The photograph comes from the Höcker Album, an album of 116 photographs taken during the last six months of Auschwitz, between June 1944 and January 1945. The album was compiled by Obersturmführer Karl Höcker, the adjutant to Richard Baer.
In the photograph, there are a number of other Nazi officers present. Standing between Dr. Eduard Wirths, chief SS doctor at Auschwitz, and August Harbaum, adjutant to Concentration Camps Inspector Richard Glücks, is a member of the SS Aufseherin.
The USHMM website identifies the woman as probably Oberaufseherin (Senior Overseer) Maria Mandel. However, she looks more like Irma Grese.
Close up of the USHMM photo
Left - Irma Grese, right - Maria Mandel. Compare with the USHMM photo
At the time the USHMM photo was taken, Irma Grese was 20 years old and Maria Mandel was 32. Is this a photo of a 32 year old woman or a 20 year old girl? It's not known for sure if Irma Grese attended the opening ceremony of the Auschwitz SS hospital. However, it's highly likely that she did because by that time she had been promoted to Rapportführerin (Report Leader), the second-highest rank open to female KZ-wardens.
The most widely known photos of Irma Grese are those taken at the Belsen trial. However, a few photos exist of her before she became an SS Aufseherin and a few were taken at Celle prison at the end of the war while she was awaiting trial.
