Bernhard Wehner

Bernhard Wehner (15 December 1909 – 31 December 1995) was a German criminal inspector, Schutzstaffel (SS) officer, and journalist. During the postwar period, he was a criminologist and writer for the news magazine Der Spiegel.^{[citation needed]}

Professional background

After graduating with a law degree, he joined the Nazi Party in 1931, followed by joining the SS. In 1942, he was promoted to the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer (captain). Wehner worked under Arthur Nebe, chief of the Kripo, which after 27 September 1939 was Department V of the RSHA. Department V was also known as the Reichskriminalpolizeiamt (Reich Criminal Police Department or RKPA). From June to November 1941, Nebe was also chief of SS Einsatzgruppe B which accounted for the murder of thousands of Jews.^{[citation needed]}

In 1942, Wehner led sub-department BI a2 within RSHA Department V (RKPA), to combat capital crimes. That same year, he published a book as to the alleged "criminal investigation results" of thousands of "Polish atrocities" against "ethnic Germans"; stating that Poland was responsible for the September 1939 German invasion and occupation of the country. He also took part in the investigation of the death of Reinhard Heydrich.

After the war ended, Wehner was a criminologist and writer for Der Spiegel news magazine. He tried to diminish the crimes of the criminal police and its relationship with the Sicherheitsdienst (SD) and Gestapo during the Nazi era. In 1954, Wehner became head of the criminal police department in Düsseldorf and remained there until 1970. He also served as editor of the journal on Criminology.^{[citation needed]}