Barbarossa - The Air Battle - Chapter 17 on atrocities

[Ruy Horta]

Just bought Christer Bergström's (latest?) publication.

Barbarossa - The Air Battle: July-December 1941
Published by Midland Counties*

It appears to be a worthy addition to Black Cross/Red Star vol.1

As I was just glancing, my attention was caught by an essay in chapter 17, called Atrocities and Ideology on the Eastern Front. Although an interesting piece of text, I am questioning the use of one source.

Perhaps it is only a matter of time before we accept the Internet as a primary source, but I am old fashioned when it comes to more critical subjects.

www.flieger-lynchmorde.de is used as the (single) source for "a recent study" which claims that it has found "314" cases of Allied airmen lynched after bailing out over Germany.

Some of the cases there read like:
12.12.1944 Ermordung eines amerikanischen Fliegers in einem nichtgenannten Ort

Very few of the cases are matched the names of their victims. All of the cases are "Ermordung" or murder. Being limited in information, it is impossible to deduct if there might have been cases of resisting capture etc.

Although it is very likely that many Allied Airmen were lynched or murdered, you need to present figures with hard facts, based on well documented cases.

Just my 2 c.

*which should put to rest some of the fears of them not being able to keeping up a high standard.