The Nazi Psycho Doctor - Josef Mengele - Summary

Summary

Here is a concise summary of Josef Mengele, the "Nazi Psycho Doctor":

**Early Life:**

* Born March 16, 1911, in Günzburg, Bavaria, Germany
* Studied philosophy and medicine; earned PhD in physical anthropology

**Nazi Career:**

* Joined Nazi party and SS; worked as medical expert at Auschwitz
* Conducted inhumane experiments, including:
+ Eye color modification on children
+ Twin studies to "refine the master race"
+ Freezing prisoners to test human endurance
+ Surgical experiments without anesthesia (e.g., limb removal, sex changes)
* Selected prisoners for gas chambers, earning him the nickname "Angel of Death"

**Post-War:**

* Fled to Argentina, then Brazil, assuming aliases
* Worked as a carpenter and illegally as a doctor (performing abortions)
* Remained unrepentant and racist until his death in 1976 (stroke) in Brazil

**Legacy:**

* Infamous for his brutal experiments, leaving a dark legacy
* His son, Ralf, condemned his actions, but maintained a relationship with him until his death.

Facts

Here are the extracted key facts, numbered and in short sentences, without opinions:

**Early Life & Education**

1. Josef Mengele was born on March 16, 1911, in Günzburg, Bavaria, Germany.
2. His father's company was called "Firma Karl Mengele & Söhne".
3. Mengele had two younger brothers, Karl and Alois.
4. Mengele studied philosophy at the University of Munich.
5. He also earned a degree in medicine at Goethe University in Frankfurt.
6. Mengele finished his PhD in physical anthropology five years after his medical degree.

**Career & Nazi Involvement**

7. In 1937, Mengele studied under Germany's leading expert on twins.
8. He joined the Nazi party and the SS in 1937.
9. Mengele was drafted into the army and worked as a medical expert.
10. He received the Iron Cross First Class for rescuing two German soldiers from a burning tank.
11. In 1943, Mengele was sent to work at Auschwitz.

**Auschwitz Experiments & Responsibilities**

12. Part of Mengele's job was to decide who was fit to work or be executed in the gas chamber.
13. He was responsible for testing the cyanide-based pesticide Zyklon B.
14. Mengele experimented on twins, dwarfs, and pregnant women.
15. He conducted experiments to find a cure for the bacterial disease Noma.

**Specific Experiments**

16. Mengele injected dye into children's eyes to change their eye color.
17. He froze prisoners to study the effects of extreme cold on the human body.
18. Mengele attempted to sew twins together to create conjoined twins.

**Post-War Life & Death**

19. After the war, Mengele went into hiding, working as a farmhand.
20. He escaped to Argentina under an alias, where he worked as a carpenter.
21. Mengele also worked illegally as a doctor, performing abortions.
22. He died in a swimming pool in Brazil in 1976 from a stroke.