Places of escape and refuge for Wehrmacht deserters
A picture documentary
Between 1939 and 1945, the German Wehrmacht waged a war of aggression and extermination throughout Europe and North Africa. Around 130,000 soldiers from Tyrol, Vorarlberg and South Tyrol were involved. About one to two percent of them deserted during the war and opposed military obedience to die and kill “for the leader.” The offenses of “desertion” and “evading military service” carried the death penalty. Where did Wehrmacht deserters survive? Where were their hiding places? Where did they manage to escape from persecution by the Wehrmacht judiciary, Gestapo, police and gendarmerie? Where were they imprisoned, where brought to justice and where shot? Where (and by whom) did they get help to avoid death? This photo blog shows places of escape and refuge and places of persecution in Tyrol, Vorarlberg and South Tyrol and is updated weekly.
Citation of articles and images:
Name of the author, title of the blog entry, in: Places of escape and refuge for Wehrmacht deserters. A photo documentation, 2023, [https://www.uibk.ac.at/zeitgeschichte/flucht-und-zufluchtsorte-von-wehrmachtsdeserteuren/], Einsichtsdatum.
Bildherkunft und -rechte:
Markus Jenewein, Miro Kuzmanovic, Thomas Taurer und Elisabeth Hölzl