The finale of a war criminal’s existence: mysteries surrounding Oskar Dirlewanger’s death
The finale of a war criminal’s existence: mysteries surrounding Oskar Dirlewanger’s death
Author(s): Hubert KuberskiSubject(s): Military history, Political history, Military policy, WW II and following years (1940 - 1949)
Published by: Instytut Historii im. Tadeusza Manteuffla Polskiej Akademii Nauk
Keywords: Second World War; Oskar Dirlewanger; French occupation policy; occupation of Germany; defeat of the Third Reich; French First Army;
Summary/Abstract: The article explores all available documents in order to resolve the mystery surrounding the perpetrators of the murder of SS-Oberführer Oskar Dirlewanger. The most important issue was to identify the Polish perpetrators mentioned in two existing testimonies of German witnesses to the events. The only Polish troops operating in the vicinity of Altshausen turned out to be two battalions, the 19th and 29th Polish Infantry Groups (19ème and 29ème Groupement d’Infanterie Polonaise, GIP). One important aspect of understanding the possible involvement of the Polish communists was the demonstration of the many criminal behaviours that impacted the service of the 19ème and 29ème GIP, described in the subchapter “Relations within the Polish Infantry Groups.” The location of the French occupation units has not brought any clear answers either; Altshausen was under the authority of the commander of the 9th Zouave Regiment (9ème Régiment de Zouaves).
Journal: Studia z Dziejów Rosji i Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej
- Issue Year: 54/2019
- Issue No: Sp.
- Page Range: 225-256
- Page Count: 32
- Language: English