HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH U.S. ARMY APO 408
Military Commission ]
Orders No. 2 }
23 June 1945
Before a Military Commission which convened at Ahrweiler, Germany, pursuant to Paragraph 1, Special Orders 108, 19 May 1945, as amended by Paragraph 2, Special Orders 133, 13 June 1945, Headquarters Fifteenth U. S. Army, was arraigned and tried :
Peter Back, a German civilian, resident of Preist, Regierungsbezirk Trier, Germany.
CHARGE: Violation of the Laws and Usages of War. Specification: In that Peter Back, a German civilian and not a lawful belligerent, did, at or near Preist, Germany, on or about 15 August 1944 violate the laws and usages of war by willfully,
294
2559-PS
deliberately and feloniously killing an American airman, name and rank unknown, a member of the Allied Forces, who had parachuted to earth at said time and place ip hostile territory and was then without any means of defense.
PLEAS
To the Specification of the Charge: To the Charge:
NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY
FINDINGS
Of the Specification of the Charge: GUILTY
Of the Charge: GUILTY
SENTENCE To be hanged by the neck until dead.
The sentence was adjudged on 16 June 1945.
The sentence is approved and confirmed under authority granted by Commanding General, Twelfth Army Group, in Ch> cular Number 14, Headquarters, Twelfth Army Group, dated 2 October 1944, as amended, and the sentence will be duly executed, but the execution of the sentence to be hanged by the neck until dead is hereby stayed pending further orders.
BY COMMAND OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL GEROW:
0. C. MOOD,
Colonel, GSC, Chief of Staff.
OFFICIAL:
/s/ R. B. Patterson
R. B. PATTERSON,
Colonel, A. G. D.,
Adjutant General.
DISTRIBUTION: "X"
3—TAG, Washington 25, D. C.
2— JAG, Washington 25, D. C.
1—SHAEF, APO 757, U.S. Army
1— AG, European T of Opns, APO 887, U.S. Army
3— JA, European T of Opns, APO 887, U.S. Army
2— Asst JAG, European T of Opns, APO 887, U.S. Army
3— JA, 12th Army Gp, APO 655, U.S. Army.
I certify that the above is a true and correct copy:
/s/ Thomas R. Sealy THOMAS R. SEALY,
- Major, AC
295
Record of the trial of Peter Back for the murder of a US airman in August 1944
Authors
O. C. Mood (colonel, 15th US Army (1945))
O. C. Mood
- Additional details not yet available.
Date: 23 June 1945
Literal Title: Military Commission ) Orders No. 2)
Defendant: Martin Bormann
Total Pages: 1
Language of Text: English
Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)
Evidence Code: PS-2559
Citation: IMT (page 2814)
HLSL Item No.: 453179
Notes:PS 2559 was presented for judicial notice without an exhibit number. Back was tried by a commission of the 15th US Army.
Document Summary
PS-2559: Certified copy of report on findings and sentence of Military Commission against below-names German civilian, at Ahrweiler
Certified copy of report on findings and sentence of Military Commission against below-named German civilian, at Ahrweiler