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55-742: According to the Third Geneva Convention of 1929 and its predecessor, the Hague Convention of 1907 , Section IV, Chapter 2, these camps were only for prisoners of war , not civilians. Stalags were operated in both World War I and World War II and were intended to be used for non-commissioned personnel ( enlisted ranks in the US Army and other ranks in British Commonwealth forces). Officers were held in separate camps called Oflag . During World War II,

110-424: A Panther tank company from the 21st Panzer-Division , the 352nd and 353rd flame-thrower tank companies (equipped with Flammpanzer 38(t)s), and the 653rd Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion (equipped with Jagdtigers ). The German attacks did not gain much ground, possibly because of the extreme weather conditions during the offensive. After engaging in heavy combat with the U.S. 7th Army , with little success and having

165-590: A USAAF air raid hit the divisional command post. With the Götz von Berlichingen' s combat units in tatters (the 38th SS Regiment had been reduced to a strength of about 800 men by November 15, 1944 ) and with no command structure, Hitler authorized the division to withdraw from Metz. The 38th SS Regiment was largely destroyed at Metz and reformed in November with troops from the SS training regiment "Kurmark". The remnants of

220-522: A group of seventy. The airmen were being held as prisoners of war and were executed in retaliation for the death of German soldiers who had been killed a few days earlier. The event occurred within the boundaries of Montmartin-en-Graignes in France on June 17, 1944. Erwin Schienkiewitz was tried at The General Military Court at Dachau. In addition to the aforementioned war crimes the accused was also

275-495: A line extending from the Rosselle River to just south of Puttelange . The Götz von Berlichingen was caught by surprise when US forces attacked again on December 4, capturing both Farébersviller and Puttelange. Seriously weakened, the SS division fell back to Sarreguemines , which it defended for five days before the town's occupation by US forces on December 11, 1944. The 17th SS Division subsequently retreated across

330-629: A member of an organization declared illegal by the International Military Tribunal. Schienkiewitz was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Case Nr.111 Crime Category: Final Phase Crimes Accused: Küster, Friedrich Erich 10 Years 3 Months Court: LG Ellwangen 490120 OLG Stuttgart 490527 Country where the crime was committed: Germany Crime Location: Ellwangen/Jagst Crime Date: 4504 Victims: Prisoners, Civilians Nationality: unknown, German Agency: Waffen-SS SS-Bataillon 'Götz von Berlichingen' Subject of

385-463: A part of the Dachau concentration camp complex) was a prison for high-ranking French VIPs, the so-called Ehrenhäftlinge ("honor prisoners"), including politicians Paul Reynaud and Édouard Daladier , labor leader Léon Jouhaux , and former commanders-in-chief Maxime Weygand and Maurice Gamelin . The SS force wanted to execute all such prisoners. The attack was defeated by the 23rd Tank Battalion of

440-407: A prisoner of war may keep and that the prisoner of war must be evacuated from the combat zone as soon as possible. Section 2 covers the internment of prisoners of war and is broken down into 8 chapters which cover: Section 3 (Articles 49–57) covers the type of labour that a prisoner of war may be compelled to do, taking such factors as rank, age, and sex into consideration, and that which because it

495-596: A sort of hostage to buy time to escape across the Isar River . Their effort was frustrated when the commander of the 14th Armored Division learned of the plan, and ordered his Combat Command A to take Moosburg, capture the bridge across the Isar River, and most importantly, secure and protect the Allied Prisoners of War. The American infantry and tank force advanced to Moosburg, and without delay attacked

550-436: Is broken down into three chapters. This part is divided into several sections: Section 1 (Articles 109–117) covers the direct repatriation and accommodation in neutral countries. Section 2 (Articles 118–119) covers the release and repatriation of prisoners of war at the close of hostilities. Section 3 (Articles 120–121) covers the death of a prisoner of war. The Information Bureau is an organisation that must be set up by

605-406: Is divided into several sections: Section 1 covers the beginning of captivity (Articles 17–20). It dictates what information a prisoner must give ("surname, first names and rank, date of birth, and army, regimental, personal or serial number"), and interrogation methods that the detaining power may use ("No physical or mental torture, nor any other form of coercion"). It dictates what private property

