Victims of the National Socialist judiciary at Münchner Platz
By 8 February 1945, the last execution day before the air raids of 13-14 February partially destroyed the building complex, over 1300 people had died under the guillotine. Beginning in 1942, the number of executions at Münchner Platz soared as the war and occupation brought on a draconian expansion of offences punishable by death.
Among the victims of judicial proceedings before the 'People's Court' and the state supreme courts included were people involved in active and organised resistance to National Socialism. These included members of Czech and and Polish resistance groups convicted of 'territorial high treason'. Victims also included members of the German labour movement or politically motivated individuals charged with 'high treason against the constitution' or 'subversion of national defence'. One of the most important resistance groups in Saxony was the National Committee Free Germany in Leipzig, whose leading members were sentenced and executed at Münchner Platz. Among them was Georg Schumann (1886-1945), a former Communist member of the Reichstag.
Those who died at Münchner Platz also included people who rejected or sought to evade the thinking and behaviour dictated by the regime by committing acts such as 'desertion' or listening to 'enemy broadcasts'. 'Habitual criminals', murderers and sex offenders were also executed at Münchner Platz. About two thirds of those executed were from the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.
Anna Struncová (1895-1944) was among them. She had sheltered four escaped Soviet prisoners of war, for which she was sentenced to death by the 'People's Court' and executed at Münchner Platz on 17 November 1944.