Born 1926 Silesia, Germany (now part of Poland).

My parents became Nazi Party members in the late 1920s.
Germany had 7 million unemployed - they thought Hitler would bring back the “good old days.”

As a 5 year old, I was dressed up in a Nazi uniform by my family.

My mother had already decided my destiny: to become an SS officer.

I grew up in a dictatorship; you live under these rules or die.

My Jewish teacher was arrested; my Communist friends went into hiding.
My future father-in-law was arrested by the Gestapo.
My friend Franzel was punished unfairly for something we both did.

I decided to never rely on anyone else, to give orders, not obey them; I decided to volunteer for things I wanted to do.

At 16 years old I volunteered for the Waffen-SS - I was on my way to fulfilling my mother’s dream.