August Eigruber
A fanatical Nazi administrator who ruled Upper Austria with an iron fist and was executed for his direct role in the atrocities at Mauthausen.
1907–1947 (age 40)·Austrian-born Nazi politician and war criminal·Birthday: April 16·The Greatest Generation
Biography
August Eigruber was a provincial Nazi functionary whose brutal efficiency in carrying out the regime's will led him to the gallows. An early joiner of the Austrian Nazi party, his loyalty was rewarded after the Anschluss with an appointment as Gauleiter of Upper Austria. From this position, he exercised total control, zealously enforcing Nazi policies of persecution, forced labor, and Aryanization. His most damning legacy is his intimate connection to the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp complex, which was located within his Gau. He wasn't a distant bureaucrat; he frequently visited the camp, encouraged its harsh conditions, and personally ordered executions. Captured after the war, he stood trial in the Dachau proceedings specifically for crimes at Mauthausen. Evidence showed his direct responsibility for the camp's operation, leading to his conviction and execution.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
August was born in 1907, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When August Was Born
The biggest hits of 1907
August's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1907Born
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Started school
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1920Became a teenager
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1923Could drive
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1925Could vote
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1928Turned 21
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1937Turned 30
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1947Turned 40
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
Key Achievements
- Served as the Nazi Gauleiter and Reich Governor (Reichsstatthalter) of Reichsgau Oberdonau (Upper Austria) from 1938 to 1945.
- Was the Landeshauptmann (Governor) of Upper Austria during the same period, consolidating party and state power.
- Played a key administrative role in the Nazi annexation and integration of Austria into the German Reich.
- Was directly responsible for the oversight and brutal operation of the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp system.
Did You Know?
He was captured by American troops in 1945 while attempting to hide on a farm.
His trial was part of the Mauthausen-Gusen camp trials held at Dachau.
He was one of the highest-ranking Austrian Nazis to be executed for war crimes.
Before his Nazi career, he worked as a commercial clerk.
“The orders from Berlin were to be carried out without question.”
