Klaus Barbie (25 October 1913 – 23 September 1991) was an SS-Hauptsturmführer, soldier and Gestapo member. He was known as the Butcher of Lyon for his handling of prisoners of war in France. After World War II, Barbie was captured by the United States, and actually served a brief stint as an agent of the United StatesCounter-Intelligence Corps. From 1951, Barbie spent decades on the run (with some American help) until he was finally identified and sent back to France in 1984. He was convicted of war crimes in 1987. He died in jail of leukemia.
Michelle Gordian cited Klaus Barbie as an example of how untrustworthy the United States government could be: despite the numerous deaths he was personally responsible for, Barbie was useful to US intelligence, and so was able to evade justice for decades.[1]
