Books photos about executed POWS June 1944

Originally posted by John McGillivray Not all 12th SS officers were involved in the killing of POW’s. Of note is the CO of II/26 Bn, Bernhard Siebken, who was trying to protect the Canadian POW’s. He disobeyed the orders from the Regt CO Wilhelm Mohnke to kill the prisoners, and he tried to evacuate them to the rear. However, Mohnke went chasing after them to ensure that they were executed. This was the group of 40 PW’s from the Winnipeg Rifles, including Edward Smith.

Hi John. Yes. Iknow. I certainly don't lay the blame or rep on all the German soldiers. Just the one's who who ordered the murders or took an opportunity to inflict the cruelties. I know some of the German side were horrified.

I had also learned that MOHNKE was a morphine addict... related to getting wired on it due to an war wound? Am I correct about the root of his addiction and the war wound? His leg? I think our MOHNKE hada whole lot of PTSD goin' on too. No excuses though. It reads as though my Uncles group were murdered without the cruel torture and humiliation that other POWS experienced. They sounded taunted but basically "no beating around the bush taking time to torture and interrogate, just massacred because ... BECAUSE? Didn't want to share the rations? It sounds like the German CO's didn't want to deal withthem is all. On whose orders? Their own? A higher ups?"

Carman (Mark ... thanks regards the info about whn th Concentration camps came to light. After the fact of these executions)