Dachau massacre investigation book

Seventh army allegedly wounded and killed german prisoners of war. The waffenss troops who machine gunned american prisoners of war at malmedy were also imprisoned and tried at dachau. The dachau massacre of concentration camp guards after. Full text of british murders of ss soldiers at dachau. A small facility relative to other wellknown concentration camps, dachau operated as a training facility for camp guards. In the event of the dachau massacre, it is impossible to feel sympathy for the ss, and quite frankly, i believe they deserved it. A report on the investigation of alleged mistreatment of german guards at dachau was filed on june 8, 1945. In the book, buechners states that there were only 19 american soldiers who witnessed the dachau massacre, and at the time of the book s publishing, only three were certain to be alive. New book about felix sparks gives a new perspective on the. You may wish to ask factual questions about dachau liberation reprisalsarchive 1 at the reference desk, discuss relevant wikipedia policy at the village pump, or ask for help at the help desk. After an investigation by the us army resulted in the court martial of the soldiers involved in these killings, general george s. Buechner mentioned the malmedy massacre war crimes trial conducted by an american military tribunal at dachau. This latter claim of his is questionable at best considering he did not witness the event. Hearings before a subcommittee of the committee on armed services, united states senate, eightyfirst congress, first session, pursuant to s.

On this date in 1945, american troops liberated the dachau concentration camp in upper bavaria and then proceeded to summarily execute a number of its ss personnel the dachau massacre involves several distinct incidents of wantonly killing defenseless pows by american troops, who may. Is that should be up here rather than the dachau massacre one, but since its here, ill go off of this one. List of books and articles about dachau online research. Mar 01, 2018 the investigation of alleged mistreatment of german guards at dachau as it was called produced documents that were marked secret. Dachau concentration camp project gutenberg selfpublishing. I cant give it a rating although it contains a history of concentration camps in general and dachau specifically, including many photographs, letters, documentation throughout the camps twelve year existence. The virgil hoyt mcclintock papers were a gift from dr. The most controversial of the dachau proceedings, and the one that is still discussed to this day, is the infamous malmedy massacre case against the waffenss soldiers who were accused of the murder of american prisoners of war and belgian civilians during. It is unclear how many ss members were killed in the incident but most estimates place the number killed at around 3550. During the camps capture, american soldiers from 45th infantry division of the u. Hans linberger survived the dachau massacre previous. The most controversial of the dachau proceedings, and the one that is still discussed to this day, is the infamous malmedy massacre case against the waffenss soldiers who were accused of the murder of american prisoners of war and belgian civilians during the intense fighting of the battle of the bulge. An investigation conducted between may 3 and may 8, 1945 by lt.

The dachau liberation reprisals were a series of killings of german camp guards and german prisoners of war from the dachau concentration camp on april 29, 1945, during world war ii. Us army vet recalls horrors of dachau concentration camp. Steven p remy in the opening days of the battle of the bulge, members of a waffen ss division executed 84 american prisoners of war near the belgian town of malmedy the deadliest incident of its kind involving. For further photographs of what they call the excecutions at dachau, visit the us holocaust memorial museum website. The dachau massacre the german guards murdered at dachau by the americans in their mafiastyle, st.

Heinrich wicker, who is the second man from the right in the first photo above. An investigation was conducted by the us army between may 3 and may 8, 1945. But i had beuchners book and comments from a few vets and i knew there had been an ig investigation of the events at dachau. Albert doyles own investigations into the dachau massacre and visit the site put up about sgt. Following the prisoners liberation by american soldiers from 45th infantry division of the u. John lindens book about his fathers actions on april 29, 1945 is in many ways an attempt to smear sparks account of the liberation and warcrimes investigation and exonerate the charges that his father strayed into the 45th divisions ao area of operations, which included dachau in order to get the glory of liberating dachau and. Holocaust survivors and victims database dachau names lists. The hour of the avenger, a memoir and investigation by howard buechner. The highestranking defendant was the former waffenss general sepp dietrich. Dachau and the ss studies the concentration camp guards at dachau, the first concentration. Nazi ss guards being tortured in dachau witnessed by american.

Contains mostly nonjewish but also jewish prisoners held in dachau from 19331945. After some weeks of investigation, he launched a formal prosecution of the. The malmedy massacre was a war crime committed by members of kampfgruppe peiper part of the 1st ss panzer division, a german combat unit led by joachim peiper, at baugnez crossroads near malmedy, belgium, on december 17, 1944, during the battle of the bulge. I personally support the continual search for exnazis around the world that. Guns creative license has caused a lot of historical headaches. Dachau trial, dachau, germany, 1946 malmedy massacre investigation. Dachau was a nazi concentration camp located in bavaria in southern germany.

