Claus Schilling

Friedrich Hoffmann priest

Claus Schilling (5 July 1871 – 28 May 1946) was a German tropical medicine specialist who is infamously known for his role in conducting malaria experiments on inmates at the Dachau concentration camp during World War II. Schilling was one of the many physicians who participated in the Nazi human experimentation programs, a series of medical experiments on large numbers of prisoners, including children, by the German Nazi regime in its concentration camps.

Early Life and Education

Claus Schilling was born in Munich, Germany. He pursued his education in medicine and became a distinguished researcher in the field of tropical diseases. Schilling specialized in the study of malaria and spent several years conducting research in this area, which was of significant interest during that time due to the impact of malaria on soldiers in various parts of the world.

Career

Before his involvement with the Nazi regime, Schilling was recognized for his contributions to tropical medicine. He worked in several countries, including Italy and the German colonies in Africa, where he conducted research on malaria and other tropical diseases. His work was initially aimed at finding treatments and preventive measures against these diseases.

Involvement in Nazi Human Experimentation

During World War II, Schilling became involved in the Nazi human experimentation program. He was stationed at the Dachau concentration camp, where he conducted experiments on more than 1,000 inmates between 1942 and 1945. Schilling's experiments focused on developing a vaccine for malaria. Inmates were infected with malaria parasites either by injections or by being forced to be bitten by infected mosquitoes. The subjects were then given various treatments to test their efficacy. These experiments resulted in hundreds of deaths and left many survivors with severe health complications.

Trial and Execution

After the war, Claus Schilling was arrested and tried during the Dachau Trials, a series of military tribunals conducted by the United States Army to prosecute former officials of the Nazi regime for war crimes. Schilling was charged with crimes against humanity for his role in conducting inhumane medical experiments. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. Schilling was executed by hanging on 28 May 1946.

Legacy

The actions of Claus Schilling and other physicians involved in Nazi human experimentation have left a dark legacy in the field of medical ethics and research. The Nuremberg Code, a set of research ethics principles for human experimentation, was established in response to the atrocities committed during the Holocaust, including the experiments conducted by Schilling and others.