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660-399: Is unhealthy or dangerous can only be done by prisoners of war who volunteer for such work. It goes into details about such things as the accommodation, medical facilities, and that even if the prisoner of war works for a private person the military authority remains responsible for them. Rates of pay for work done are covered by Article 62 in the next section. Section 4 (Articles 58–68) covers

715-458: The Luftwaffe (German air force) operated Stalag Luft in which flying personnel, both officers and non-commissioned officers, were held. The Kriegsmarine (German navy) operated Marlag for Navy personnel and Milag for Merchant Navy personnel. Civilians who were officially attached to military units, such as war correspondents, were provided the same treatment as military personnel by

770-485: The Götz von Berlichingen found itself at Thouars in France, with no tanks (although the crews were fully equipped with 42 Sturmgeschütz IV assault guns ), only a few months' training, and below strength in officers and Non-commissioned officers . After the Allied invasion of June 6, 1944 , the Götz von Berlichingen was ordered to Normandy to take part in the efforts to reduce the Allied beachhead . On June 10

825-623: The Pfaelzer Forest and reached Wiesloch on the east bank of the Rhine. By April 1, the division's strength was rebuilt to roughly 7,000 men. It then took part in the Battle of Buchhof and Stein am Kocher and the Battle of Heilbronn . Subsequently, the division defended the Jagst and Tauber River valleys, as well as Bad Mergentheim . Although greatly reduced in numbers, it took part in

880-698: The Western Front during World War II . The division was raised near Poitiers , France, as the Panzer-Grenadier-Division " Götz von Berlichingen " in October 1943. It was formed from scratch, with the majority of its original cadre coming from replacement units and conscripts, many of whom were Romanian Germans and French volunteers. After September 8, 1943, around five hundred Italian volunteers, coming from units deployed in France were enlisted in "Götz von Berlichingen". The division

935-514: The defense of Nuremberg , where the 38th SS Regiment was destroyed by April 20. The rest of the division continued fighting until the 24th, and then fell back to Donauwörth on the Danube . The last organized engagement fought by the division was on April 29, 1945, at Moosburg , Germany. It was there that the division's commander attempted to use Stalag VII-A , the largest POW camp in Germany, as

990-704: The 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen who were accused and convicted of war crimes Erwin Schienkiewitz Case Nr.: 11-18 (U.S. vs. Erwin Wilhelm Konrad Schienkiewitz) File Number: US0018 Review Date: 470404 Erwin Wilhelm Konrad Schienkiewitz, an SS officer of the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division 38th Regiment, was accused of participation in the execution of two American airmen out of

1045-464: The 38th Regiment succeeded in cutting up two American rifle companies that made an ill-advised attack against stronger German forces. Hilsprich fell to another, better supported, American attack the following day. During November 28/29, elements of the 17th SS Division successfully defended Farébersviller against an attack by the US 80th Infantry Division . By December 1, the SS division was deployed along

1100-631: The Conventions. The Third Geneva Convention, Section III, Article 49, permits non-commissioned personnel of lower ranks to be used for work in agriculture and industry, but not in any industry producing war material. Further articles of Section III detail conditions under which they should work, be housed and paid. During World War II these latter provisions were consistently breached, in particular for Russian, Polish, and Yugoslav prisoners. According to Nazi ideology, Slavic people were regarded as rassisch minderwertig ("racially inferior"). Starvation

1155-740: The Detaining Power to facilitate the sharing of information by the parties to conflict and neutral powers as required by the various provisions of the Third Geneva Convention. It will correspond freely with "A Central Prisoners of War Information Agency ... created in a neutral country" to act as a conduit with the Power to which the prisoners of war owe their allegiance. The provisions of this part are contained in Articles 122 to 125. The central prisoners of war information agency

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1210-644: The German border and went into a defensive posture along the Blies River . Attacks by the US 35th Infantry Division against this line started December 12, resulting in heavy fighting for the control of Habkirchen , (southeast of Frauenberg ) and the high ground overlooking the valley of the Blies. The US 134th Infantry lost half its strength in this clash with the 17th SS Division, but captured Habkirchen by December 15. Under serious pressure because of infantry losses,

1265-679: The SS division was granted a reprieve when the Americans moved into a defensive posture on December 18. The Ardennes Offensive by Germany had begun to the north and US units from General George Patton 's Third Army were ordered to either hold fast or move north to assist in the defense of the Ardennes . When the division pulled back to the Maginot Line in mid November, its strength had been reduced to around 4,000 men (of which about 1,700 were infantry ) and 20 armored vehicles. Throughout

