13 May 1945 German deserter execution: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Illegal execution of two German deserters in 1945}} |
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The '''13 May 1945 German deserter execution''' occurred five days after the [[ |
The '''13 May 1945 German deserter execution''' occurred five days after the [[German Instrument of Surrender|capitulation of Nazi Germany]] along with the [[Wehrmacht]] armed forces in World War II, when an illegal [[court martial]], composed of the captured and disarmed German officers kept under Allied guard in [[Amsterdam]], [[Netherlands]] imposed a [[death sentence]] upon two former German [[deserter]]s from the [[Kriegsmarine]], Bruno Dorfer and {{Interlanguage link|Rainer Beck|de|Rainer Beck (Matrose)}}, a half-Jewish conscript who had deserted to avoid being killed. The [[show trial]] occurred in an abandoned [[Ford Motor Company]] [[assembly plant]] outside Amsterdam, which at the time was a [[prisoner-of-war camp]] run by the [[Canadian Army]].<ref name="madsen">{{cite journal |author=Chris Madsen |url=http://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol2/iss1/8/ | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204221839/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%202/issue%201/Madsen%20-%20Victims%20of%20Circumstance%20-%20the%20Execution%20of%20German%20Deserters%20by%20Surrendered%20German%20Troops%20Under%20Canadian%20Control.pdf | archivedate=February 4, 2012 |url-status = live|title=Victims of Circumstance: The Execution of German Deserters by Surrendered German Troops Under Canadian Control in Amsterdam, May 1945 |date=August 2006 |journal=[[Canadian Military History]] |volume=2| issue=1 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> |
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The Nazi German prisoners of war formed a [[firing squad]] which carried out the sentence. They were supplied with captured German [[Karabiner 98k|rifles]] and a three-ton truck by the [[Seaforth Highlanders of Canada]], and escorted by a platoon of Canadian soldiers led by Captain Robert K. Swinton.<ref name="madsen"/> |
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{{blockquote|Under a dubious interpretation of international law, Canadian military authorities permitted a continuation of the German military structure after the demise of the Third Reich. German assistance was indispensable in the disarmament, concentration, and evacuation of the German armed forces within Holland. Unfortunately, disinterested Canadian military authorities also left the German military in control of order and discipline. German commanders and military judges applied a military law warped by National Socialism. — Chris Madsen, ''Victims of Circumstance.''<sup>[p.109]</sup>}} |
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| ⚫ | In an analysis of the incident the historian Chris Madsen notes that faced with the huge task of disarming and evacuating the German armed forces in the Netherlands under discipline and without disorder |
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| ⚫ | In an analysis of the incident the historian Chris Madsen notes that the Canadian military authorities felt obliged to work with their German counterparts, faced with the huge task of disarming and evacuating the German armed forces in the Netherlands, under discipline, and without disorder. As a matter of mutual convenience the German command hierarchy was allowed to continue to function following the surrender, and this included the sentencing and execution of individuals such as Dorfer and Beck under the Allies. |
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==In popular culture== |
==In popular culture== |
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*The incident provided much of the material for the final episode of ''[[Secret Army (TV series)|Secret Army]]'', a [[BBC]] drama series about the [[Belgian resistance]] in [[World War II]]. |
*The incident provided much of the material for the final episode of ''[[Secret Army (TV series)|Secret Army]]'', a [[BBC]] drama series about the [[Belgian resistance]] in [[World War II]]. |
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*The Italian-Yugoslavian film ''[[The Fifth Day of Peace]]'' (Italian title: ''Dio è con noi'';1969) dramatised the story of the two German sailors |
*The Italian-Yugoslavian film ''[[The Fifth Day of Peace]]'' (Italian title: ''Dio è con noi''; 1969) dramatised the story of the two German sailors.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} |
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*The 2006 Dutch film [[Black Book (film)|''Black Book'']] by director [[Paul Verhoeven]] includes the execution of a major character which is directly (but loosely) based on this incident. |
*The 2006 Dutch film [[Black Book (film)|''Black Book'']] by director [[Paul Verhoeven]] includes the execution of a major character which is directly (but loosely) based on this incident. |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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* Article about [[:de:Rainer Beck (Matrose)|Rainer Beck]] on German Wikipedia |
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*''[http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-46414282.html Menschlich bedrückend]'', Article in ''[[Der Spiegel]]'' magazine 12 September 1966 about the incident (in German). |
*''[http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-46414282.html Menschlich bedrückend]'', Article in ''[[Der Spiegel]]'' magazine 12 September 1966 about the incident (in German). |
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[[Category:1945 in Germany]] |
[[Category:1945 in Germany]] |
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[[Category:People executed for desertion]] |
[[Category:People executed for desertion]] |
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[[Category:May 1945 events in Europe]] |
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{{Germany-mil-stub}} |
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[[Category:Canadian World War II crimes]] |
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[[Category:Nazi war crimes]] |
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Latest revision as of 13:49, 6 June 2024
The 13 May 1945 German deserter execution occurred five days after the capitulation of Nazi Germany along with the Wehrmacht armed forces in World War II, when an illegal court martial, composed of the captured and disarmed German officers kept under Allied guard in Amsterdam, Netherlands imposed a death sentence upon two former German deserters from the Kriegsmarine, Bruno Dorfer and Rainer Beck, a half-Jewish conscript who had deserted to avoid being killed. The show trial occurred in an abandoned Ford Motor Company assembly plant outside Amsterdam, which at the time was a prisoner-of-war camp run by the Canadian Army.[1]
The Nazi German prisoners of war formed a firing squad which carried out the sentence. They were supplied with captured German rifles and a three-ton truck by the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, and escorted by a platoon of Canadian soldiers led by Captain Robert K. Swinton.[1]
Under a dubious interpretation of international law, Canadian military authorities permitted a continuation of the German military structure after the demise of the Third Reich. German assistance was indispensable in the disarmament, concentration, and evacuation of the German armed forces within Holland. Unfortunately, disinterested Canadian military authorities also left the German military in control of order and discipline. German commanders and military judges applied a military law warped by National Socialism. — Chris Madsen, Victims of Circumstance.[p.109]
In an analysis of the incident the historian Chris Madsen notes that the Canadian military authorities felt obliged to work with their German counterparts, faced with the huge task of disarming and evacuating the German armed forces in the Netherlands, under discipline, and without disorder. As a matter of mutual convenience the German command hierarchy was allowed to continue to function following the surrender, and this included the sentencing and execution of individuals such as Dorfer and Beck under the Allies.
In popular culture
[edit]- The incident provided much of the material for the final episode of Secret Army, a BBC drama series about the Belgian resistance in World War II.
- The Italian-Yugoslavian film The Fifth Day of Peace (Italian title: Dio è con noi; 1969) dramatised the story of the two German sailors.[citation needed]
- The 2006 Dutch film Black Book by director Paul Verhoeven includes the execution of a major character which is directly (but loosely) based on this incident.
References
[edit]- ^ a b Chris Madsen (August 2006). "Victims of Circumstance: The Execution of German Deserters by Surrendered German Troops Under Canadian Control in Amsterdam, May 1945". Canadian Military History. 2 (1). Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 4, 2012 – via Internet Archive.
External links
[edit]- Menschlich bedrückend, Article in Der Spiegel magazine 12 September 1966 about the incident (in German).