Former Waffen-SS soldier identified as biological father to dozens via sperm donation

A documentary by Danish public broadcaster DR has revealed that Walther Frisch, a former Waffen-SS soldier, was a frequent sperm donor at Stockholm’s Karolinska Hospital during the 1960s. DNA testing has already identified at least 15 biological children across Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Germany, though investigators suggest the actual number could exceed 100.

Frisch, who served in the SS and served a prison sentence for high treason following World War II, donated semen well into his 40s. This has led to suspicions of a possible ideological motive to promote “racial hygiene” or create children meeting specific Nazi-era physical ideals. The investigation notes that one of the gynecologists involved in the sperm bank had also served in the SS.

While Karolinska Hospital stated it has no records of Frisch and described ideologically motivated donor selection as “deeply unethical,” the lack of documentation in Swedish national and regional archives has raised further questions. The biological children, including Thomas Rasmussen and Mats Rydberg, are seeking answers regarding whether their existence was the result of a Nazi-linked experiment.