1320-522: The US 12th Armored Division under the command of Captain John C. 'Jack' Lee Jr., the former prisoners themselves, and anti-Nazi elements of the Wehrmacht under the command of Major Josef 'Sepp' Gangl , who died in the battle. The remaining members of the division surrendered to the US 101st Airborne Division at Rottach-Egern , north of Kufstein , on May 6, 1945. The following are individuals of

1375-402: The assault guns of the division's Panzer battalion and Oberst (colonel) Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte's 6th Fallschirmjäger Regiment, attacked the advancing American paratroopers. In what the Americans dubbed the Battle of Bloody Gulch , their attack was stopped by the arrival of Combat Command A of the U.S. 2nd Armored Division . For the rest of the month, the division

1430-472: The convention covers the status of prisoners of war. Article 12 states that prisoners of war are the responsibility of the state, not the persons who capture them, and that they may not be transferred to a state that is not party to the Convention. Articles 13 to 16 state that prisoners of war must be treated humanely without any adverse discrimination and that their medical needs must be met. This part

1485-423: The criminal execution of wounded paratroopers and French civilians by the "Götz von Berlichingen", has since been known as the Battle of Graignes . On June 11 the reconnaissance battalion engaged in combat near the town of Carentan with the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division. The Americans secured the town and were advancing south by the morning of June 13. SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 37 , supported by

1540-438: The defense of the 'West Wall' until March 18, 1945, when the Americans broke through . At this time its armored vehicle strength comprised 62 assault guns (of which 47 were operational) as well as two Panzer IV tanks. On March 22, division commander SS-Oberführer Fritz Klingenberg was killed in action. That day, the division abandoned all its vehicles and began to retreat, but only some 500 to 600 men escaped US encirclement in

1595-497: The defensive positions of the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division in front of the town. It fell following a brief, but ferocious battle. That same day the 14th Armored Division took over 7,000 German POWs, mostly SS. On May 5, five days after Hitler's suicide , and three days before Nazi Germany's surrender , elements of the division attacked the 13th-century castle Itter Castle in Tyrol , Austria . Castle Itter (administratively

1650-458: The division made contact with 182 paratroopers of the 3rd Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment , part of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division , and B Company, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment , of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division , at the village of Graignes. This small group of paratroopers had been dropped mistakenly by the U.S. 9th Army Air Force Troop Carrier Command and had decided to try to hold their positions. The ensuing battle, and

1705-527: The division pulled back to the Maginot Line , near Faulquemont to rest and refit. During this time, the Götz von Berlichingen was transferred to SS-Gruppenführer Max Simon's XIII SS Corps . US forces liberated Metz on November 22, 1944. Elements of the 38th SS Regiment defended Hilsprich against an advance of the American 35th Infantry Division on November 23. In the same defensive maneuver,

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1760-581: The division was back up to strength by the end of 1944. As a part of Simon's XIII SS Corps , the division participated in Operation Nordwind , the ill-fated last German offensive in the West. The Götz von Berlichingen , together with 36th Volksgrenadier Division , attacked the US 44th and 100th Infantry Divisions around the town of Rimling . For this attack, the division had been reinforced with

1815-522: The division was put back into the line and was tasked with destroying the newly formed bridgehead over the Moselle River held by the US 5th and 80th Infantry Divisions . After heavy fighting for the American bridgeheads at Dornot and Arnaville , the division fell back and began to prepare to defend Metz itself. Over the next two months, the division saw heavy fighting to the south and east of Metz, suffering very heavy casualties. On November 8,

1870-439: The division was re-titled the 17th SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Götz von Berlichingen" . In February 1944, the division still lacked vehicles. During the same year, on the orders of LXXX Army Corps, the division began to round up French vehicles in an attempt to complete its mobilization. By March, most of the major combat formations were fully motorised, although two of the six infantry battalions were still on bicycles. On 1 June,

1925-403: The divisional commander replaced five times, the majority of the divisional staff was relieved on January 3. Replacements, in the form of Army officers, were received the next day. On January 10, the divisional commander, Standartenführer Hans Lingner , was captured by a patrol from the 114th Infantry Regiment, 44th Infantry Division, when his car overturned on the slippery roads. The driver

