A Lithuanian In The RAF

[Jolly]

Ordered executed by Hitler...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romualdas_Marcinkus

[George K]

@Jolly said in A Lithuanian In The RAF:

Ordered executed by Hitler...

Along with dozens and dozens of others who were part of "The Great Escape."

BTW: One of my friends, when I was growing up, was named Romaualdas. We called him "Ron."

[Jolly]

Hitler originally wanted all of them executed. Goring explained to him that the Allies held a lot of Axis flyers in POW camps and there might be reprisals. Hitler settled on fifty.

After the war, anybody responsible for the executions were hunted down and Justice was meted out. Either by war crimes trial or by execution when found. I've read in post- WW2, a list existed of Nazis that were to be killed when caught... IIRC, British MI6 and American OSS operatives worked in small teams to accomplish this.

[George K]

"Masters of the Air" had a sub-plot about the escape from Stalag Luft III.

[Renauda]

In the immediate aftermath of the D-Day landings the SS massacred a number of our troops. Following that there was an unwritten order from Guy Simonds staff that any captured Waffen SS were not to be taken prisoner but either summarily dealt with in the field or if at all practicable, turned over to the Polish regiments for special interrogation and processing.

[George K]

@Renauda said in A Lithuanian In The RAF:

special interrogation and processing.

Yeah. I'll bet it was "special."

Remember that scene from (I think) "The Longest Day," where the Allied soldier dispactches some German soldiers, turns to his comrade and says, "I wonder what "bitte" means.

[Renauda]

@George-K

My understanding is that the Poles very much appreciated our willingness to share our spoils with them in this regard.