Trial Erwin Rösener

[Andreas Schulz]

When was the trial of SS-Ogruf. Erwin Rösener in Yugoslawia?

AnDie

[David Thompson]

AnDie -- There's a disagreement on the dates (see below). I've found three different versions.

(1) Version 1 -- imprisoned in Ljubljana from Mar 1946; put on trial at Belgrade by a Yugoslav Army court; convicted and sentenced to death by hanging 21 Aug 1946; executed 4 Sept 1946 at Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia (Axis Biographical Research, SS und Deutschen Polizei [SS and German Police], http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/SS-PO ... izei.html; History of the United Nations War Crimes Commission and the Development of the Laws of War p. 532, United Nations War Crimes Commission, London: HMSO, 1948);

(2) Version 2 -- sentenced to death for war crimes 30 Aug 1946; hanged 4 Sept 1946 (NYT 31 Aug 1946:3:1; NYT 9 Sept 1946:3:4). [The NYT issue on the executions was published Monday, 9 Sept 1946; according to my "perpetual calendar," the preceding Wednesday was 4 Sept 1946.]

(3) Version 3 (post by Octavianus) -- put on trial by the Military court of the 4th Yugoslav Army at Ljubljana (10th Process) with at least 13 other German and Slovene officials; convicted and sentenced to death 19 or 21 Jul 1946.

Here are scans of the NYT articles on the conviction and execution of Roesener:

[Andreas Schulz]

Hi David,

thank you very much for the great info.
Sorry for my bad English.
I think that Rösener hanged on 08.09.1946 (NYT 09.09.1946, also info of Mark C. Yerger and Dr. Horst Henrich)
and:
Refusal of Röseners request for mercy by the Yugoslav national assembly in Belgrade on 05.09.1946.

Best
AnDie

[trekker]

Rösener was extradited to Yugoslavia in March 1946. He arrived to Ljubljana after a two-day journey by car.

13.8.1946 Rösener was delivered indictment which had been previously sent to Belgrade for verification and had been a bit modified before delivery.
23.8.1946 he appeared in court for hearing.
29.8. 1946 the court stated his guilt and gave the sentence of death by hanging.
30.8.1946 the sentence was made public.
30.8.1946 the sentence was sent to the Supreme court in Belgrade together with Rösener's appeal and his plea for clemency.
1.9.1946 Rösener's appeal was rejected and the sentence was confirmed by the Supreme court in Belgrade.

After the sentence was made public Rösener was allowed to write letters to his relatives but those were probably never delivered.
4.9.1946 he wrote in his last letter to his wife: »It's 3 p.m., the wind wails round the house, the sky is cloudy and one can feel well that it's got colder. Year 1946 is coming slowly to its end.«

5.9.1946 newspapers Slovenski poročevalec and Ljudska pravica brought the news that Rösener was executed by hanging 4.9.1946.

It was said that Rösener died at 3 p.m. in the yard of Ljubljana court prison.


Another author (Željeznov) wrote that Rösener was hung 4.9.1946 at 3 p.m. One hour before, judges, prosecutors and executory squad gathered in the yard of the court house in Tavčarjeva street.

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It is probably less known that Rösener was put on »trial« during his stay in POW Camp 209 in Bellaria because he was denounced by colonel Walter von Seeler of leaving his units in order to save himself. The case was handled by senior general Heinrich von Scheel Vietinghoff. 18.12.1945 Vietinghoff wrote his judgement stating that the case couldn't have been completely clarified but the following facts had been proved:
8.5.1945 Rösener left his command post in a critical situation without informing his chief of staff of details of his travel with anticipated return and without authorizing him to lead troops during his absence. Rösener didn't return to Ljubljana and made no effort to resume command over his troops even though he could have.