His first assignment was at Sachsenburg, his next was Buchenwald, where he participated in the shooting of 21 Jewish inmates on November 9, 1939, following the failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler in Munich.
When the camp was dissolved on August 10, 1933, the remaining prisoners were transferred to larger early concentration camps at Hohnstein Castle and Sachsenburg.
After Hainichen's closure, the detainees were dispatched to early concentration camps at Colditz Castle and Sachsenburg.
Founded in 1832 by John A. Roebling, who is known for the design of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, and for innovation in producing wire rope, the community was initially called "Germania", which was soon changed to "Sachsenburg" and eventually anglicized to Saxonburg.