Josef Riegler: Nazi Guard and Hangman at Mauthausen Concentration Camp

World History: True Stories of the 20th Century · Jul 29, 2026 · 12m

Josef Riegler was an Austrian SS guard whose brutality made him one of the most feared perpetrators at the Mauthausen–Gusen concentration camp system during the Second World War. Born on 5 July 1922 in Linz, Riegler grew up during the rise of National Socialism and joined the SS shortly after the Anschluss of Austria in 1938, aligning himself fully with Adolf Hitler’s regime.

After military service during the early stages of the Second World War—including deployments in Poland, Norway, and on the Eastern Front—Riegler was transferred to Mauthausen concentration camp in February 1942. There…