Julian Scherner (23 September 1895 – 28 April 1945) was a Nazi Party official and a high-ranking member in the SS of Nazi Germany. During World War II, he served as the SS and Police Leader of Kraków, Germany-occupied Poland.

Early life

Scherner was born on 23 September 1895, in the town of Bagamoyo in German East Africa, where he lived until the age of two. Scherner attended the cadet schools, Kadettenanstalt, Karlsruhe between 1 October 1905 and 1911 and Berlin-Lichterfield between 1911 and 1914. Scherner was enlisted in the infantrie rgt. 114 between 15 March 1912 and 10 August 1914. During this time, Scherner earned the rank of Fähnrich in April 1914 and received officer rank on 5 August 1914. In 1914, he joined the Reichsheer or Imperial army. Scherner served in World War 1 as a Zugführer, Kompanieführer, company commander and platoon leader. Scherner was injured by shell splinters and rifle fire in the ankle and head respectively and was hospitalized between 1914 and 1915. After Scherner was released from the hospital, in 1915, he returned to his military unit but was captured by the French in May 1915. Scherner was awarded the Iron Cross second class and the Wound Badge in black and subsequently discharged from the military on 30 March 1920, with the rank of Oberleutnant.

After retiring from the military in 1920, he joined the Freikorps Oberland. Following the war, Scherner worked as a bank clerk from 1920 until 1924, then as a shop assistant until 1930 and after that as a partner in a merchant’s business until 1934.

Scherner married Rosita S (born 1 May 1899) on 1 May 1924. Scherner and his wife had two children. In 1923, Scherner took part in the Hitler-Ludendorff Putsch and was ultimately injured and arrested following the failure and ensuing chaos.

Destruction of the Krakow ghetto

Scherner along with Richard Wendler, were supportive of the murder and deporting of Jews as the "solution to the Jewish question". On 28–29 May 1942, Scherner began deportations from Krakow. Police battalions, commanded by Scherner, encircled the ghetto and announced all Jews were to required to register and would be killed if they did not comply. After the initial deportation, in May 1942, Scherner began an extensive murder campaign against the Jews within his jurisdiction. The murder operation moved through Tarnow, Rzeszow, Debica, Przemysl, Jaroslaw, Jaslo, Krosno, Nowy Sacz, Nowy Targ, Sanok and Miechow. Tarnow became the location for numerous mass shootings, the victims of which number approximately 10,000. In June 1942, 6,000 Jews from the Tarnow ghetto including men, women, children and hundreds of orphan children were murdered.

Although, the exact date is unclear, the official agreement to build the Płaszów concentration camp was likely in the autumn of 1942. Scherner gave orders regarding the construction of Płaszów, appointed the camp officers, was responsible for important camp matters and personally visited the camp. In November 1942, Scherner ordered all employed Jews to be congregated into forced labor camps. In 1943, Scherner gave orders to further isolate the working Jews. This was done as a preventative measure after Jewish rebellions.

Probation and Fate

Scherner was responsible for the deportations to the Bełżec extermination camp, the mass shootings in Tarnów and all 'evacuations' that took place during his time there – including Aktion Krakau. He liquidated Kraków Ghetto by deporting its inhabitants to Auschwitz.

His position afforded him a great deal of authority in many areas, as the title of SS and Police Leader was conferred to high-ranking Nazi Party members, reporting directly to Himmler's deputy. Like Amon Göth, Scherner was far too interested in the confiscated goods from the Płaszów camp. Scherner was transferred to Dachau in April 1944 and appeared before an SS Court (the dreaded Hauptamt SS-Gericht) on 16 October 1944. As a result, Scherner was demoted from SS-Oberführer der Reserve (Senior Colonel or Brigadier) in the Waffen-SS (1937–1944) to SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve (Captain) and transferred to the SS-Sonderregiment Dirlewanger under SS-Oberführer Dr. Oskar Dirlewanger as an adjutant (IIa). He later served as the adjutant for the SS-Sturmbrigade Dirlewanger.

He was found dead shortly before the war ended in a wooded area near Heidesee between Märkisch Buchholz and Halbe.<!----

Scherner was portrayed by Polish actor and director Andrzej Seweryn in Steven Spielberg epic historical drama and blockbuster movie, Schindler's List in 1993. Seweryn was chosen for the role due to his striking resemblance to the real Julian Scherner.

Decorations

  • Iron Cross (1914), 2nd class
  • SS Honour Ring ("Totenkopfring")
  • War Merit Cross, 1st and 2nd class with Swords
  • Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
  • Wound Badge in Black (1918)
  • Coburg Badge
  • Blood Order
  • Sword of honour of the Reichsführer-SS

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References

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