Klaus Barbie

Nikolaus Barbie, better known as Klaus Barbie (25 October 1913 – 25 September 1991), was an important German officer in Nazi Germany's SS (paramilitary) and Gestapo (secret police).

Klaus Barbie
Born	(1913-10-25)October 25, 1913 Bad Godesberg, Prussia, German Empire
Died	September 25, 1991(1991-09-25) (aged 77) Lyon, France
Cause of death	Leukemia
Nationality	German
Other names	Butcher of Lyon
Occupation(s)	German SS-Gestapo Officer and mercenary
Political party	NSDAP
Criminal charges	Crimes against humanity
Criminal penalty	Death in 1954 (while not present) Life Imprisonment (1987-1991)
Criminal status	Dead
Family	Barbie Family

Barbie was convicted of committing war crimes in Vichy France during World War II. His crimes earned him the nickname "the "Butcher of Lyon".

After the war, he spent four years working as a spy for the U.S. Army. He moved to Bolivia and spent over three decades there before he was extradited to France and convicted of crimes against humanity.

During his Nazi career, Barbie was a Gestapo officer from 1935-1945 and reached the rank of German SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain).

Timeline

In Nazi Germany

• 1935: Barbie joins the Nazis in 1935 as an SS soldier
• 1937: He is promoted to Untersturmfuhrer/Obersturmfuhrer (Lieutenant)
• 1940: He becomes a Junior SS Officer with the rank of Haupsturmfuhrer (Captain)
• 1942: He is promoted to be Junior Head of the Gestapo in Lyon, Vichy France
• 1944: He flees back to Germany

Post-World War II

• 1947-1951: Barbie works for the U.S. Army as an intelligence spy
• 1951: He moves to Bolivia
• 1966-1971/1983: He works as a military advisor to Bolivia
• 1983: He is extradited to France to stand trial in Europe

Imprisonment and death

• 1984-1987: He is tried in France for crimes against humanity
• 1987: He is convicted and sentenced to life in prison
• 1991: Still in prison, he dies from leukemia

Related pages

• Vichy France
• Nazi Germany
• World War II
• War crimes
• Crimes against humanity