Dostler tied to a stake before his execution

Anton Dostler (May 10, 1891 - December 1, 1945) was a General of infantry in the regular German army during World War II (see Germany and Nazi party). In the first allied war trial after the war, Dostler was tried and found guilty of war crimes and sentenced to death by firing squad. In the trial, Dostler was accused of carrying out an illegal order, while Dostler maintained that he did not issue the order, but only passed along an order to General Almers from supreme command. original source: National Archives. ... original source: National Archives. ... May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a mid-twentieth-century conflict that engulfed much of the globe. ... The Nazi swastika symbol The National Socialist German Workers Party ( German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), better known as the NSDAP or the Nazi Party was a political party that was led to power in Germany by Adolf Hitler in 1933. ... A war crime is a punishable offense, under international (criminal) law, for violations of the law of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ... Execution by firing squad is a method of capital punishment, especially in times of war. ...

On March 22, 1944, fifteen men of the U.S. Army (including two officers) landed on the Italian coast about 100 kilometres north of La Spezia, 250 miles behind the then established front. Their mission was to demolish a railroad tunnel between La Spezia and Genoa. Two days later, the group was captured by a party of Italian Fascist soldiers and members of the German army. They were brought to La Spezia where they were confined near the headquarters of the 135th Fortress Brigade, which was under the command of German Colonel Almers. Almers' next higher headquarters was that of the 75th German Army Corps, commanded by Dostler. March 22 is the 81st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (82nd in Leap years). ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Map of Italy showing La Spezia in the northwest La Spezia is a city in the Liguria region of northern Italy, at the head of La Spezia Gulf. ... Location within Italy Flag of Genoa Christopher Columbus monument in Piazza Aquaverde Genoa (Italian Genova, Genoese Zena, French Gênes, German Genua) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria. ...

The captured U.S. soldiers were interrogated and one of the U.S. officers revealed the story of the mission. This information was then sent to Dostler at the 75th German Army Corps. The following day (March 25), Dostler sent a telegram to the 135th Fortress Brigade ordering that the captured soldiers be executed. Officers at the 135th Fortress Brigade contacted Dostler to bring a stay of the execution. Dostler then sent another telegram ordering Almers to carry out the execution. Two last attempts were made by the officers at the 135th, including some by telephone. All these attempts were unsuccessful and the 15 Americans were executed on the morning of March 26. March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (86th in leap years). ...

External link

• The Dostler Case
• Dostler's defense Explained by Kent Emery, Jr., son of one of Doslter's defense attorneys.