Submarine Commanders wanted postwar for crimes.

[Felix C]

just an FYI
The following commanders are considered Great Britain's war criminals:
Kiesewetter (UC 56) for the sinking of the hospital ship Glenart Castle, 26.2.18.
Patzig (U 86) for the sinking of the hospital ship Landoveri Castle, 27.6.18.
Max Valentiner (U 38) for torpedoing without warning Glenby, 17.8.15, and Persie 30.12.15.
Werner (U 55) for torpedoing without warning Clearfield, October 1916; Artist, 27.1.17; Trivon, 31.1.17; Torrinton, 8.4: 17, and hospital ships: Rue, 4.1.18, and Guilford Castle, 10.3.18.
Itets (U 96, U 90) for torpedoing without warning Apap, 28.11.17; Distro, 25.3.18; Inkosi, 28.3.18.
Adam (U 82) for the sinking of Galway Castle, 12.9.18.
The Aust for the sinking of Golden Hope, 9.6.17.
Frhr. von Bothmer (U 66) for the sinking of Mariston, 15.7.17.
Drescher (U 20) for the sinking of Acorn and Tokomaru, 30.1.15.
Gansser (U 33, U 156) for the sinking of Maple MacLeid, 1.12.15; Bell of France, 1.2.16; US McKay, 7.1.18; Artiza, 8.2.18.
Georg (U 57, U 101) for the sinking of Refugio, 12.5.17: Arlington Court, 14.5.17 (attacked); Jersey City 24.5.17; Thiel, 1.6.17; Richard de Larinaga, 8.10.17; Glanford, 20.3.18; Trinidad, 22.3.18; John D. Walter, 24.3.18; Loch Fischer, 30.3.18.
Glazenap for the sinking of Hailibary, 22.2.18; Birchlift, 23.2.18; Landonie, 21.4.18; Baron Harris, 22.4.18; Itel, 26.4.18.
von Nostitz und Jänkendorf (U 151) for the sinking of Dvinsk, 18.6.18.
Kolbe (U 152) for the sinking of the Maple Murray, 29.5.17; Fernley, 30.5.17 (attacked); Illeston, 16: 3.18; Elsie Beardt, 7.4.18.
Neumann (UC 67) for the sinking of the hospital ship Dover Castle, 26.5.17.
Rüker (U 103) for the sinking of Victoria, 7.7.17.
von Schrader (UB 64) for the sinking of Dartmoor, 27.5.17.
Wassner (UB 38 or UC 69) for the sinking of Adda, 15.6.17.
Italy placed in the list of von Arnauld de la Perière for the sinking of the Italian ships Siena, Dores and Lilla.

Neumann was a judged in Leipzig on June 4, 1921 and acquitted on the grounds that he was carrying out orders from the command.
Patzig escaped trial in Danzig in July 1921.
Leutenants Boldt and Dittmar received 4 years in prison each.

[Tanzania]

Hi Felix,

Thanks for your information. By the way; - Were there any Allied / Entente countries whose captains were charged and convicted by the winner?

Cheers Holger

[Felix C]

Germans had a list w/39 British names. Naval related: Baralong C.O. for the Nicosian episode and U27
There was also a French nationals list.

[Tanzania]

Felix C; - Again, many thanks for this additional information.
Is there any book with a general and objective summary about war crimes in the Great War known to you?

Cheers Holger

[Felix C]

Not my area. I am interested in things naval. Hence the information I found above.

It would make a great book. Discussing WW1 war crime accusations.

[Felix C]

Incidentally zeppelin L19 came down at sea and the crew were refused pickup by a small British fishing smack. Crew of 3 vs 16 or so germans. the zepp crew all drowned. The Germans were upset the british capt. did not take them onboard(although I read the naval authorities understood why), and they were incensed that a senior british religious office holder,the Bishop of London, said it was appropriate to let them die as they, zepp crew, were committing barbarous acts by bombing civilians.

Incidentally, the fishing vessel in question, King Stephen, was later comm. into the RN and captured by the Germans during a surface ship raid. The commander at that time, Lt. Phillips, was initially held for war crimes as the King Stephen was known to Germany(Apparently not much censorship early in the war regarding naval events) and they had her on a list. As later happened with Capt. Fryatt. Well, charges were dropped against the Lt and he was treated as a regular POW.

I suspect the 2nd commander of the Baralong would be on the list as a surviving German officer who was repatriated due to wounds complained of horrendous treatment upon capture.-Locked in a tiny cage. Unless the myth of Capt. McBride was continued with the second c.o as well as the captain's name.-an alias

[Felix C]

Kriegsministerium: Militär-Untersuchungsstelle für Verletzungen des Kriegsrechts. several volumes and various years. British and French focused topics subtitled separately. I see a individuals involved in the mistreatment of POWs features in both Allied/Entente and Ger. want lists.

Have found a few books on the edges of accused British War Crimes in the Great War- none specific with it. If you are still reading this let me know if you want me to post the links.

[Terry Duncan]

I did start a thread on the King Stephen incident some time ago, it is still an issue that divides people in the UK, about evenly between those who sympathise with the captain not wanting such a large number of prisoners set against the number of crew onboard and those who feel he should have taken the risk regardless. I would at least say it should have been the subject of a courts-marshal type enquiry to either exonerate or condemn, to make a definitive statement from the British side. Whilst it is far from as obvious a case of a war crime as the case of the Llandovery Castle incident, the resulting death toll is no less regretable. Personally I would have taken the risk and tried to rescue the crew of L-19, but the circumstances of the war, having people you knew killed etc, would certainly influence many people to turn a blind eye and do nothing.

If you are still reading this let me know if you want me to post the links.

Yes please, we have many more people visit the site to read details than we have people posting (the ratio is often at least 10 - 1 on most sites) so it would be useful for people visiting in the future, if not now, to have the information available.

[Felix C]

Referenced in the book in various places here:
https://www.amazon.com/Violence-against ... 0521117585
https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showpdf.php?id=35082
first few chapters here:
https://www.amazon.com/Kriegsverbrechen ... 3833450457
https://www.amazon.com/Stigma-Surrender ... 1469619941
http://www.argus.bstu.bundesarchiv.de/P ... 54f3ef96e7