The Execution Of The First German Shot By The Americans

There were huge numbers of war crimes committed by the German Army during the Second World War, and some of the perpetrators were executed following the conflict.

The first man to be executed by the American Army was Curt Bruns, a German Army captain who had organised the executions of two American translators who had interrogated Wehrmacht soldiers whilst they were held in captivity.

Bruns was an experienced army officer, and he was an ardent Nazi, and he it's believed carried out more war crimes. But he was the first of only a few men who were executed on a firing range by the US Army. The majority of executions were carried out by the Americans on the gallows, but only very few were shot.

Curt Bruns was brought out to a firing range after the end of the war in Europe, and in the quarry he was faced with a number of men who were to execute him.