Werner Drechsler
Encyclopedia
Werner Drechsler was a German
U-boat crewman during World War II
. He was stationed on U-118 which was sunk off the Azores
in 1943. When he was taken prisoner he enthusiastically cooperated with his captors, which was likely because his father had spent time in one of Hitler's
Concentration Camps as a political prisoner.
Eventually, U.S. Navy
intelligence officers recruited Drechsler as a spy and placed him in a POW camp near Fort Meade, Maryland with other U-Boat
sailors. After arrival, Dreschsler worked undercover, befriending his fellow POWs in order to collect information regarding German submarine technology, operational procedures/tactics and any other intelligence which could be useful to the allies.
On March 12, 1944 Drechsler was transferred to a different POW camp in Arizona
which was filled mainly with other submariners of the Kriegsmarine
. This transfer took place despite the fact that Drechsler was supposed to be kept segregated from other naval prisoners, particularly his former crewmates on the U-118, who were aware of Drechsler's spying activities. The American authorities made a glaring error in transferring Drechsler to Arizona which quickly had fatal results: some members of the U-118 were confined at the camp and they immediately recognised their former crewmate. Word of Drechsler's undercover activities spread rapidly through the camp, and a Kangaroo
Court Martial was convened while Drechsler was asleep. The other prisoners eventually decided that it was necessary to kill Drechsler to ensure he could no longer spy upon them, and also to act as a deterrent for any other POWs who might consider collaborating with the enemy. Next morning Drechsler was found hanging in the shower room. He had been murdered within hours of arrival at the camp.
Seven men (Helmut Fischer, Fritz Franke, Gunther Kuelsen, Heinrich Ludwig, Bernard Ryak, Otto Stenger and Rolf Wizuy) were executed for the beating and hanging of Werner Drechsler. In what was to ultimately become the last mass execution in the United States
, the men were hanged on July 28, 1945 at Fort Leavenworth
, Kansas
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
U-boat crewman during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was stationed on U-118 which was sunk off the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
in 1943. When he was taken prisoner he enthusiastically cooperated with his captors, which was likely because his father had spent time in one of Hitler's
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
Concentration Camps as a political prisoner.
Eventually, U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
intelligence officers recruited Drechsler as a spy and placed him in a POW camp near Fort Meade, Maryland with other U-Boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
sailors. After arrival, Dreschsler worked undercover, befriending his fellow POWs in order to collect information regarding German submarine technology, operational procedures/tactics and any other intelligence which could be useful to the allies.
On March 12, 1944 Drechsler was transferred to a different POW camp in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
which was filled mainly with other submariners of the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
. This transfer took place despite the fact that Drechsler was supposed to be kept segregated from other naval prisoners, particularly his former crewmates on the U-118, who were aware of Drechsler's spying activities. The American authorities made a glaring error in transferring Drechsler to Arizona which quickly had fatal results: some members of the U-118 were confined at the camp and they immediately recognised their former crewmate. Word of Drechsler's undercover activities spread rapidly through the camp, and a Kangaroo
Kangaroo court
A kangaroo court is "a mock court in which the principles of law and justice are disregarded or perverted".The outcome of a trial by kangaroo court is essentially determined in advance, usually for the purpose of ensuring conviction, either by going through the motions of manipulated procedure or...
Court Martial was convened while Drechsler was asleep. The other prisoners eventually decided that it was necessary to kill Drechsler to ensure he could no longer spy upon them, and also to act as a deterrent for any other POWs who might consider collaborating with the enemy. Next morning Drechsler was found hanging in the shower room. He had been murdered within hours of arrival at the camp.
Seven men (Helmut Fischer, Fritz Franke, Gunther Kuelsen, Heinrich Ludwig, Bernard Ryak, Otto Stenger and Rolf Wizuy) were executed for the beating and hanging of Werner Drechsler. In what was to ultimately become the last mass execution in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the men were hanged on July 28, 1945 at Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
.