‘Work will set you free’: US Army commander suspended for using Auschwitz slogan to boost recruiting

Published August 23, 2019 12:05am ET



A US Army commander has been suspended after he reportedly sent a memo to Army recruiters that included the Nazi motto of the notorious Auschwitz death camp.

Around 1.3 million people died at Auschwitz, a Nazi concentration camp that operated between 1940 and 1945. Prisoners at the camp had to walk under an iron gate with a sign that read “Arbeit macht frei,” which in German means, “Work sets you free.” An Army commander in Houston used the slogan – including the original German – on a memo encouraging recruiters to secure more enlistment contracts, according to Newsweek.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.