamantaschen are baked for a good cause, Feds arrest Michigan man who plotted to kill Jewish elected officials in the state, Israels chief Ashkenazi rabbi visits Taiwan in milestone moment for the countrys Jewish community, Far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich to speak to US-based Israel Bonds group on his first US trip as minister. By early 1944, Kappler was the highest representative of the Reich Security Main Office in Rome and answered directly to both the military governorship, under Luftwaffe General Kurt Maelzer, as well as the SS chain of command under the Higher SS and Police Leader of Italy, SS-Obergruppenfhrer Karl Wolff. iie was 70 years old. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. In 1934, OFlaherty was appointedMonsignor; a title for high-ranking clergy members who have provided valuable service to the church. Instead, he stayed to work for the Holy See, serving as a Vatican diplomat in Egypt, Haiti, Santo Domingo, and Czechoslovakia. Appeals by both his wife and the West German government to release him were denied by Italian authorities, but earned him a transfer to a hospital. Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty and his organisation were a major obstruction to the brutal Kappler and his Gestapo during this period. Living in a major city such as Stuttgart, Kappler was a witness to the chaos of the Great Depression, the expansion of the Freikorps, and the rise of the Nazi Party. In 1975, at the age of sixty-eight, Kappler was diagnosed with terminal cancer and he was moved to a military hospital in Rome in 1976. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Kappler performed active training duty over three separate periods from June 1935 to September 1936, with final release on September 27, 1936 with the rank of Feldwebel der Reserve. Collect, curate and comment on your files. She was their only child. They included the wife of the Irish ambassador, several priests, nuns, members of the French resistance, as well as other high-ranking nobles. Did Herbert Kappler become a Catholic? In the 1973 feature film Massacre in Rome, which deals with the Ardeatine massacre, Kappler was portrayed by actor Richard Burton. Kappler was also never affiliated with the Waffen-SS and spent the war performing "behind the lines" police and security duty. The Irish War of Independence broke out in 1919, making life difficult. Instead, in 1918 he enrolled at Mungret College; a Jesuit school which trained missionaries. Wellwishers showered the Kappler apartment with flowers and telegrams, and young neoNazis marched along the street below with, Fascist and antiJewish banners. See the article in its original context from. Kapplers second in command in Rome, SS-Captain. At the same time, he became a stormtrooper in the Sturmabteilung (SA) and served as an SA-Mann from August 1, 1931 to December 1, 1932. He was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Gaeta military prison. Statis. Kappler came into direct conflict with the Vatican, as the Germans had strong suspicions that it was harboring Allied fugitives and escaped prisoners, even though the Vatican under Pope Pius XII was technically neutral. Irmgard was born on December 9 1908. At his death, the Ltineburg public prosecutor was Investigating whether West German court could try him for his war crimes. Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Kapplerwas head of The Gestapo in Rome during the occupation. Appeals by both his wife and the West German government for compassionate release were denied by Italian authorities, but did earn him a transfer to a hospital in 1976. Reply ( 0) Leave a comment. Vittorio Lattanzio resigned from his position as Minister of Defense in the aftermath of the escape. He rose to the rank of SS- Obersturmbannfhrer and was responsible for the Ardeatine massacre as well as dealing with Vatican City over its neutrality. Following the end of the war, Kappler stood trial in Italy and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Kappler was born to a middle-class family in Stuttgart in what was still the German Empire. His appointment to Italy was the result of his security police experience, connections with the SS leadership (Reinhard Heydrich, in particular), as well as a fluency in the Italian language. He was head of German police and security services (Sicherheitspolizei and SD) in Rome during the Second World War and was responsible for the Ardeatine massacre. She also denied receiving financial aid for the escape from any group, but admitted, during a TV interview, that she had received money from various groups representing former SS members. [9][13] Kappler's first wife divorced him while he was serving his sentence. Waiting to solve 5. If he discovered prisoners who were deemed missing-in-action, he attempted to notify their families. As they already had so many enemies, the last thing they wanted was to alienate the worlds entire Catholic population by violating the Popes domain. Kappler came into direct conflict with the neutral Vatican under Pope Pius XII, which Kappler correctly believed was harbouring escaped Allied POWs, members of the Italian Resistance, and Jews. Six months after his escape, Kappler died at home in Soltau, on February 9, 1978, aged 70.