Breda Four

The Breda Four (Dutch: Vier van Breda), later known as Breda Three (Dutch: Drie van Breda) and subsequently Breda Two (Dutch: Twee van Breda), were the last four imprisoned German war criminals in the Netherlands following the Second World War. The group consisted of Willy Lages, Joseph Kotalla, Ferdinand aus der Fünten, and Franz Fischer. From 1952, they were incarcerated in the Koepelgevangenis in Breda, which inspired their collective name.

Lages, Aus der Fünten and Fischer were involved in the deportations of Jews, while had been deputy head of Kamp Amersfoort. The Breda Four were initially sentenced to death, but in 1951–1952 were among those whose sentences were commuted to life imprisonment. However, they were the only four German prisoners who were not released before 1961.

In the following decades, Ministers of Justice were confronted with clemency requests and considered releasing them. The West German government also worked towards their release. The requests for release coincided with increasing awareness of World War II and the psychological impact on victims. The proposals were therefore opposed by a large part of society and parliament, causing the ministers to refrain from release.

Lages was released on sick leave in 1966 and died five years later in Germany. Kotalla had died in prison in 1979. The remaining two were given clemency on 27 January 1989 and died the same year.