Could this incident be an alternate to the "50 Jews shot in a synagogue" courts martial that pursuaded Himmler to getThe Musikkorps of the LSSAH was formed on 04.08.1933, 36 musicians under
"command" of SS-Sturmbannführer Hermann Müller-John. In 1934 the orchestra
was expanded to 72 men, selected on musical, health and racial
qualifications. In the end the korps had a Sollstärke of 108 Musiker, but
actual strength was 96 men. Musical education took place at the Staatl.
Hochschule für Musik and in several Konservatorien, military training
(parade training) took place together with I./LAH under command of
Truppführern Plöw and Schmidl. Info about several concerts is given, if
you're interested.
Müller-John's official title was Leibstandarten-Obermusikmeister, called
Obumei by his men. He was 1.Musik-Inspizient der SS-VT and Mitglied des
Reichs-Kultur-Senats. He made some radical changes to the orchestra, by
adding Saxophones and other "Bigband" influences. He was respected by people
like Prof. Erich Schumann and Erich Gutzeit (both composers) and
Heeres_Musik-Inspizient Prof. Hermann Schmidt.
In 1945 he committed suicide in Austria, together with his wife and
daughter. According to Lehmann this was his way to find peace with his
involvement in the killing of 50 Polish civilians in 1939 (of whom several
were Jewish).
According to Hstuf. Keilhaus and Hstuf. Ewert, the Musikkorps was shot at
from a group of houses when their bus halted on a square. Several men were
killed or wounded. Müller-John ordered the men of the Musikkorps and the
medical column to search the houses. Weapons were found and the captured men
were shot. v.Reichenau and von Rundstedt ordered a conduct and a trial and
Müller-John was found guilty by a military court. Dietrich complained to
Hitler and the führer signed a pardon. Officially because "crimes committed
out of anger caused by the way the Poles treated the Volksdeutschen should
not be punished". But Müller-John considered himself guilty of a war crime.
According to Weingartner he told Paul Hausser: "Wo das Verbrechen beginnt,
hört die Kameradschaft auf!".
Hitler to remove the W-SS from military jurisdiction? Or is this describing a separate incident?