These days she’s probably The Hostess in Hell.
March 1945. The victims had nearly survived the war. 180 human beings, shot for amusement.
That was an oddly fascinating article. I cannot imagine discovering something so horrible in my family’s history. Devastating.
I’ll bet the man’s book is a good read. I’m glad he plowed ahead and wrote it, given the threats he faced. Brave man.
Another article from 2007 about the woman:
The killer countess: The dark past of Baron Heinrich Thyssen’s daughter
She was born into one of Europe’s most powerful dynasties. And involved in a wartime atrocity so shocking that it remains shrouded in secrecy to this day. David Litchfield investigates the dark past of Baron Heinrich Thyssen’s daughter Margit
Compartmentalizations and willful ignorance... The keys to Europe”s edistence
Truly shocking. I have the impression that most of those people faced no consequences, in this world, and went on without remorse.
Six hundred Jews, assigned to strengthen the Rechnitz defences, were housed in the cellars of the castle, living in appalling conditions. Many were arbitrarily beaten and shot, particularly by Podezin, while local people reported the countess derived obvious sadistic pleasure from observing these barbaric acts: "She always stood right at the front when anything like that was going on," said one witness.
I really can’t believe that. Wow. What a way for that guy to find out, too.
One of his ancestors was a psychopath. Not much he can do about that.
She sounds familiar but then “what difference at this point does it make?”
By March of 1945 every adult in Europe with two brain
cells to rub together knew how the war was going to end.
It is clear to me that all who participated in the murder
of these 180 Jews had to have had a history of murderous
behavior that was well known. Joining in on a murder spree
for the first time when your side is losing badly makes
no sense.
Europeans are sick.
Our ancestors came here for a reason.
Oh, and John Fn Kerry is related to that family.
Ivan and Margit had no burial in the family crypt at their Franciscan chapel.Ladislaus Batthyany was in the process of being beatified—2003.The third stage of the sainthood process started in 1944.
Bump
And Trump supporters are condemned for rejecting elites as their leaders.
Have the bodies been exhumed?
bttt
This is one case where I wished the Russians would have captured her.
The Purge comes to mind.