German Forces

Flying "court marshal", 1945.

"Sentence" being delivered by members of a "flying court marshal" of the sort common in German cities (notably Berlin) as the final act of the Third Reich approached. I recall reading an account by a Waffen-SS veteran officer (can't remember who, offhand) who described these entities as being composed of very young, inexperienced SS personnel ("hardly a decoration among them") who arrested, tried and executed anybody in uniform of whom they harboured the least suspicion of "desertion" or "cowardice". Desertion, and cowardice in the face of the enemy are, of course, serious military offences. However, when applied to soldiers making a rational decision, not to mention elderly men and children in uniform, perhaps a more merciful approach might have been appropriate. But then, amidst the Twilight of the Gods, the mere humans could hardly avoid suffering ... Best regards, JR.