AI IDENTIFIED HIM: The Nazi Killer in "The Last Jew in Vinnitsa" Photo

Video Description

This video delves into the true story behind one of the Holocaust's best known photographs—a chilling image once captioned "The Last Jew in Vinnitsa." For decades, the context of this photo, showing a man executed at the edge of a mass grave, was obscured. New, groundbreaking research has not only corrected the location of the murder to Berdichiv but has also definitively identified the perpetrator standing over his victim. We explore the life and radicalization of SS-Unterscharführer Jakobus Onnen, a former modern languages teacher from Tichelwarf, Germany, who was identified with 99.9% confidence using AI-assisted technology by historian Dr. Jürgen Matthäus. Discover how Onnen, an educated man who studied at the University of Göttingen and taught at the prestigious German Colonial School in Witzenhausen, became a member of the Einsatzgruppe C death squad led by the highly educated Dr. Otto Rasch. The video traces Onnen's political journey from joining the NSDAP and SS to his deployment in occupied Poland and the Soviet Union, where his unit participated in massacres, including the murder of 33,741 people at Babi Yar. We examine the horrific events of July 28, 1941, in Berdichiv, where this photograph was taken during a massacre that claimed the lives of 70 Jews and one non-Jew. Finally, we look at how the revelation of Onnen's identity is being handled in his hometown of Weener, where local officials, including Mayor Heiko Abbas, are actively working to address his name's presence on a local war memorial, stressing that the town must acknowledge its role as a "city of perpetrators." Join us for this deep dive into original research, sourced from historical documents and academic publications, to uncover the forgotten details of a pivotal historical photograph and bring clarity to the identity of a killer. Key Topics Covered: Iconic Holocaust Photograph: The history and significance of the image once known as "The Last Jew in Vinnitsa." Identification of the Killer: New research by Dr. Jürgen Matthäus naming Jakobus Onnen. The Perpetrator's Background: Onnen's life as a teacher, his education at the University of Göttingen, and involvement with the German Colonial School in Witzenhausen. Nazi Career: Onnen's rapid ascent through the NSDAP and SS, including his time with the Waffen-SS and Ordnungspolizei. Einsatzgruppe C: The unit led by Dr. Otto Rasch and its role in mass murder on the Eastern Front, including the Babi Yar massacre. Berdichiv Massacre: Correcting the location of the murder and the specific massacre where the photograph was taken. Local Commemoration: The community discussion in Weener regarding the memorialization of Jakobus Onnen. Sources & Further Reading: Jürgen Matthäus, Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaft (September 2025 issue) Sylvia Kesper-Biermann, Transnational Education in Historical Perspective: The Deutsche Kolonialschule (1898-1944) Article by Holger Szysko. Alleged SS war criminal from Weener: What's next for the memorial? https://www.noz.de/lokales/ostfriesland/artikel/ss-kriegsverbrecher-aus-weener-so-steht-es-um-das-ehrenmal-49363369 I upload daily shorts and long-form documentary videos like this every Tuesday and Friday at 20:00 CET. Join the premiere to chat with me and other users in real-time. My videos feature original, researched history from the actual historical locations. Consider becoming a Channel Member for access to over 800 exclusive videos: Holocaust, Einsatzgruppen, World War 2, WWII, Nazi Germany, Jakobus Onnen, The Last Jew in Vinnitsa, Berdichiv Massacre, Vinnitsa, Babi Yar, Otto Rasch, Nazi Killer Identified, Historical Photography, German Colonial School, Weener, War Crimes, History Documentary, Jewish History, Eastern Front, SS-Unterscharführer, Jürgen Matthäus, Adolf Eichmann Trial #Holocaust #Einsatzgruppen #JakobusOnnen #Berdichiv #TheLastJewInVinnitsa