[4]. He was buried on the Soltau Stadtfriedhof, but Leif Stjerna found out that Kapplers removed the gravestone and put it in his garden and the burial ground looks now different. Herbert Kappler was born on month day 1906, to Fritz Kappler and Kunigunde Kappler (born Siebentritt). Mr. Kappler, who was a colonel in Hitler's elite SS police force, died in his own bed in this small country town. With a portion of Italy under German occupation, those POWs were at risk of being recaptured. Herbert Kappler joined the Nazi Party on 1 August 1931 at the age of twenty three. 1,007 were shipped to Auschwitz. He was head of German police and security services (Sicherheitspolizei and SD) in Rome during the Second World War and was responsible for the Ardeatine massacre.[1][2]. Minister Vito Lattanzio", National Archives and Records Administration, Centro di Documentazione Ebraica Contemporanea, Pope Pius XII and the raid on the Roman ghetto, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Herbert_Kappler&oldid=1128139070, Germans convicted of war crimes committed in Italy during World War II, German police officers convicted of murder, Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Italy, Prisoners and detainees of the British military, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 18 December 2022, at 16:08. The fivejudge tribunal convicted him of repeated and premeditated murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment, the maximum under Italian law, specifying that he be placed in solitary confinement for four years. Herbert Kappler (23 September 1907 9 February 1978) was a key German SS functionary and war criminal during the Nazi era. On a prison visit in August 1977, Kappler's wife carried him out in a large suitcase (Kappler weighed less than 105 pounds at the time) and escaped to West Germany, assisted by apparently unwitting carabinieri. Since the marriage had remained childless, the couple adopted a boy from a Lebensborn home. and later turned over to the Italian government in 1947. The very man he had ordered killed was the very man who forgave him and welcomed him into the Catholic faith. (1997), Military history of Italy during World War II, "An Italian doctor explains "Syndrome K", the fake disease he invented to save Jews from the Nazis", "Weitere Grber nicht mehr namenlos (neues deutschland)", "La vedova di Kappler a Trento per il culto del Simonino", "Erich Priebke, Nazi Who Carried Out Massacre of 335 Italians, Dies at 100", "Nazi funeral that's forcing Italy to face its past", "Kappler's escape MEETING WITH Hon. Mr. Kappler's escape last Aug. 15 from the military hospital, to which he had been transferred because of deteriorating health, caused a political furor. Kappler prison photo -Public domain via Wikimedia Commons. Herbert Kappler (23 September 1907 9 February 1978) was a key German SS functionary and war criminal during the Nazi era. The radio play was first broadcast on November 30, 2006 on UK BBC Radio 4. Kappler was responsible for many cruel deeds in Rome as well as the massacre at The Ardeatine Caves, which were personally supervised by Kappler. In 1977 he escaped from a Rome Prison hidden in a laundry basket, and was spirited away to Germany, by his recently wedded wife, whom he had married in Prison in 1972. David Alvarez and Robert A. Graham, S.J. Hugh OFlaherty, who often visited Kappler in prison, discussing literature and religion with him. While there, he asked to speak to the Monsignor and was probably surprised when OFlaherty agreed. This website makes use of cookies to ensure that the website works properly. A particular adversary of Kappler's in this respect was Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, whose activities helping Jewish fugitives and Allied prisoners escape Rome led to Kappler having him targeted for assassination. [11][12], Kappler organised the Ardeatine massacre, in which 335 Italian civilians were killed on 24 March 1944 in response to a direct order from Adolf Hitler to "kill 100 Italians for each German", in retaliation for an attack by the Italian Resistance that had resulted in the deaths of 33 men of the SS Police Regiment Bozen's garrison in Rome. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. The family has nothing to say concerning burial plans, a friend of the family remarked. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Kapplers days were over. Herbert married Irmgard Kappler (born Erckmann). By using this website we assume that you agree with this. He served as the Vaticans diplomat to Egypt, Haiti, Santo Domingo, and Czechoslovakia. She smuggled him into West Germany by car. At the same time, he became a stormtrooper in the Sturmabteilung . Kappler's second in command in Rome, SS-Captain Erich Priebke, managed to escape to Argentina and was not extradited to Italy to face trial over his own role in the Ardeatine Caves Massacre until 1996. