Ok, I´ve read through the book again which has taken me some time because of a new job I started in January.Andy H wrote:Hi MarkusGebirgsjaeger wrote:As some of you Gents out there may have read I am trying to specialize on the Battle Of Arnhem.
Well, yesterday while reading Robert J. Kershaw´s excellent book "It never snows in september" I came across what could in my opinion cleary be considered an American war crime. He states that US troops threw woundes German Soldiers from the Nimwegen bridge into the river where most of them obviously drowned.
Does anyone of you have further information on this action or any other war crimes committed (by all sides!) during Market-Garden?
Best regards,
Markus
Are we talking about the Rail or Road bridge at Nijmegan?
Have read nothing in the Guards Armoured Divisional history or Lord Carringtons (British Foreign Sec 79-82 and later Sec Gen NATO 84-88) autobio (where he won his MC for the capture at Nijmegan) about the above alleged inncident
Regards
Here´s what Kershaw wrote on the incicent (s):
"The wounded Germans lying on the road bridge [at Nijmegen] had been mutilated in a cruel way [by the Americans]. According to the report of Leutnant Schulz and Leutnant Albrecht all the bodies were covered with various stab wounds on their heads, throats and heart areas. This report was written down and forwarded to the next higher echolon of command." ---- Kershaw´s source: Report by Schwappacher, Page 4
"The Americans did not behave otherwise than we already knew them, threw our [German] prisoners from the bridge into the Waal river and shot the few prisoners [of division "Herrmann Göring"] among the Wehrmacht-Reserve-Personnel." ---- Kershaw´s source: Hauptsturmführer Brandt, letter written to Harmel on February 22, 1955 (Schneider archive)
"On the orders of an American officer brandishing a submachinegun to control the prisoners the P.O.W.s [Germans] were stood before a wall and shot in cold blood. Right at this moment Unterscharführer Kochler and Rottenführer Burgstaller overthrew three of their American guards at the last moment and were able to make it to the lines of the rest of Euling´s battalion. No one at the command post had known of their presence until then. Burgstaller could see that the Americans had shot the Unterscharführer Lindenthaler and Beissmann and another Fallschirmjäger whilst they were already prisoners. It is more than possible that the other six P.O.W.s had been executed as well. More witness reports on this issue and another one taking place in a nearby bunker are available. The lights were still on when they heard the shots.....". ---- Kershaw´s source: Letter to Schneider archive from June 18, 1979.