Friedrich Schubert
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Schubert
was a Greek
-speaking German
sergeant
( - Sdf, 'special officer') of the Wehrmacht
As head of the Jagdkommando Schubert, a paramilitary
force terrorizing the civilian population during the Nazi occupation of Greece in World War II
, he committed numerous atrocities in Crete
and Macedonia
.
Tried by a special court for war crimes in Athens
, he was sentenced 271 times to death
and executed.
merchant in Smyrna
and emigrated to Germany at a young age. There, he joined the National Socialist Party and became a dedicated Nazi. Schubert made his first appearance on Crete in 1941 as an interpreter to the German commander
of Rethymno
. Later, he succeeded Hartmann as the head of the German counter-espionage
network.
Due to his speaking of Turkish and his strong accent of Greek, Cretans nicknamed him "the Turk". In 1943, after recruiting several convicted Greek criminals and Germanophile
s (e.g., members of the Tzoulias family from Krousonas
), he established his notorious Jagdkommando ( - ΕΑΚΚ) in eastern Crete.
The Jagdkommando Schubert was an anti-communist militia unit intended to capture local resistance
fighters and those who helped them. Its conscripts, who were dressed
in Wehrmacht uniforms, become known among Cretans as the Schuberai or Schubertiani
. They were
notorious for their sadistic practices during attacks against civilians that involved beating,
torture, shootings and the destruction of numerous villages (e.g., Oropedio Lasithiou
, Rodakino,
Kali Sykia, Kallikratis
, etc.).
These events had enraged the local resistance
fighters and made them want to eliminate
the Schuberai at all costs. Soon, Schubert's unit lost its effectiveness as it could not operate away
from Chania
without the escort of a large Wehrmacht protective force. Hence, in 1944 Schubert and his
unit were transferred to Macedonia where they reinforced Poulos's collaborationist
battalion (a.k.a. Poulos Verband). While in Macedonia, Schubert's group continued their hideous
activities, being responsible for the massacres of Chortiatis
and Giannitsa
, among others..
on board a plane repatriating ex-concentration camp prisoners back to Greece. On August 5, 1947 he was found guilty of 271 murders and several other crimes including arson, rapes and thefts. For these, Schubert was convicted 271 times to death and several thousand years of imprisonment. He was executed in Eptapyrgio, Thessaloniki
on October 22, 1947.
was a Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
-speaking German
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...
sergeant
( - Sdf, 'special officer') of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
As head of the Jagdkommando Schubert, a paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
force terrorizing the civilian population during the Nazi occupation of Greece in 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 committed numerous atrocities in Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
and Macedonia
Macedonia (Greece)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of Greece in Southern Europe. Macedonia is the largest and second most populous Greek region...
.
Tried by a special court for war crimes in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, he was sentenced 271 times to death
and executed.
As a Wehrmacht officer
According to some sources, Schubert was born as Petros Konstantinidis , son to a rich tobaccoTobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
merchant in Smyrna
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
and emigrated to Germany at a young age. There, he joined the National Socialist Party and became a dedicated Nazi. Schubert made his first appearance on Crete in 1941 as an interpreter to the German commander
of Rethymno
Rethymno
Rethymno is a city of approximately 40,000 people in Greece, the capital of Rethymno peripheral unit in the island of Crete. It was built in antiquity , even though was never a competitive Minoan centre...
. Later, he succeeded Hartmann as the head of the German counter-espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
network.
Due to his speaking of Turkish and his strong accent of Greek, Cretans nicknamed him "the Turk". In 1943, after recruiting several convicted Greek criminals and Germanophile
Germanophile
A Germanophile is a person who is fond of German culture, German people, and Germany in general, exhibiting as it were German nationalism in spite of not being an ethnic German or a German citizen. Its opposite is Germanophobia...
s (e.g., members of the Tzoulias family from Krousonas
Krousonas
Krousonas is a village and a former municipality in the Heraklion peripheral unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Malevizi, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 4,059 ....
), he established his notorious Jagdkommando ( - ΕΑΚΚ) in eastern Crete.
The Jagdkommando Schubert was an anti-communist militia unit intended to capture local resistance
Greek Resistance
The Greek Resistance is the blanket term for a number of armed and unarmed groups from across the political spectrum that resisted the Axis Occupation of Greece in the period 1941–1944, during World War II.-Origins:...
fighters and those who helped them. Its conscripts, who were dressed
in Wehrmacht uniforms, become known among Cretans as the Schuberai or Schubertiani
. They were
notorious for their sadistic practices during attacks against civilians that involved beating,
torture, shootings and the destruction of numerous villages (e.g., Oropedio Lasithiou
Oropedio Lasithiou
Oropedio Lasithiou or Lasithi Plateau is a large scenic plain, and a municipality, located in the Lasithi peripheral unit in eastern Crete, Greece...
, Rodakino,
Kali Sykia, Kallikratis
Kallikratis
Kallikratis is a small village in oo ku taalo luuq ganaane southwest Crete, Greece. According to tradition, it was named after the admiral Manoussos Kallikratis, who in March 1453 led a campaign to reinforce the defense of Constantinople with 5 ships and 1500 Cretan volunteers...
, etc.).
These events had enraged the local resistance
Cretan resistance
The Cretan resistance was a resistance movement against Nazi Germany by the residents of the Greek island of Crete during World War II. Part of the larger Greek Resistance, it lasted from May 20, 1941, when the German Wehrmacht invaded the island in the Battle of Crete, until the fall of 1945 when...
fighters and made them want to eliminate
the Schuberai at all costs. Soon, Schubert's unit lost its effectiveness as it could not operate away
from Chania
Chania
Chaniá , , also transliterated Chania, Hania, and Xania, older form Chanea and Venetian Canea, Ottoman Turkish خانيه Hanya) is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania peripheral unit...
without the escort of a large Wehrmacht protective force. Hence, in 1944 Schubert and his
unit were transferred to Macedonia where they reinforced Poulos's collaborationist
Collaborationism
Collaborationism is cooperation with enemy forces against one's country. Legally, it may be considered as a form of treason. Collaborationism may be associated with criminal deeds in the service of the occupying power, which may include complicity with the occupying power in murder, persecutions,...
battalion (a.k.a. Poulos Verband). While in Macedonia, Schubert's group continued their hideous
activities, being responsible for the massacres of Chortiatis
Chortiatis
Chortiatis is a suburb and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 Kallikratis local government reform it is part of the municipality Pylaia-Chortiatis, of which it is a municipal unit...
and Giannitsa
Giannitsa
Giannitsa is the largest town and a former municipality in Pella regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pella, of which it is a municipal unit...
, among others..
After World War II
After the war, Schubert attempted to return to Greece. On 4 September 1945 he was arrested in EleusinaEleusina
Eleusina is a town and municipality in West Attica, Greece. It is situated about 18 km northwest from the centre of Athens. It is located in the Thriasian Plain, at the northernmost end of the Saronic Gulf. It is the seat of administration of West Attica regional unit...
on board a plane repatriating ex-concentration camp prisoners back to Greece. On August 5, 1947 he was found guilty of 271 murders and several other crimes including arson, rapes and thefts. For these, Schubert was convicted 271 times to death and several thousand years of imprisonment. He was executed in Eptapyrgio, Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
on October 22, 1947.
External links
- Chortiatis massacre from German Wikipedia