Fritz Bauer, a methodical and efficiently non-violent Nazi hunter, was a figure who single-handedly brought dozens of war criminals to justice for human rights offenses. Born in 1903 in Stuttgart, Germany, Bauer came from an affluent and liberal Jewish family. Despite facing discrimination due to his heritage, he excelled in law school, becoming Germany’s youngest “assessor judge” at just 27.
Unfortunately, his milestone appointment in 1930 coincided with the rise of the Third Reich, leading to his demotion in 1931, as he was falsely labeled a biased Jew and communist sympathizer. Bauer’s commitment to justice led to his arrest in 1933, and he endured persecution in Nazi concentration camps.
Surviving Against All Odds
In 1936, Bauer faced further adversity when he was arrested for suspicion of homosexual activity. Despite vehemently denying the involvement of money or sex work, he was interned in another camp, this time by Nazi-sympathetic Danish authorities. However, Bauer managed to escape to Sweden, where he married a Danish kindergarten teacher named Anna Maria Petersen.
After World War II, Bauer returned to Germany, only to find that Nazi influence still loomed large. He resumed his career as a judge but faced a landscape where war criminals were rewarded with power. Despite having to conceal his Jewish identity and homosexuality, Bauer’s judicial authority allowed him to take action against Nazis living internationally.
The Heroic Pursuit of Justice
One of Bauer’s significant achievements was the capture of Otto Adolf Eichmann, a key orchestrator of the Holocaust. Eichmann had escaped to Argentina but was tracked down thanks to Bauer’s efforts. In violation of German law, Bauer contacted Israeli Mossad, leading to Eichmann’s extradition and subsequent trial in Israel.
Bauer’s determination didn’t end there. He certified the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials, bringing formal charges against 22 SS members. While considered a “failure” by Bauer himself, these trials played a pivotal role in revealing the atrocities of the SS and contributed to our understanding of fascist rule.
Advocating for LGBT Rights
Apart from pursuing Nazi war criminals, Bauer also worked to decriminalize homosexuality in the German penal code during the 1950s and 60s, a time when identifying as gay or engaging in same-sex activities was illegal.
A Mysterious End
Fritz Bauer’s life ended in 1968 under suspicious circumstances when he was found dead in his own bathtub. While a coroner’s report attributed his death to a combination of sleeping pills and alcohol, some in the social justice community questioned if his years of death threats had caught up with him.
Fritz Bauer’s legacy as a Nazi hunter and advocate for justice and LGBT rights lives on, reminding us of the hidden heroes who shaped history.