World war ii war crimes records national archives collection of world war ii war crimes records record groups 153, 238 and 549 the united states conducted war crimes trials in europe under three jurisdictions. American doctors firsthand account of how he saw dachaus ss guards being tortured and shot dead by gis in cold blood because they so had it coming. The dachau massacre of concentration camp guards after liberation. The museums collections document the fate of holocaust victims, survivors, rescuers, liberators, and others through artifacts, documents, photos, films, books, personal stories, and more. Posts about dachau massacre written by furtherglory. During the dachau liberation reprisals, german prisoners of war were killed by u. Dec 30, 2012 later however, buechner wrote a book titled dachau. Valentines day massacre machinegunning were previously wounded and exhausted veterans from the eastern front. At dachau us soldiers shocked by holocaust executed captured nazi troops after liberating death camp. Massacre of ss guards at dachau axis history forum. See other formats execution murder of ss soldiers prisoners at dachau the killing of unarmed pows did not trouble many of the men in i company that day for to them the ss guards did not deserve the same protected status as enemy soldiers who have been captured after a valiant fight.

None of the historians or archivists at the national archives had ever seen or heard of the dachau ig report. Reel 10 consists solely of hand written ledger book lists of arrivals at dachau from 19331940. Shortly after the defense counsel began to work on the case at dachau, they prepared a questionnaire for distribution to the accused. The massacre was committed on december 17, 1944, by members of kampfgruppe peiper part of the 1st ss panzer division, a german combat unit, during the battle of the bulge. Probably the most thoughtful and detailed account of the liberation day massacre of german camp personnel is dachau. Honestly, there were more worse massacres committed by us g. Search below to view digital records and find material that you can access at our library and at the shapell center. In addition, mcmanus details the dark byproduct of dachaus liberation the reprisal killing of captured guards that could have unraveled allied. Steven p remy in the opening days of the battle of the bulge, members of a waffen ss division executed 84 american prisoners of war near the belgian town of malmedy the deadliest incident of. The first official concentration camp in nazi germany opened its gates to. In lewis blacks first book, nothings sacred, he mentions visiting the camp as part of his tour of europe and how it. Ir concerns the copies of an investigation by the assistant inspecror general of the 7th army. Concentration camp dachau, 19331945 is well put together. It is located on the grounds of an abandoned munitions factory southeast of the medieval town of dachau, about 16 km 10 mi northwest of munich in the state of bavaria, in southern germany.

It is one of the first books to develop an overarching interpretation of west. Bought this book at dachau in 1985 when we visited. It was used as a training center for ss guards and was a model for other concentration camps the camp was about 300 m. The prisoners of dachau concentration camp originally were to serve as forced labor for a munition factory, and to expand the camp. Seventh army, american soldiers wounded and killed german camp guards and german prisoners of war. The movie shutter island, based on a 2003 novel by dennis lehane, opened in american theaters on february 19, 2010. In the 1930s, ss leader heinrich himmler conceived dachau as the model example for the nazis network of labor and death camps throughout europe. Feb 10, 2010 the movie shutter island, based on a 2003 novel by dennis lehane, opened in american theaters on february 19, 2010. The dachau massacre otherwise known as the dachau liberation reprisals obviously does not rival the holocaust, but it is an event which is not widely known.

The main dachau camp was surrendered, on april 29, 1945, to brigadier general henning linden of the 42nd rainbow division, by ss 2nd lt. It was marked secret, but the contents were later revealed to the public in 1991. Eisenhower worried might erode americas moral authority to prosecute the. The investigation of alleged mistreatment of german guards at dachau as it was called produced documents that were marked secret.

It was the foregoing incident which has given rise to wild claims in various publications that most or all of the german prisoners captured at dachau were executed. The uses and abuses of a concentration camp, 19332001. American doctors firsthand account of how he saw dachau s ss guards being tortured and shot dead by gis in cold blood because they so had it coming. They could not have fathomed that they would soon find themselves at the center of a us army investigation into a massacre of german soldiers that general dwight d.

For a truly reliable account, i would point you to the ig report, aka the investigation of alleged mistreatment of german guards at dachau there was certainly a massacre, but he wrote this book in 1980 when only 3 of the original liberators remained alive to contradict him. In lehanes novel, there is a one paragraph flashback scene which briefly describes the liberation of the dachau concentration camp on april 29, 1945. Lehane wrote that 500 krauts german soldiers were killed by the american liberators. He carried out an investigation and concluded that walsh had.

