After World War II ended, the Allies tried to re-establish order and “re-democratize” Austrian and German society. Part of this process of “denazification” was to bring charges against Nazi policymakers and war criminals. All of these plans were only partially implemented.
Between 1945 and 1993, more than 500 individuals were brought to court due to their involvement in the Mauthausen complex. Most of them as part of the Dachauer Mauthausen trials (1946/47) held by the US Army.
The perpetrators of Mauthausen were well-integrated in Austrian and German society during their active time in the concentration camps, as well as after the war. Even if convicted after the war, the majority of guards had no long-lasting setbacks in terms of economic situation or social status. This stands in contrast to the experience of many surviving victims of the camps of Mauthausen.
Until the 1990s, perpetrator research was scarce in Austria.