Einseidel Execution May 22,1942 Morlaix

[kaki3152]

The book “The Easter Bunnies” (R. Gastager), is a short history of the Luftwaffe long range reconnaissance unit 3.(F)/123, written by one of the few survivors. Within the book, there is a photograph of the execution of Lt. Graf Johann-Georg v. Einsiedel on May 22,1942 at Morlaix Airfield. The caption to the photo is “Execution of Oberleutnant Einsiedl at Morlaix for cowardice in the face of the enemy.” (Photo #63). There is no additional information in the text of the book. The photo shows what appears to be all the Luftwaffe personal at Morlaix lined up by ranks. He was shot by a firing squad.

A previous posting (11/11/2009) theorized that the action occurred on a previous mission over the UK. In a book on the German Adel or noble born killed in WWII, there is a listing for Graf v Einsiedel with the notation that he was missing on a long range mission over the North Atlantic. There is no mention of an execution. I have a Xerox copy of the book, which is very interesting. This is the only outright lie I have noted in all the biographical information in this book.

It's quite obvious that Oblt Einsiedel was made an example “pour encourager les autres”. The question is why was he made such an example? It happened in the first half of 1942, before Germany really started losing the war. Why not just send him to a Luftwaffe infantry unit in the East or Torgau Prison? Also, because of his background it almost certainly had to be approved by Luftwaffe higher command, possibly including Hitler. I know, that the Luftwaffe issued 228 execution sentences in 1942, though I have no idea if all were carried out.