Paul Grüninger (German pronunciation: [paʊ̯l ˈɡʁyːnɪŋɐ] ⓘ; 27 October 1891 – 22 February 1972) was a Swiss police commander in St. Gallen.

Following the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, Switzerland had closed its border to Jewish people arriving without proper entry permits, and in October 1938 negotiations between Switzerland and Germany led to the stamping of a 'J' in passports[clarification needed] issued to Jewish people.

As the number of refugees who tried to enter Switzerland illegally increased, Grüninger decided in the summer of 1938 to not send them back, facing the consequence of breaching explicit government instructions.

My assistance to Jews was rooted in my Christian world outlook… It was basically a question of saving human lives threatened with death.

Sure, I intentionally exceeded the limits of my authority and often with my own hands falsified documents and certificates, but it was done solely in order to afford persecuted people access into the country.

[4]In December 1970 as a result of protest in the media, the Swiss government sent Grüninger "a somewhat reserved letter of apology, but refrained from reopening his case and reinstating his pension".

[1] Ostracized and accused and slandered as a womanizer and corrupt fraudster, even as a Nazi by some people in the 2000s, the former chief of police for the rest of his life was no longer fixed point: Grüninger died in 1972, nearly forgotten in Switzerland, without rehabilitation by the Swiss authorities.

The mortal remains of Grüninger were cremated and his urn buried at the cemetery of Au, a small town in the canton of St. Gallen where he resided.

In 2008, the artist Norbert Möslang, who hails from St. Gallen, created a three-dimensional text sculpture, which reads:"Paul Grüninger / rettete / 1938/39 / viele hundert / Flüchtlinge" (Paul Grüninger rescued in 1938/39 many hundreds of refugees")[6]Eight years later, the couple's urns were reburied as part of the cemetery renovation.