Now translated into 12 languagesThe Pharmacist of Auschwitz is the little known story of Victor Capesius, a Bayer pharmaceutical salesman from Romania who, at the age of 35, joined the Nazi SS in 1943 and quickly became the chief pharmacist at the largest death camp, Auschwitz. Based in part on previously classified documents, Patricia Posner exposes Capesius’s reign of terror at the camp, his … reign of terror at the camp, his escape from justice, fueled in part by his theft of gold ripped from the mouths of corpses, and how a handful of courageous survivors and a single brave prosecutor finally brought him to trial for murder twenty years after the end of the war.
The Pharmacist of Auschwitz is much more, though, than a personal account of Capesius. It provides a spellbinding glimpse inside the devil’s pact made between the Nazis and Germany’s largest conglomerate, I.G. Farben, and its Bayer pharmaceutical subsidiary. The story is one of murder and greed with its roots in the dark heart of the Holocaust. It is told through Nazi henchmen and industrialists turned war criminals, intelligence agents and zealous prosecutors, and intrepid concentration camp survivors and Nazi hunters.
Set against a backdrop ranging from Hitler’s war to conquer Europe to the Final Solution to postwar Germany’s tormented efforts to confront its dark past, Posner shows the appalling depths to which ordinary men descend when they are unrestrained by conscience or any sense of morality. The Pharmacist of Auschwitz is a moving saga that lingers long after the final page.
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This book kept me interested from front to back. Many people might not be as enthralled as I was but it was very fascinating to me. It is difficult for us to really understand what went on at places like Auschwitz and this helped describe that terrible situation.
The focus on a pharmacist that enthusiastically serviced the Auschwitz killing factory is only one aspect of this well written book. A key element of the 1930-45 germanic/nazi history is the willingness by which the population went along with this outrage and the government’s disinterest in true reconciliation for criminal behavior. A great read.
This bit of history is hard to read about buy Patricia Posner does a wonderful job of bringing this hard subject matter to love life. I am an avid history fan and appreciate an author that really cares about the subject matter and stays true to the facts being reported yet makes it easy to read and to hold your attention.
Recently visited Auschwitz and this book was recommended to me by an elderly man who worked in the Aushwitz book store—-the book was informative, heartbreaking, and told me part of the Holocaust story that I was never taught in my history classes—-to be honest—-it has made me stop and think before I buy that bottle aspirin now.
I had never heard about the Pharmacist at Auschwitz. It was very informative, and gave a tragic description of what happened there.
I study the aspects and writings cataloging the Holocaust. This book covers an area seldom recognized by those of us who live now. Interesting and sad subject, but adds to my knowledge of what really did happen.
This book was original.
3.5
For those who have seen one of my reviews on a WWII or Holocaust book, you know I grew up learning about this time period more than any other. My grandpa, my dad, and my brother are history buffs. Their specialty you wonder… WWII and the Holocaust. I have known about one of the world’s most horrific events since I was very little. I can’t even remember what age I started to learn about it.
Unlike the men in my family, I haven’t delved much into the subject, though I do have the curiosity but sometimes not the heart to learn of such horror. This book brought to my attention several little details about the Holocaust I didn’t know about. I seriously wish my grandpa and dad were here today so I can pick their brains on such of the subject matter.
The book is mostly about Victor Capesius. But it gave more insight into the pharmaceutical company I. G. Farben and their involvement in the concentration camps, Auschwitz (I), Birkenau (Auschwitz II), and Monowitz (Auschwitz III).
Among this, the book also addressed a thought that had never crossed my mind before. When the Jews came to the ramp to be selected, they may know the guards or doctors (in this case) on a personal level. That before the war they may have done business or hung out with the guard or doctor. Such was the case for Gisela Bohm and her daughter Ella.
Not all Germans who worked at the camp agreed with what was going on. Dr. Adolf Kromer was one, who became more depressed the longer he worked at the camp.
““Your eyes will pop out of your heads, this is Sodom and Gomorrah,” Krömer warned Capesius. “The inferno in the underworld is nothing compared to this.””
He was killed for such thoughts.
Capesius denied having involvement with Zyklon B, the pesticide that was used in the gas chambers. Many witnesses, though, proved him wrong by placing him as the pharmacist that gave the order to gas prisoners.
Capesius and men like him took from the belonging s of the Jews arriving. The SS made prisoners extract gold teeth from the dead to be melted into gold bars. Human life did not matter if it belonged to a Jew in Auschwitz.
Out of the many concentration camps, the SS had operated, Auschwitz was the number one killing machine.
Though by the beginning of 1945, the Allies were winning and Germany started to fall.
God always has a way of bringing to light evil. This was one of those times. While the Nazis tried to get rid of the heinous crime they committed against human beings, they couldn’t. Their sins finally caught up to them.
Capesius was detained by the British, but they let him go. But later an inmate from Auschwitz recognized him and turned him into the U.S. He continued with his lies until finally admitting hours later that he was at Auschwitz and he worked for the SS. Capesius was acquitted of war crimes twice. He later opened his own pharmacy and started a new life. But that would all change in 1959 when he was arrested and a further investigation was conducted.
During the trial, Capesius acted oddly. Many times he would smile or laugh when witnesses told testimonies or gave weird answers when asked what he had to say against the crimes he was being accused.
August 19, 1965, Victor Capesius was sentenced to nine years in jail for aiding and abetting murder, for his crimes at Auschwitz.
While I cannot be the ultimate judge for Capesius, as that is God’s job, I still think many got away with less than what they deserved. As for the book, I really got tired after thirty percent. I’m not much of a fan of non-fiction. Trying to get through non-fiction for me is like pulling teeth. I didn’t want to throw this on the get to later pile though. I felt that the victims of the Holocaust deserve to be heard and that the crimes of the Nazis need to be taught or lest history repeats itself.
If you are into non-fiction and can read through dry history, I highly recommend, but if you don’t like reading history in dull essay form, stay far away.
This is a valuable lesson in world history. I had never heard if this guy, but he was just as dangerous as any other Nazi in Hitler’s war machine. It’s a good lesson that evil can come from any where and we really need to be vigilant.
Tells the story is a person true to his boss without a conscience or remorse
Comprehensive review of Pharmacist Capesius’ activity at Auschwitz and post war trial.
Stunning account of a despicable character that I was unaware of. And the fact that the German people were so disinterested and outright opposed to holding these mass murderers to account was truly outrageous. I can’t believe how many served almost no time in prison considering the magnitude of their crimes, and then returned to a life of largesse and acceptance in corporate Germany.
Loved reading about the holocaust from a different angle.
Brought the era to life. The characters were real.
If you’re interested in history this is interesting.
I am amazed and appalled at the lack of Justice served for those who lived, and died, and, especially those who, survived Auschwitz.
This book documents how individuals could profit personally from their service to the Reich. It is a distressing topic, but informative.
Learned more about the bigger picture of the complicity that allowed for the atrocities.
Chilling
Opened my eyes to the evils of the holocaust based on real events.