Wilhelm Kriz

Wilhelm Kriz was born on August 9, 1924, in Postelberg (Postoloprty, Czech Republic). After attending school and business college, he began working at the Credit Institute operated by the German occupiers in Brüx (Most, Czech Republic) in May 1940.

According to court records, Wilhelm Kriz voluntarily enlisted in the Wehrmacht on January 10, 1942, and was assigned to a tank replacement unit in Erfurt. In May 1942, he was transferred to the Eastern Front. In Rschew (Rzhev, Russia), Wilhelm Kriz could pursue his long-standing interest in radio technology and was trained as a radio mechanic.

By the end of 1942, Wilhelm Kriz had attained the rank of Obersoldat (senior private). He spent two leaves of absence, in March and May 1943, in Brüx with his mother, who was suffering from s tomach ulcers. He was said to have been very devoted to her.

After spending several months in France, Wilhelm Kriz was stationed at the Grafenwöhr military training grounds (near Nuremberg) in April 1943. There, on July 20 and 21, he reportedly tapped into a Frankfurt news broadcast using a radio receiver and a microphone. During pauses in the announcer's speech, Wilhelm Kriz is said to have spoken into the microphone, making statements such as "Workers of the world, unite!", "Germans, hold on, we will free you again!", and "The truth is the strongest weapon in the fight against Hitler!".

His comrades heard these statements, and Wilhelm Kriz was arrested on July 22, 1943.

On December 7, 1943, the Reichskriegsgericht (Reich Court Martial) sentenced Wilhelm Kriz to death for subversion of military power (Wehrkraftzersetzung), preparing an act of high treason, and unauthorized broadcasting. The sentence was carried out on June 19, 1944, at Halle prison, where the executioner also executed 22 other men and two women.

On that same day, a special experimental series was conducted at the execution site. Back in March 1944, Professor Gotthilft von Studnitz (1908–1994), director of the Zoological Institute at the University of Halle, had written to the Halle execution authority. On behalf of the Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine (Navy High Command), his institute was conducting research into medications aimed at improving night vision in the human eye.

Previous experiments using the eyes of executed individuals had not provided ideal conditions. In his letter, von Studnitz requested permission to blindfold the prisoners shortly before execution. Some were to ingest a special liquid beforehand. A large number of test subjects were needed to ensure more reliable results.

The authorities granted all of von Studnitz’s requests. On June 19, 1944, the condemned at Halle prison became part of this "mass experiment." Two of them were given a thick emulsion to drink about six hours before their execution; they were told it was a calming potion. Nineteen others had their eyes blindfolded by prison staff. After execution, the victims’ eyes were removed, and in some cases, their internal organs as well. The bodies were transported to the c rematorium, cremated, and buried at Halle’s Gertrauden Cemetery. Bodies not involved in the experiment were handed over to the university’s Anatomical Institute.

From von Studnitz’s perspective, the experiments were a success, and he expressed his sincere thanks for having been granted permission.

Among the 21 individuals used in the Zoological Institute’s experiments in June 1944 was Wilhelm Kriz.