Feldgrau.net

Hello

Does anyone know any incidents where German or other Axis soldiers/officers were executed for sabotage/espionage/reprisal shootings by the Western Allies? The one that is well-known is the execution of 3 German commandos by American Army (Manfred Pernass, I recalled this name from memory) captured during Operation Greif for wearing US uniforms and thus violating the Hague rules of land warfare. I recalled that these 3 commandos petitioned General Eisenhower for clemency but unfortunately Eisenhower was in no mood for mercy and rejected the petition.

Here are some examples

1. A German fifth columnist (captured during the German advance to Dunkirk - probably with civilian clothig) were shot by a British firing squad. Just before he was executed, the German shouted - "I died once for myself and twice for my Fuehrer!" (source: Hugh Sebag Montefiore's Dunkirk: Fight To the Last Man - sorry I can't recalled which page as it is from memory)

2. Execution of Obergefreiter Richard Jarcyzk at Kitzingen, 23rd April 1945 for attempting sabotage in civilian clothing. Found guilty by the US 7th Army Military Commission. (source: Perry Biddiscombe's The Last Nazis: SS Werewolf Guerilla Resistance in Europe 1944-1947. A set of 4 pictures showing Jarcyzk was led to a pole, given absolution and then were shot - picture 37)

3. A German colonel, Erich Hammon was executed by the British in Kiel on 1st July 1945. Reasons are not given but Biddiscombe mentioned that the Western Allies proclaimed publicly that any resistance activites such as sniping at Allied troops or possessing weapons would be dealt by execution (page 244, Perry Biddiscombe's The Last Nazis: SS Werewolf Guerilla Resistance in Europe 1944-1947)

4. Execution of two adolescent boys, Heinz Petry and Josef Schorner by the Western Allies. No reason is given (page 244, Perry Biddiscombe's The Last Nazis: SS Werewolf Guerilla Resistance in Europe 1944-1947)

5. Execution of two former members of Hitlerjugend, Werner Reisdorf and Walter Spruenger for maintaining weapons dump in secluded hills in spring 1946 ((page 244, Perry Biddiscombe's The Last Nazis: SS Werewolf Guerilla Resistance in Europe 1944-1947))

Which ones are you saying are War Crimes?

Regards

he did not mention the words warcrimes,he said incidents

Andy H wrote:Which ones are you saying are War Crimes?

Regards

ALL were war crimes. Killing soldiers AFTER A"TRIAL" WHERE THEY WERE CLEARLY ALREADY found guilty before official conviction (the typical Allied "TRIBUNAL") and AFRTER a war has ended is clearly CRIMINAL. It is time for the truth to be known. The allies were the biggest WAR CRIMINALS. It is honourable to confess, oh well what 's the use anyway to talk of such unimportant things like honour here......

Rächer wrote: ALL were war crimes. Killing soldiers AFTER A"TRIAL" WHERE THEY WERE CLEARLY ALREADY found guilty before official conviction (the typical Allied "TRIBUNAL") and AFRTER a war has ended is clearly CRIMINAL. It is time for the truth to be known. The allies were the biggest WAR CRIMINALS. It is honourable to confess, oh well what 's the use anyway to talk of such unimportant things like honour here......

Prior to accusing all the personnel involved in these "incidents" of war crimes, it would probably be worth investigating the incidents. Was each one specifically as presented here? Were these men just dragged out and shot? Were they put in front of a tribunal? Were the charges against them legal? Were the proceedings handled in accordance with the Laws of War as they were written at the time? Just because the war is over does NOT mean people cannot be punished for violating the law as put forth by the occupation forces. Just off the top of my head, warlike actions by Germans after the war were liable to be violations, but that's just a guess.

Were there war criminals in the Allied ranks? Of that I have no doubt. However, your statement that it is useless to talk of honour on this board is rather offensive. Letting your fingers run away in a rant is one thing, but you don't know anybody here. You've two posts to your credit. To make a blanket accusation that the members of this board are without honour unacceptable.

You are welcome to discuss nearly anything here, if you are capable of doing it in an adult, rational manner. If not, feel free to carry your ass elsewhere. I personally don't feel compelled to be insulted by someone just through the door.

Have a nice day.

Please note that for all acts of sabotage and armed violence against the Occupying Powers in Germans after VE Day - a military court martial and appropriate military punishment was in fact 100% legal and the correct thing to do; civil law had been suspended, and Germany was occupied by four military governments.

YEs, they may indeed have condemned themselves by their actions - but that does not make the punishment any less legal when levied by court martial subsequently.

There were others:
a number of German POW were executed in the US,because they had killed other POW who collaborated with the Americans .
In march 1945,the new burgomaster of Aachen(occupird by the allies) was killed by a special commando of the SS(he was ,following the German law,a traitor).After the war,the members of the commando were judged (but I don't know if they were executed).

ljadw wrote:In march 1945,the new burgomaster of Aachen(occupird by the allies) was killed by a special commando of the SS(he was ,following the German law,a traitor).After the war,the members of the commando were judged (but I don't know if they were executed).

That was an action of 'Wehrwolf', a small group of fanatic HJ-boys. If I remember it correctly, these three or four boys were between 15 and 17 years old and weren't shot. These Wehrwolf boys were trained by the SS.

Of topic,but,on 18 may 1946,a Japanese was hanged for the murder of a US soldier(source :assaults and sabotage against allied forces during the occupation of Japan)

I will quote myself, hope thats ok. It was no execution, but could have led to one. Maybe the incident is interesting for some.

I heard this account from a radio operator of the 2nd SS Das Reich, Regiment Deutschland. I want to share it with you
and also i search for additional informations.

During retreat battles of german forces around the village Enns at the river Enns in austria,
this signal soldier together with a company chief, his deputy and 5 other soldiers were driving in an US Jeep to a bridge in Enns,
expecting it is still free to pass. But as the jeep passed the bridge, the soldiers saw themselves surrounded by americans.
The 7 german soldiers were brought to a trafo station in Enns, to be shot because they were using an US jeep.
When a higher ranked US soldier appeared a discussion started, and after that the german soldiers were brought to captivity.