Wehrmacht crimes in Poland in 1939 campaign

[RFPB]

In regard to the previous discussion on the POW's run over by a tank; (Still, whether I believe the story or not is in question). I have no idea where the information came from for the publication:

"On September 2 and 3, 1939, between Rybnik and Wadzim, in Silesia, the Germans captured a detachment of the 12th Infantry Regiment. They took no prisoners, but threw the men to the ground, and drove over their bodies with tanks."

The German New Order in Poland by Polish Ministry of Information. Published by Hutchinson (London), 1942.

[Marcus]

A good book I have learned of (though do not yet have in my possession) is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wehrma ... _1939-1945

Seems to be well-investigated.

As that book deals not specifically with the Polish campaign and not only with war crimes committed by the Axis forces discussions about it belong in another thread. A search will reveal that it has been mentioned in several other threads and the comments about it has been very mixed.

/Marcus

[RFPB]

Mr. Wendel,

Sorry for posting it in the incorrect place. Could you send me a PM with these mixed results? I did a search, but didn't come up with the discussion I you must be talking about.

[Marcus]

Sorry for posting it in the incorrect place. Could you send me a PM with these mixed results? I did a search, but didn't come up with the discussion I you must be talking about.

I was going by memory of the previous discussions but a very quick search on "Zayas" resulted in a several pages long list of hits with discussions about his various works, but here are two threads to get you started:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=46211
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=100692

I don't think we have had a thread specifically about the book you mentioned so you are welcome to start one.

/Marcus

[RFPB]

Mr. Wendel,

I see most of these discussions are pertaining to his theories about allied war crimes against Germans. From what I have read he has a section of German war crimes in Poland. This is what I was referring to when I mentioned it might be relevant to this discussion. Nonetheless, if one part of his work is questionable it brings up questions of the work as a whole. I will create a thread discussing the topic. Thank you for the links.

Best regards,
Mansal

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

In the Lodzkie Voivodeship alone, 163 executions of civilian population took place in September of 1939 (2387 persons were murdered in these 163 executions). Of them 142 (87,2%) were commited by the Wehrmacht and only 10 were commited by the Waffen SS. But on the other hand - only one Waffen SS regiment fought there (Leibstandarte).

Source: Szymon Datner, "55 dni Wehrmachtu w Polsce" ("55 days of the Wehrmacht in Poland").

Several more numbers from this book (now concerning the entire Poland):

In period 1 IX - 25 IX 1939 in total 714 executions were commited (and 16,336 civilians killed)

On 1 IX 1939 in total 15 executions were commited (and 139 civilians killed)
On 4 IX 1939 in total 46 executions were commited (and 1,693 civilians killed)

Jochen Bohler, "Auftakt zum Vernichtungskrieg [...]", writes about the order of the HQ of 14. Army to divisional commanders from 18.09.1939, in which the HQ of 14. Army notices, that during the recent days:

"[...] numerous cases of lack of discipline, abuses and lawless actions against the civilian population were reported in the operational area of the army, among them also rapes [...]"

According to "Prześladowania ludności żydowskiej w okresie hitlerowskiej administracji wojskowej na okupowanych ziemiach polskich 1.9.-25.10.1939" ("Persecutions of Jewish minority in the period of Nazi military occupation on the occupied areas of Poland 1.9.-25.10.1939") by T. Berencstein and A. Rutkowski, numerous cases of rapes commited on Jewish girls and women by German soldiers took place during the Polish Campaign of 1939.

Jochen Bohler mentions the court trial of three German soldiers (they were from 14. Army) - Andreas Kerner, Siegfrid Baudisch and Franz Rothea - who were for three days plundering Jewish houses in the town of Busko (Southern Poland). While plundering these Jewish houses, they were raping all encountered Jewish women. One of Jewish families reported their crimes to the German martial court. The trial took place but the verdict is unknown.