tute for Hereditary, Biology and Racial Purity at the University of Frankfort. He was assigned to work for Professor Otmar Freiherr von Verschuer, one of the brightest minds in the field of genetics. Mengele quickly tried acquiring for von Verschuer's praise and approval, which he quickly obtained. von Verschuer gave Mengele the parental figure that he never had before and Mengele in return would do anything to please his mentor von Verschuer. Mengele's dreams have almost come true he was becoming a renowned scientist and had found unity within the Nazi movement. He became an official Party member in 1937. In May of 1938 he applied for membership and was accepted into the SS Hilter's elite force. By the age of 28, Mengele moved up as a nazi and acquired great power and influence. This same year, Frankfort University awarded Mengele his medical degree. It was also in 1938 that he received his first experience in military training, spending three months training for combat with the German Army. For the rest of 1938 until 1940 Mengele remained with the Institute, assisting von Verschuer and reviewing the work of other researchers. In 1939 war broke out, and Mengele was excited to fight for Father Germany. He was not disappointed; although he had to wait until June of 1940 due to his kidney problem, he was accepted to the Waffen SS, elite soldiers within the SS itself. Mengele continued to make a name for himself, this time as a soldier. As a lieutenant, he was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class in June of 1941 on the Ukrainian Front. In January of 1942, while serving with the SS Viking Division deep behind Soviet lines, he pulled two German soldiers from a burning tank, and was awarded the Iron Cross First Class, as well as the Black Badge for the Wounded and the Medal for the Care of the German People. Mengele during this second campaign received some wounds that prevented his return to combat. Instead, he was assigned to the Race and ...