1980-462: The early days of December 1944, the Götz von Berlichingen received resupply and reinforcement. Although the armored strength was only 17 assault guns by December 10, a further 17 were sent from Germany on December 28. The Panzergrenadier regiments were brought up to full strength with the addition of Volksdeutsche replacements. The quality of these replacements was far below that of the division's original elements. Despite this, at least on paper,

2035-417: The financial resources of prisoners of war. Section 5 (Articles 69–74) covers the relations of prisoners of war with the exterior. This covers the frequency of which a prisoner of war can send and receive post, including parcels. The Detaining power has the right to censor all mail, but must do so as quickly as possible. Section 6 covers the relations between prisoners of war and the detaining authorities: it

2090-644: The month, when the division was transferred to Metz for a much-needed rest and refit. In July the reserve battalion of the division was involved in counterinsurgency action against Operation Bulbasket in the Vienne Department. In early September, the division absorbed what was left of the SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 49 and SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 51 , raising its infantry strength. However, replacements for missing panzerjaeger and assault guns arrived slowly. On September 8,

2145-473: The parent stalag, which maintained personnel records and collected mail and International Red Cross packages and then delivered them to the individual Arbeitskommando . Any individuals who were injured in work, or became ill, were returned to the Lazarett (medical care facilities) at the parent stalag. Stalag Luft III , a large prisoner of war camp near Sagan , Silesia , Germany (now Żagań, Poland ),

2200-749: The prisoners alive. In the Soviet Stalags, the death rate during the entire war was 57.5 percent, although during the last months of 1941 this rate must have been much higher. In comparison, the mortality rate for Stalags for Western Allies was below 5 percent. More Soviet prisoners of war died every day in Nazi camps during the Autumn of 1941 than the total number of Western Allied POWs in the entire war. Prisoners of various nationalities were generally separated from each other by barbed-wire fences subdividing each stalag into sections. Frequently prisoners speaking

2255-476: The proceeding: Shooting of a Jewish dentist during the final days of the war Case Nr.243 Crime Category: Final Phase Crimes Accused: H., Walter 5 Years, M., Ludwig 3 Years Court: LG Landshut 500924 Country where the crime was committed: Germany Crime Location: Ebrantshausen, Holz (near Bad Wiessee) Crime Date: 450428, 450502 Victims: Civilians, Prisoners Nationality: German, unknown Agency: Waffen-SS SS-Division 'Götz von Berlichingen' Subject of

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2310-671: The proceeding: Shooting of a number of foreign concentration camp prisoners, in part for trying to escape; mishandling of civilians, who had made derogatory remarks about Hitler, and demolition of the 'Josefinum' in Ellwangen Case Nr.201 Crime Category: Final Phase Crimes Accused: Ba., Nikolaus Acquittal, Bu., Heinz Acquittal Court: LG Ellwangen 500316 Country where the crime was committed: Germany Crime Location: Dalkingen Crime Date: 450407 Victims: Prisoners Nationality: unknown Agency: Waffen-SS SS-Ersatz- und Ausbildungsbataillon 5 'Götz von Berlichingen' Subject of

2365-578: The proceeding: Shooting of eight exhausted concentration camp prisoners, who, while being part of a prisoners' transport, had stayed behind at the railway station grounds of Ellwangen Case Nr.251 Crime Category: Final Phase Crimes Accused: B., Peter Acquittal, E., Theodor Acquittal, H., Heinz Acquittal Court: LG Ellwangen 501025 Country where the crime was committed: Germany Crime Location: Dalkingen Crime Date: 450407 Victims: Prisoners Nationality: German Agency: Waffen-SS SS-Ersatz- und Ausbildungsbataillon 5 'Götz von Berlichingen' Subject of

2420-556: The proceeding: Shooting of eight exhausted concentration camp prisoners, who, while being part of a prisoners' transport, had stayed behind at the railway station grounds of Ellwangen Case Nr.466 Crime Category: Final Phase Crimes Accused: M., Heinz Proceeding suspended Court: LG Nürnberg-Fürth 581001 BGH 571022 Country where the crime was committed: Germany Crime Location: Burgthann Crime Date: 450417 Victims: Civilians Nationality: German Agency: Waffen-SS 17.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Götz von Berlichingen' Subject of

