This article recounts the story of General Anton Dostler – a German general who approved the execution of fifteen American prisoners of war under Hitler’s illegal “Commando Order” – and his subsequent trial and execution by firing squad in 1945. The content is for educational and historical documentation only, based on trial records, news sources, and historical archives. It does not aim to glorify violence or advocate for any political ideology.
The Execution of the Nazi General Who Executed 15 American Soldiers and Then Begged for Mercy – Anton Dostler
Anton Dostler’s career reflects the rise, brutality, and eventual collapse of Nazi Germany. Born in 1891, he served in the Bavarian Army during World War I, earning multiple medals for bravery. After Germany’s defeat, he remained in the significantly reduced Reichswehr and later advanced through the ranks as Hitler rebuilt the army in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles. By the time the Wehrmacht launched its war of annihilation against the Soviet Union in 1941, Dostler was already part of a system that tolerated and supported atrocities across Eastern Europe, including collaboration with the Einsatzgruppen.
During the war, Dostler commanded several divisions and corps on the Eastern Front, in Finland, and later in Italy. After Italy switched sides in 1943, German forces brutally occupied the country, suppressing resistance and executing captured partisans. It was under these conditions that Dostler made the decision that would shape his legacy. In March 1944, fifteen American soldiers in uniform, participating in a sabotage mission – Operation Ginny II – were captured near La Spezia. Although they were lawful prisoners of war, Dostler approved their execution under Hitler’s illegal “Commando Order,” despite objections from officers who warned him that it violated the Geneva Convention.
After Germany’s surrender, the United States brought Dostler to trial in the first Allied war crimes tribunal of the post-war era. His defense – that he was “only following orders” – was rejected, setting a precedent later used at Nuremberg. Convicted, he was executed by firing squad on December 1, 1945. This case remains one of the clearest examples of individual responsibility for wartime crimes.
1. Early Life and Career: A Soldier from the Start
Anton Dostler was born on May 10, 1891, in Munich, Bavaria, into a military family. His father was an officer in the Bavarian Army, and Anton followed in his footsteps, joining the army as a cadet in 1910. When World War I broke out in 1914, he served as a junior officer on the Western Front. He was wounded multiple times and received the Iron Cross for his bravery.
After the war, Germany was forced to reduce its military under the Treaty of Versailles. Dostler was one of the few officers retained in the Reichswehr, the post-war German army. He remained in service through the Weimar Republic and continued his career under Hitler’s rearmament program, which began in the 1930s.
2. World War II: Service on Multiple Fronts
By the time World War II began in 1939, Dostler had risen to the rank of major general. He served on the Eastern Front, commanding troops in the brutal campaigns against the Soviet Union. He also served in Finland and later in Italy, where he was appointed commander of the 75th Army Corps.
In Italy, Dostler was responsible for defending the coastline against Allied landings. The Italian campaign was marked by fierce fighting between German forces and the Allies, as well as a growing resistance movement among Italian partisans. The German response was harsh; captured partisans were often executed as “terrorists.”
3. Operation Ginny II: The Mission That Sealed His Fate
On March 22, 1944, a group of fifteen American soldiers was captured by German forces near La Spezia, Italy. The soldiers were part of Operation Ginny II, a sabotage mission aimed at blowing up a railway tunnel used by German supply lines. They were wearing US Army uniforms and carried weapons openly – making them lawful combatants under the Geneva Convention.
The soldiers were taken to the headquarters of General Dostler, who was the senior German commander in the area. Despite the fact that they were prisoners of war, Dostler decided to execute them under Hitler’s “Commando Order,” which stated that all captured commandos, regardless of whether they were in uniform, were to be executed without trial.
Dostler’s subordinates protested. They pointed out that the Americans were legitimate prisoners of war and that executing them would violate the Geneva Convention. Dostler overruled them. On March 26, 1944, the fifteen American soldiers were executed by firing squad.
4. The Aftermath: The Hunt for Justice
After the war, the United States was determined to bring those responsible for war crimes to justice. Dostler was arrested and charged with the murder of the fifteen American soldiers. He was tried in the first Allied war crimes tribunal, held in Rome in October 1945.
The trial was swift and straightforward. The prosecution presented evidence that the soldiers were lawful combatants and that Dostler had personally approved their execution despite being told it was illegal. Dostler’s defense – that he was following orders from Hitler – was rejected. The tribunal ruled that orders to commit murder could not be used as a defense.
On October 12, 1945, Anton Dostler was found guilty of war crimes and sentenced to death by firing squad.
5. The Execution: December 1, 1945
Dostler was executed on December 1, 1945, at the Aversa prison camp near Naples, Italy. According to witnesses, he was allowed to speak briefly before the execution. He said: “I have been a soldier all my life. I only did what I was ordered to do. I ask for mercy.”
His plea was ignored. He was strapped to a chair, a blindfold was placed over his eyes, and a firing squad of twelve soldiers fired. He was pronounced dead immediately.
Dostler was 54 years old. He was the first German general to be executed by the Allies after World War II.
6. The Legacy: A Precedent for Nuremberg
The Dostler trial was significant for several reasons. It was the first Allied war crimes trial after the war, setting the stage for the larger Nuremberg trials that followed. It also established the principle that “following orders” is not a valid defense for committing war crimes. This principle was later used to convict many other Nazi officials, including those tried at Nuremberg.
The Dostler case also highlighted the brutality of Hitler’s Commando Order, which called for the execution of all captured commandos without trial. This order was a direct violation of the Geneva Convention and was one of the many ways in which the Nazi regime disregarded international law.
7. The Fifteen American Soldiers: Remembering the Victims
The fifteen American soldiers executed by Dostler were all members of the 2677th Special Reconnaissance Battalion, a unit trained for sabotage operations. Their names are:
Thomas A. Adams
Vincent J. Aylward
Salvatore A. Caruso
William C. Cerasoli
Frank M. Chimenti
Salvatore A. Di Benedetto
Thomas A. Di Fiore
Anthony J. Di Marco
Joseph R. Gatto
James J. Gifford
Anthony J. Grasso
Michael J. Incognito
Charles R. Kaufman
James A. Masterson
Albert J. Vitale
All fifteen were posthumously awarded the Silver Star for their bravery. They were later reburied at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery.
Conclusion
Anton Dostler was a career soldier who fought bravely for his country in two world wars. But he also made a decision that cost him his life and tarnished his reputation forever. By choosing to execute fifteen American prisoners of war against the advice of his subordinates and in violation of international law, he became a symbol of the brutality of the Nazi regime.
His trial and execution served as a warning to others: that war crimes would be punished, and that “following orders” would not be an excuse for murder. His case remains a powerful reminder of the importance of individual accountability in the face of atrocities.
Primary Sources:
United Nations War Crimes Commission records – Anton Dostler trial (1945)
National Archives (USA) – Operation Ginny II files
Contemporary newspaper reports – The New York Times, The Guardian (1945)
Historical studies of the Commando Order and its application
Wikipedia – Anton Dostler / Operation Ginny II / Commando Order