Klaus Barbie pre-trial records, 1943-1985

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Summary

Creators:
Barbie, Klaus, 1913-1991 and France. Tribunal de grande instance de Lyon
Abstract:
Trial instruction, including depositions and exhibits, in the case of Klaus Barbie before the Tribunal de grande instance de Lyon, relating to German war crimes in France during World War II. Photocopy.
Extent:
8 manuscript boxes (3.2 Linear Feet)
Language:
In French and German
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Klaus Barbie pre-trial records, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

The trial records for the head of the Gestapo in Lyon include trial instruction, depositions, and exhibits in the case of Klaus Barbie before the Tribunal de grande instance in Lyon, relating to German war crimes in France during World War II. Photocopy.

Biographical / historical:

Born to a Roman Catholic family in Bad Godesberg, Germany, Klaus Barbie joined the SS (Schutzstaffel) in September 1935. By 1940, he was posted to Holland, where his main task was to arrest Jews and German émigrés. In 1942, Barbie arrived in recently captured Lyon as head of the Gestapo, commanding a force of 25 officers. There, Barbie prevented sabotage and persecuted Jews, for which he was presented the military award "First Class Iron Cross with Swords" by Adolf Hitler. After the war, Barbie escaped prosecution in France and relocated to Bolivia in 1950. He lived in Bolivia as a businessman until 1983, when the Bolivian government extradited Barbie to France to stand trial for war crimes. In 1987 Klaus Barbie was sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity. Nine jurors and three judges found Barbie, known as the "Butcher of Lyon" guilty of the 341 separate charges that were brought against him at the court in Lyon. He died of cancer in 1991 while in prison.

Acquisition information:
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 1995.
Physical location:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Terms of access:

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Klaus Barbie pre-trial records, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of this collection:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US
Contact:
(650) 723-3563
hooverarchives@stanford.edu
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