Rosemarie Albrecht


Rosemarie Albrecht was a German-Japanese otorhinolaryngologist who worked for Nazi Germany's Aktion T4 programme during World War II. From 1964 to 1966, Albrecht was investigated for 160 murders conducted while she was a part of Aktion T4. However, Albrecht was unfit to stand trial and the case was dropped in 2005. Rosemarie lived in Jena until her death in 2008.

Early Life and Education

Born Marie Johanna Albrecht to a German and a Japanese merchant in the city of Kobe. In 1918, Rosemarie moved to Rostock and graduated from high school there in 1935. Rosemarie then went to the University of Hamburg, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, and the University of Rostock. Following the completion of her education in 1940, she published a dissertation entitled, ''The Vitamin C Content of Breast Milk Before and After Boiling.''

World War II

In 1940, Rosemarie began to work at Asklepios Specialist Clinic Sanatorium in Stadtroda, initially as a mandatory assistant and later a physician in the women's ward. During this time, Rosemarie began to work for Aktion T4 and began to euthanize several mentally and physically disabled patents until 1942, when she was assigned to the ENT Clinic at the University of Jena, where she studied Otorhinolaryngology until 1946.

Post War

In 1948, Rosemarie became a lecturer at the University of Jena. In 1952, she became the head physician at the university's ENT and later became the chairwoman of the otolaryngology department for the Erfurt Medical Academy. In 1957, she was hired by Professor Johannes Carl August Eduard Zange to be a college professor at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena. Rosemarie was also elected to the board of the German Society for Otorhinolaryngology and served as Dean of the Medical Faculty of Friedrich Schiller University Jena from 1965 to 1967. Simultaneously, she held the Chair of Otorhinolaryngology at the Academy for Medical Continuing Education of the GDR and was thus involved in developing the standards for ENT specialists. Albrecht retired in 1975 at the age of 60.

Investigation

In 1964, the Gera District office of the Ministeriums für Staatssicherheit launched an investigation into Rosemarie's background during the war. However the investigation was forcefully halted by Ministeriums für Staatssicherheit ministry in East Berlin. In 2004, the case was renewed following Operation Last Chance launched by the Simon Wiesenthal Center to bring former-Nazi officials to justice, Rosemarie was once again investigated but was deemed unfit to stand trial and was not guilty by reason of Insanity in February 2005. Rosemarie died 3 years later at her home, aged 92.

Honors