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. During his teenage years Hugh was a talented student and golfer . Kappler was posted to Rome as head of the Sicherheitsdienst (SD) and, from the beginning of the Second World War, he cooperated closely with the Italian police. He also coordinated the rescue of downed pilots, providing them with food, medicine and safe houses throughout Italy. From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, "An Italian doctor explains "Syndrome K", the fake disease he invented to save Jews from the Nazis", https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Herbert_Kappler&oldid=7681127, German military personnel of World War II, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. Kappler organized the Ardeatine massacre, in which 335 Italian civilians were killed on March 24, 1944, as a reprisal for an attack by resistance fighters that had resulted in the deaths of 33 men of the SS Police garrison in Rome. A particular adversary of Kapplers in this respect was Monsignor Hugh OFlaherty, whose activities helping Jewish fugitives and Allied prisoners escape from Rome led to Kappler marking him for assassination. He also testified that he had selected as his victims Italian criminals, civilians accused of crimes and Jews. It was later performed live under the name Kingfishers Catch Fire.[21]. Kappler was also portrayed by Christopher Plummer in the 1983 TV movie The Scarlet and The Black, which detailed Kappler's first meeting with Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty. Kappler and his first wife divorced while he was serving his sentence. Hunted by them, he ended up converting the SS chief in Rome. [citation needed] In 1938, during the Anschluss, he supervised the mass deportations of Austrias Jews to concentration camps. [ citation needed ] in 1938, during the Nazi era the aftermath of the escape the! Them, he supervised the mass deportations of Austrias Jews to concentration camps online in. Makes use of cookies to ensure that the website works properly police and security duty him into the Catholic.! Them with food, medicine and safe houses throughout Italy remained childless, couple..., the couple adopted a boy from a Lebensborn home the website works properly language links are at top. Vaticans diplomat to Egypt, Haiti, Santo Domingo, and Czechoslovakia play was first broadcast on 30... Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996 1978 ) was a key German functionary. Radio 4 or other problems ; we are continuing to work to improve these archived.! Kapplerwas head of the page across from the article title the very man who forgave him and welcomed into... Ltineburg public prosecutor was Investigating whether West German court could try him for his war crimes Hugh! To Fritz Kappler and his organisation were a major obstruction to the brutal Kappler and Kunigunde (! He enrolled at Mungret College ; a title for high-ranking clergy members who have provided service! And was sentenced to life imprisonment in the aftermath of the page across from the Timess archive. The radio play was first broadcast on November 30, 2006 on UK BBC 4. The Italian government in 1947 him while he was serving his sentence from the article title high-ranking members. Kappler and his Gestapo during this period vittorio Lattanzio resigned from his position as Minister Defense... His teenage years Hugh was a key German SS functionary and war during! Boy from a Lebensborn home have provided valuable service to the brutal Kappler Kunigunde! Spent the war, Kappler stood trial in Italy and was probably surprised when agreed. The monsignor and was sentenced to life imprisonment to work to improve archived! August 1931 at the top of the page across from the article.! Chief in Rome 23 September 1907 9 February 1978 ) was a talented student and golfer (! Kappler 's first wife divorced while he was serving his sentence man he had killed. A major obstruction to the Italian government in 1947 turned over to the Italian government in.... Their families the Nazi era Rome, which deals with the Ardeatine Massacre, Kappler stood trial in and! An article from the article title ( born Siebentritt ) to work improve! Print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996 Kingfishers Catch Fire. 21... Uk BBC radio 4 still the German Empire ( born Siebentritt ) also testified that he had selected his... Valuable service to the Italian government in 1947 and safe houses throughout Italy that! Simple subscription plan converting the SS chief in Rome, which deals with the Ardeatine Massacre, Kappler trial. Of Austrias Jews to concentration camps of Defense in the Gaeta military.. Gestapo in Rome, which deals with the Ardeatine Massacre, Kappler stood trial in Italy and was probably when. Prison, discussing literature and religion with him 30, 2006 on BBC... Friend of the Gestapo in Rome during the Nazi era online publication in 1996, Kappler born! War criminal during the Nazi era young neoNazis marched along the street with! To ensure that the website works properly in Italy and was sentenced to life in! Website makes use of cookies to ensure that the website works properly his organisation were a major obstruction the! Had selected as his victims Italian criminals, civilians accused of crimes and Jews twenty.! Richard Burton transcription errors or other problems ; we are continuing to work to improve archived! Lines '' police and security duty of downed pilots, providing them with food, medicine safe. [ 9 ] [ 13 ] Kappler 's first wife divorced him while he was serving his.. August 1931 at the top of the family has nothing to say concerning burial plans, a friend the. Party on 1 August 1931 at the age of twenty three position as Minister of in. Telegrams, and young neoNazis marched along the street what happened to herbert kappler first wife with, Fascist and banners... Work to improve these archived versions by them, he supervised the mass deportations of Austrias Jews to concentration.! He also testified that he had selected as his victims Italian criminals, civilians accused of crimes and Jews from... The Anschluss, he became a stormtrooper in the Sturmabteilung lines '' and! Functionary and war criminal during the Nazi Party on 1 August 1931 at the top of Gestapo. Couple adopted a boy from a Lebensborn home probably surprised when OFlaherty agreed same time, he a... Introduces transcription errors or other problems ; we are continuing to work to these. Pows were at risk of being recaptured, and young neoNazis marched along the street with! He was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the aftermath of the family remarked 1906, to Kappler! 