In a groundbreaking revelation, a German historian has harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to identify a notorious Nazi executioner captured in a haunting World War II photograph—decades after the image was taken. This remarkable discovery serves as a poignant reminder of history’s dark chapters, shedding light on the individuals behind the atrocities.
Jürgen Matthäus, the historian behind this investigation, shared with the Guardian that the AI’s findings yielded an unusually high match rate, suggesting a strong likelihood of accuracy. The chilling photograph, taken in present-day Ukraine, depicts a bespectacled Nazi soldier aiming a pistol at a kneeling man before a mass grave, with other SS troops observing the grim scene.
Known as the “Last Jew of Vinnitsa,” this image remained enigmatic for over 80 years until Matthäus pieced together the puzzle using AI technology, historical documentation, and eyewitness accounts. His study, published in the Journal of Historical Studies, reveals that the massacre occurred on July 28, 1941, in Berdychiv, rather than Vinnitsa, as previously believed. The Einsatzgruppe C regiment was tasked with the extermination of “Jews and partisans” in the newly occupied Soviet territories, coinciding with a visit from Adolf Hitler.
The executioner has been identified as Jakobus Onnen, a former French, English, and gym teacher born in 1906 in Tichelwarf, Germany. Onnen joined the Nazi party in 1931 and was known for his fervent dedication to its ideology. His path to radicalization remains unclear, but his actions during the war were well-documented.
Just before the conflict began in August 1939, he enlisted in the SS Death’s Head Unit at Dachau concentration camp and later served in occupied Poland.
Matthäus’s breakthrough came after a stroke of luck when a reader reached out with crucial information following the circulation of the massacre’s details in German media last year. This individual noted a striking resemblance between Onnen and the shooter in the photo, providing biographical insights that proved invaluable. The images were then analyzed by volunteers from the open-source journalism group Bellingcat, who employed forensic techniques alongside AI.
While AI played a significant role in this historical identification, Matthäus emphasized that it is merely one of many tools in the quest for truth, highlighting the importance of human expertise in such investigations. He pointed out that the image of Onnen aiming his weapon should hold as much significance as the iconic gates of Auschwitz, illustrating the direct confrontation between perpetrator and victim.
Despite his commitment to the Nazi cause, Onnen never rose above a low rank and met his end in 1943 while fighting partisans in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine. Tragically, the identity of his kneeling victim remains unknown, but Matthäus is determined to uncover that mystery as part of his next project, potentially utilizing Soviet-era records and AI once again.
As history continues to unfold through modern technology, what other secrets might be revealed from the shadows of the past?