2475-469: The proceeding: Shooting of the mayor of Burgthann, who, summoned by the Americans, had ordered white flags to be hoisted in the town Case Nr.315 Crime Category: Final Phase Crimes Accused: H., Walter Acquittal Court: LG Regensburg 520505 Country where the crime was committed: Germany Crime Location: Dietfurt (Mittelfranken) Crime Date: 450425 Victims: Jews Nationality: German Agency: Waffen-SS SS-Division 'Götz von Berlichingen' Subject of

2530-482: The same language, for example British Commonwealth soldiers, were permitted to intermingle. At each Stalag the German Army set up sub-camps called Arbeitskommando to hold prisoners in the vicinity of specific work locations, whether factories, coal-mines, quarries, farms or railroad maintenance. These sub-camps sometimes held more than 1,000 prisoners, separated by nationality. The sub-camps were administered by

2585-542: The treatment of prisoners of war , is one of the four treaties of the Geneva Conventions . The Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War was first adopted in 1929, but significantly revised at the 1949 conference. It defines humanitarian protections for prisoners of war. There are 196 state parties to the Convention. This part sets out the overall parameters for GCIII: This part of

2640-511: Was a deliberate policy in the Stalags, particularly with regard to Soviet prisoners of war. The camps consisted of a field with barbed wire around it, in which thousands of people were crammed together. There was usually no room to sit or lie down. Also, there was often no shelter from the weather, which could be very cold in the Polish and Belarusian winter. The food provided was too little to keep

2695-484: Was created within the Red Cross . Consists of two sections. Section 1 (Articles 126–132) General provisions. Section 2 (Articles 133–143) Final provisions. 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division G%C3%B6tz von Berlichingen The 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division "Götz von Berlichingen" ( German : 17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Götz von Berlichingen" ) was a German Waffen-SS division that saw action on

2750-526: Was engaged in heavy fighting for the bocage country near Saint Lô and Coutances . During this period, the Götz von Berlichingen suffered heavy losses and by the beginning of July, its strength was reduced to 8,500 men. The division was in the line of advance for Operation Cobra , and suffered heavy losses attempting to halt the Allied offensive. It was encircled by the U.S. 2nd Armored Division around Roncey where it lost most of its armored equipment. It

2805-549: Was granted the honour-title Götz von Berlichingen . Obersturmbannführer Otto Binge oversaw the formation of the division, with the newly promoted Brigadeführer Werner Ostendorff taking command in January 1944. The Götz von Berlichingen was placed under the LXXX Army Corps , a part of Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt's Heeresgruppe D . As part of a plan to number all named SS divisions in early 1944,

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2860-434: Was liberated by the U.S. 14th Armored Division following a short battle with SS soldiers of the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division on 29 April 1945. Stalag III-C is notable for the escape of US paratrooper Joseph Beyrle , who subsequently joined a Soviet tank battalion commanded by Aleksandra Samusenko , which returned to liberate the camp. Third Geneva Convention The Third Geneva Convention , relative to

2915-551: Was shot on the spot; Lingner, his aide-de-camp Untersturmführer Jund, and another of his staff were brought to the US lines where they were interrogated. Oberst Gerhard Lindner , one of the Army officers recently transferred to the division, took command on January 15. The division remained engaged with the divisions of the US XV Corps until Operation Nordwind ended on January 30, 1945. The Götz von Berlichingen took part in

2970-527: Was the site of an escape attempt (later filmed as The Great Escape ). On 24 March 1944, 76 Allied prisoners escaped through a 110 m (approximately 360 feet) long tunnel. Of these, 73 were recaptured within two weeks, and 50 of them were executed by order of Hitler in the Stalag Luft III murders . The largest German World War II prisoner of war camp was Stalag VII-A at Moosburg , Germany. Over 130,000 Allied soldiers were imprisoned there. It

3025-535: Was then ordered to take part in the Mortain Offensive, codenamed Operation Lüttich . After the failure of this offensive, the division was split into four Kampfgruppen , 'Braune', 'Gunter', 'Fick' and 'Wahl'. These small units managed to escape encirclement in the Falaise Pocket , but suffered heavy losses and remained in almost constant combat against the advancing Americans until the end of

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