Luftwaffe Personnel Sentenced to Death 1940-1944

[kaki3152]

Through surfing the Web, I came across a table of Wehrmacht members sentenced to death, 1940-1944. The table is is in three columns: Army, Navy and Air Force. For the Luftwaffe, the yearly totals are the following:

1940 39
1941 64
1942 228
1943 369
1944 233

The list was complied by Dr. Messerschmidt, a noted German war historian.. Doesn't say whether all these death sentences were carried out, but I suspect many of them were executed. I know of one well-known execution of a Luftwafe officer. That was the firing squad for Oblt. von Einsiedel, a member of an active LW reconnaissance squadron. on May 22,1942 at Morlaix, France. He was sentenced for cowardice. I also know that at least one U-boat Captain was executed.
So what were the charges that would lead to a death sentence? Cowardice in action as seen above, desertion, sabotage come to mind. Any one know where I can find more information>?

[ju55dk]

RW 60 Bundesarchiv Freiburg,
Junker

[kaki3152]

Is RW 60 online?

[ju55dk]

No and you have to obtain permission to view them.
Junker

[Nick Beale]

One thing you can get online is a set of figures for the Kriegsmarine from January to November 1944, These are in a table on page 265 of file RM 7/101.

The table sets out deaths from various causes (but not enemy action apparently) for soldiers and civilians and one column is for »Gerichtsurteil« (court verdict). Monthly figures for that go as high as 36.

[BrianC]

Hi Kaki

Fascinating! I do hope that more names (and details) are revealed. I assume that the totals listed included ground personnel?

Incidentally, the Oblt von Einsiedel listed does not appear in Kracker, so who was he?

OK, just found him on Larry's site Luftwaffe Officers: Johann-Georg 3(F)/Aufkl.123. Confusingly his biog states MiA over North Sea 22/5/42; and also executed by firing squad 22/5/42 for cowardice

Cheers
Brian

[Nick Beale]

According to the Volksbund, Georg von Einsiedel died in Paris and is buried in the Champigny-St.André war cemetery: Block 14, Row 28, Grave 1624.

[VtwinVince]

How is he related to the more infamous von Einsiedel of JG3?

[James A Pratt III]

I think there was one Luftwaffe General that was executed for black market activities

[Larry deZeng]

See last 4 entries:


WABER, Bernhard Anton. (DOB: 20.05.84 in Kremsier/Mähren). (DKS). 18.08.07 entered the Austrian
Armee (Inf.) as a Lt. 01.11.12 promo to Oblt. WWI served with Infanterie. 01.07.15 promo to Hptm.
Postwar, remained in the Austrian army, eventually assigned to the Bundesministerium. 01.07.20 promo to
Maj. 01.06.24 promo to Obstlt. 01.02.30 promo to Oberst. 22.06.36 promo to Gen.Maj. 17.03.38 entry into
the Luftwaffe (had been in the Austrian Army as Kdr. 4. Div.) with a rank of Gen.Maj. and appt Offizier z.b.V.
im RLM (pending assignment). 22.06.36 promo to Gen.Maj. 30.11.36 retired from the Austrian Army
supposedly due to association with Nazi Party. 01.06.38 recalled to service with the Luftwaffe and
concurrently dispatched on an information gathering tour to Lw.-Gruppenkdo. 3, KG 355, Aufklärungsgruppen
15 and 25, St.G. 165, JG 135, Luftgau-Kdos. VII, XIII u. XII, Grosse KFS Lechfeld, LKS Furstenfeldbruck,
Wehrersatz-Inspektion München, Luftflotte 3 and 4 and again to Luftgau-Kdo. XIII. 19.03.39 appt Kdr. of the
Abwicklungs u. Übergabestelle Prag (winding up and transfer center, Prague). 01.05.39 appt
Kommandierender Gen.u. Bef. im Luftgau VIII. 01.06.39 RDA changed to 01.11.38. 01.09.40 promo to
Gen.Lt. 23.10.41 appt Kommandierender Gen.u.Bef. im Feldluftgau Kiew. 01.03.42 promo to Gen.d.Fl.
10.09.42 appt Kommandierender Gen.u. Bef. im Feldluftgau Charkow. 15.03.43 trf to the territorial authority
of Lw. Kdo. Südost. 19.07.43 appt Komm.Gen.u.Befh. Feldluftgaukommando XXX (to 29.08.44). 26.07.43
awarded DKS. 29.08.44 Gen.d.Flieger, appt Komm.Gen.d.dt.Lw. Nordbalkan (to c. 01.11.44). 01.11.44
arrested and ordered court-martialed. 13.11.44 sentenced to death by order of a special court of the
Reichsmarschall due to “severe mismanagement in his headquarters and staff and rampant defeatism throughout
his Luftgau area.” Postwar historical accounts state that Waber was also engaged in blackmarketing and the
misappropriation of government property. 02.01.45 released from service in the Luftwaffe. †06.02.45 in
Spandau (hanged). Buried in Berlin-Spandau (Friedhof "In den Kisseln").