Postenpflicht

The Postenpflicht ("Duty of Guards") was part of a written order for SS guards in Nazi concentration camps regarding the use of firearms. It required SS guards to shoot prisoners who tried to escape or engage in resistance and to do so without verbal warning or a warning shot. This was relevant for example regarding the so-called "death strip" next to camp fences. The area next to these fences was off-limits and anyone getting too close to it was, in accordance with the Postenpflicht, killed without warning. The order stated that failure to shoot would result in the dismissal or arrest of the guard. Issued on October 1, 1933 as an order for Dachau, the order was later extended to other camps.

Dachau concentration camp opened on March 22, 1933. Though initially using local Munich policemen as guards, within weeks, they were replaced by the SS and on April 13, 1933, Hilmar Wäckerle, an SS-Standartenführer, became the first commandant. He was instructed by Heinrich Himmler, Munich chief of police and Obergruppenführer of the SS, to draw up a set of regulations for discipline in the camp. The rules were extremely harsh and several prisoners died as a direct result of their punishment.

The Munich prosecutor's office, not yet fully in line with National Socialist policy, in May 1933, began investigating the murder of several prisoners at Dachau concentration camp, prompted by the formal complaint of Sophie Handschuh, who wanted to know the true cause of her son's death at Dachau. Rumors were already widespread about harsh treatment of those under detention and Himmler was forced to refute those claims, even while announcing the opening of Dachau. Charges of murder were filed against Wäckerle and Himmler was forced to remove Wäckerle. The murder charges were later dropped after the chief prosecutor and his assistant were each transferred to other offices. Himmler continued his efforts to establish summary execution, then in practice only at Dachau, as a legitimate form of punishment.

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