The shooting of captured ss men during the liberation of dachau. However, when reports from the initial investigation were made public in 1991, it came to light that beuchners account did not match the sworn testimony he gave. These young americans gathered evidence, interviewed witnesses. However, when reports from the initial investigation were made public in 1991, it came to light that beuchners account did not match the sworn. The dachau massacre occurred in the area of the dachau concentration camp, near dachau, germany, on april 29, 1945, during world war ii. Dachau concentration camp was the first of the nazi concentration camps opened in 1933. Us army photograph, april 29, 1945note 1 the dachau massacre occurred in the area of the dachau concentration camp, near dachau, germany, on april 29, 1945, during world war ii. Hans linberger was a waffenss soldier who had been wounded in battle on the eastern front and, after a long hospital stay, had arrived at the dachau ss garrison on march 9, 1945 as a member of a reserve company. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite reads in more. This well illustrated 175page softcover book is available from thunderbird press. Thus its postwar history is an illuminating case study of the contested process by.

Lindens book the surrender of dachau 29 april 1945. The last hours of dachau is embellised so much as to practically be fiction. The camp was located in a disused munitions factory in dachau, just outside munich. On this date in 1945, american troops liberated the dachau concentration camp in upper bavaria and then proceeded to summarily execute a number of its ss personnel. Shutter island scene shows dachau massacre scrapbookpages blog. The collection contains case files, memoranda, photographs, scrapbooks, books, and other materials relating to v. American massacre gives motivation to analyze information and is also useful when criticizing plots. The library of congress through the federal research division provides customized research and analytical services on foreign and domestic topics to united states government and district of columbia agencies on a costrecovery basis. The book describes how colonel felix sparks of the 45th infantry was walking through. Full text of british murders of ss soldiers at dachau unremembered holocaust. In this book, buechner stated that us forces had killed 520 german soldiers, including 346 more under the. Army 7708 war crimes group investigated atrocities committed in germany and nazioccupied europe during world war ii. If you are going to act like a savage animal, you will be treated like a savage animal. The dachau massacre scene was completely changed and some of the photos on this page, which i began writing on feb.

Execution of ss soldiers at dachau the killing of unarmed pows did not trouble many of the men in i company that day for to them the ss guards did not deserve the same protected status as enemy soldiers who have been captured after a valiant fight. Massacre of ss guards at dachau page 15 axis history forum. Initially supportive of the investigation, wintersberger became reluctant to submit the resulting indictment to the. Nazi ss guards being tortured in dachau witnessed by. Malmedy massacre investigation, report of subcommittee of the. Skodzensky is the name journalist and former dachau inmate nerin gun made up for his book the day of the americans. New book about felix sparks gives a new perspective on the liberation of dachau and the dachau massacre filed under. Report, concluded that the total number of ss men killed on april 29, 1945 at dachau was somewhere between 50 and 60, including the ss soldiers killed after they surrendered at tower b, shown in the photo above. Andrew mollo used this book and this number in his 1980 after the battle article about the liberation, which buechner used in his 1986 book the hour of the avenger 5 guns book however, is not 100% accurate. In major conflicts, all laws of war go out the window and the war becomes a matter of kill or be killed. Army medical officer with 3rd battalion, 157th infantry, to whitaker on 5 may 1945 did not contradict the sparks account.

The malmedy massacre was a war crime in which 80 american prisoners of war were murdered by their german captors during world war ii. Soldiers spoke under sworn testimony and in the aftermath were inclined to speak little more of whatever happened at the dachau concentration camp after it was liberated. Remy is hardly the first historian to write about the malmedy affair. In this book, buechner stated that us forces had killed 520 german soldiers, including 346 more under the command of 1st lt. Patton tore up the papers and tossed them in the wastebasket. If you ever have the opportunity to discuss the book with others, you will be able to clearly tell their views, as you have taken the. Enraged american soldiers executed 50 nazis at dachau daily mail.

The uses and abuses of a concentration camp, 19332001 9780521064484. And sang for a little while after the doors closed. Thus its postwar history is an illuminating case study of the contested process by which past events. In his 1989 account of the liberation of dachau, sparks wrote the following regarding the number of ss soldiers who were killed in the dachau massacre. Please limit discussion to improvement of this article. Following the liberation of dachau concentration camp, american troops felt. Nov 26, 2006 4 the 560 ss troops at dachau is first mentioned in nerin guns 1966 book the day of the americans.