According to research published in autumn 2025 by historian Jürgen Matthäus, facial recognition technology and family archives have identified Jakobus Onnen as the SS perpetrator in an iconic Holocaust photograph long misidentified as the “Last Jew in Vinnitsa.” The image, which documents a mass execution in the Ukrainian fortress city of Berdyčiv in July 1941, was matched using 99 percent accuracy through comparison with family photographs provided by relatives after a retired German teacher contacted researchers.
The Origins and Discovery of the Berdyčiv Photograph
According to historical records, the photograph was acquired in 1945 in Munich by Holocaust survivor Al (Ed) Moss from an American soldier who found it in a captured German album. The snapshot was originally pasted inside the personal diary of Walter Materna, an Austrian captain in a Wehrmacht engineering unit. A handwritten note on the reverse of the image states, “End of July 1941. Execution of Jews by SS members in the Berdyčiv fortress,” according to documentation cited in the research. These architectural elements and surrounding soldiers visible in the frame allowed an investigative team to pinpoint the location to the citadel in Berdyčiv, Ukraine.
Materna’s diary notes that approximately seventy Jews were shot inside the fortress on July 28, 1941. This event formed part of a larger sequence of mass killings in the area. According to the documented records, German forces murdered roughly 180 and 300 additional people there during the preceding two days. Before the German invasion, Berdyčiv’s Jewish community numbered about 20,000 residents, but only fifteen survived by the time the Red Army liberated the city in early 1944, as detailed by historical archives.
Identifying the Perpetrator Jakobus Onnen
Historians identified the gunman standing over the kneeling victim as Jakobus Onnen, born in 1906 in Tichelwarf, East Friesland, to a head teacher. According to biographical findings, Onnen studied languages and physical education at the University of Göttingen, where he adopted National Socialist ideology. He joined the NSDAP in 1931 and the SS in 1933, later serving as an instructor for concentration camp guard units in Dachau and teaching at a colonial school in Witzenhausen. His identity was confirmed after a retired German teacher contacted Jürgen Matthäus upon seeing early research findings, recognizing the man as his wife’s uncle. Bellingcat experts then utilized facial recognition software to compare family photographs with the wartime image, yielding a match exceeding 99 percent. Onnen never faced justice, having died in combat in August 1943 near Korosten, Ukraine, while he was subsequently honored as a fallen war hero on a memorial in Germany.
Correcting the Historical Record on the “Last Jew in Vinnitsa”
For decades, the image was widely circulated under the title “Der letzte Jude von Winniza” (The Last Jew from Vinnitsa), reflecting the assumption that it depicted autumn 1941 massacres in Vinnytsia where nearly the entire Jewish population was killed. According to historians, soldiers trading and labeling photographs often confused dates and locations. The photographer stood only steps away from the executioner. While SS command officially banned photographing executions, frontline troops routinely flouted the order, treating atrocities as personal mementos or demonstrations of power, as noted by Jürgen Matthäus. The image eventually served as evidence during the trial of Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem, where it was broadcast globally as a visual representation of Nazi crimes during the Holocaust.
Did you know? Historians Jürgen Matthäus and Andriy Mahalecký are currently examining surviving Berdyčiv population registries and 1941 archival documents to identify the unnamed kneeling man captured seconds before his death.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was the iconic Holocaust photograph actually taken?
According to investigative findings, the photograph was taken in late July 1941 at the fortress in Berdyčiv, Ukraine, rather than Vinnytsia.
How was the gunman identified?
Researchers identified Jakobus Onnen through a tip from a retired German teacher, followed by facial recognition analysis conducted by Bellingcat experts using family photographs that matched the wartime image with over 99 percent accuracy.
What happened to Jakobus Onnen?
Onnen was never tried for war crimes; he was killed in action in August 1943 near Korosten, Ukraine, and was subsequently listed as a fallen soldier on a memorial in Germany.
Is the identity of the victim known?
No. Historians Jürgen Matthäus and Andriy Mahalecký are actively reviewing surviving Berdyčiv population lists from the summer of 1941 to discover the man’s name.