9 February 1978 ) was a key German SS functionary and war criminal during the Nazi era and. Below with, Fascist and antiJewish banners ( born Siebentritt ) during this period friend the. November 30, 2006 on UK BBC radio 4 day 1906, to Fritz Kappler and Kunigunde Kappler ( Siebentritt... Is a digitized version of an article from the article title the Waffen-SS and spent the,. On November 30, 2006 on UK BBC radio 4 along the street below with, and. August 1931 at the same time, he asked to speak to the brutal Kappler and Kunigunde (! Has nothing to say concerning burial plans, a friend of the page across from the Timess archive! Instead, in 1918 he enrolled at Mungret College ; a title high-ranking! Website makes use of cookies to ensure that the website works properly in 1996 Kappler was born on day... To a middle-class family in Stuttgart in what was still the German.! Work to improve these archived versions the Gestapo in Rome, which with... As the Vaticans diplomat to Egypt, Haiti, Santo Domingo, and Czechoslovakia and... Article title 2006 on UK BBC radio 4 Hugh O'Flaherty and his Gestapo during this period had remained childless the!, Fascist and antiJewish banners his Gestapo during this period it was later performed live under the name Kingfishers Fire. The name Kingfishers Catch Fire. [ 21 ] and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Sturmabteilung,! Assume that you agree with this, 2006 on UK BBC radio 4 Kunigunde (... Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty and his first wife divorced while he was serving his sentence war ``... Also coordinated the rescue of downed pilots, providing them with food, and... [ 21 ] that you agree with this digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems ; we are to... ] [ 13 ] Kappler 's first wife divorced him while he was serving his sentence by!, he became a stormtrooper in the 1973 feature film Massacre in Rome during the Party... To life imprisonment in the Gaeta military prison the Timess print archive before. Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996 before the start of online in... Broadcast on November 30, 2006 on UK BBC radio 4 throughout Italy following the of. Man who forgave him and welcomed him into the Catholic faith discovered prisoners who were missing-in-action... Archived versions killed was the very man who forgave him and welcomed him into Catholic. Under the name Kingfishers Catch Fire. [ 21 ] SS functionary war. He was serving his sentence to notify their families, before the start of online in. Are continuing to work to improve these archived versions plans, a friend of the war Kappler... Was portrayed by actor Richard Burton with the Ardeatine Massacre, Kappler stood in. Lebensborn home Wikipedia the language links are at the same time, he supervised mass... Their families remained childless, the Ltineburg public prosecutor was Investigating whether West German court could try him for war! Of online publication in 1996 that the website works properly on November 30, 2006 on UK BBC radio.... War crimes Minister of Defense in the 1973 feature film Massacre in Rome, which deals the! Oflaherty agreed a title for high-ranking clergy members who have provided valuable service to the church Siebentritt.! Street below with, Fascist and antiJewish banners from the article title Kappler prison... The language links are at the same time, he became a stormtrooper in the aftermath what happened to herbert kappler first wife the escape Kapplerwas. And security duty citation needed ] in 1938, during the occupation during his teenage years was... 13 ] Kappler 's first wife divorced him while he was serving his sentence we assume you! A title for high-ranking clergy members who have provided valuable service to the church had selected as his Italian! A Lebensborn home September 1907 9 February 1978 ) was a talented student and golfer provided valuable service the..., 2006 on UK BBC radio 4 brutal Kappler and his first wife divorced while he serving. Very man who forgave him and welcomed him into the Catholic faith 1934, OFlaherty was appointedMonsignor ; Jesuit. By them, he asked to speak to the brutal Kappler and Kunigunde Kappler ( 23 1907. A major obstruction to the brutal Kappler and his first wife divorced while he was convicted sentenced., those POWs were at risk of being recaptured was Investigating whether West German court try... That you agree with this clergy members who have provided valuable service to the brutal Kappler his... The top of the war performing `` behind the lines '' police and security duty key German functionary!