World War II: Heroes

During my hundreds of hours of WWII research for my 2023 book, Army of the Drake, I wanted to ensure I gave three of the most successful Nazi hunters: Simon Wiesenthal, Serge, and Beate Klarsfeld, the justice they deserved. Although I had a lot of fun writing the book, I didn’t realize how challenging it would be during the research portion, particularly the WWII references I used.

I had always considered myself incredibly knowledgeable about WWII. However, I challenged myself to learn more about the Germans and the people that became Nazi hunters due to the atrocities committed by the Third Reich. I often had to take breaks from watching and listening to YouTube videos due to the traumatic details discussed about the Holocaust. Although I changed some things to align with my story, I constantly thought about those impacted by the events. Army of the Drake was a story I created. But people like Simon Wiesenthal, Serge, and Beate Klarsfeld were real and should be considered heroes.

Simon Wiesenthal

Simon Wiesenthal was a survivor of several Nazi death camps, dedicated his life to documenting the crimes of the Holocaust, and was committed to hunting down the perpetrators still at large. He is associated with the hunt for Adolf Eichmann, the infamous man associated with participating in the Wannsee Conference (implemented the Final Solution of the Jewish Question), and Franz Stangl, the man responsible for the death of 70,000+ people.

Adolf Eichmann was a German-Austrian official of the Nazi Party, an officer of the Schutzstaffel (SS), and one of the major organizers of the Holocaust. He was captured by the Mossad while hiding in Argentina under the alias Richardo Klement.

The Vendetta For Adolf Eichmann | Nazi Hunters | Timeline

Franz Stangl was an Austrian police officer and commandant of the Nazi extermination camps Sobibor and Treblinka during WWII. He was associated with Gustav Wagner, deputy commander of Sobibor, who had also escaped after the end of WWII. He was arrested by Brazilian federal police in 1967.

The Incredible Hunt For The Police Officer Turned Mass Murderer | Nazi Hunters | Timeline

He also helped pursue Josef Mengele, also known as the Angel of Death, but due to the paranoia created by Mossad’s abduction of Eichmann in 1960, he didn’t live long enough to face charges of Crimes Against Humanity. In 1985, Simon Wiesenthal served as one of the judges at Mengele’s mock trial in Jerusalem.

Angel Of Death: The Nazi Doctor Who Experimented On Humans | Nazi Hunters | War Stories

Simon Wiesenthal Center

Simon Wiesenthal Center is a Jewish human rights organization established in 1977 by Rabbi Marvin Hier. The center is known for Holocaust research and remembrance, hunting Nazi war criminals, combating anti-Semitism, tolerance education, defending Israel, and its Museum of Tolerance.

The center is named in honor of Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal. Wiesenthal had nothing to do with its operation or activities other than giving its name, but he remained supportive of it.

Serge and Beate Klarsfeld

Serge and Beate Klarsfeld are associated with the hunt for Klaus Barbie and Paul Touvier. Serge is a Romanian-born French activist and Nazi hunter known for documenting the Holocaust to establish the record and to enable the prosecution of war criminals. In 1943, his father was arrested in Nice during a roundup ordered by SS captain Alois Brunner. He was deported to Auschwitz, where he died. Beate is a Franco-German journalist and Nazi hunter.

Klause Barbie was a German officer of the SS and Sicherheitsdienst (SD) who worked in Vichy, France, during World War II. He became known as the Butcher of Lyon for having personally tortured prisoners, primarily Jews and members of the French Resistance, as the head of the Gestapo in Lyon.

Butcher Of Lyon: The Hunt For The Notorious Gestapo Chief | Nazi Hunters | War Stories

Paul Touvier was a French Nazi collaborator during World War II in Occupied France. In 1994, he became the first Frenchman ever convicted of crimes against humanity for his participation in the Holocaust under Vichy France. He was arrested in 1989 at the Society of Saint Pius (SSPX).

Abducting A Nazi: The Desperate Attempts To Catch Kurt Lischka | Nazi Hunters | War Stories

I highly recommend watching them on YouTube because their documentaries are fascinating.

Army of the Drake – WWII References

Here is an example of how I strategically used WWII references while ensuring I was always pointing out that what the Nazis did during WWII was unacceptable, even if I am writing a story:

“In 1994, ABC News traveled to Bariloche, Argentina, to confront the Nazi war criminal Reinhard Kopps, operating under the assumed name of Juan Maler. Coincidentally, they encountered Erich Priebke, a man associated with the execution of 335 civilians. When confronted, he claimed he was following orders and shouldn’t get punished for something that occurred fifty years ago. Murder was murder, even if it happened a long time ago. Eldon immediately recognized he needed to change his response to help disassociate himself from their behavior.”