# An American Werewolf in Baghdad **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 27, 2003, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913 "2003-08-27T04:52:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/21 "2003-08-27T18:15:38Z")
I had never heard the term “Werewolf” related to post war resistance. That I know of the term was used for disguised German soldiers used in the Battle of the Bulge to confuse American Units and stop reinforcement and coordination. They mostly did minor sabotage. The confusion caused was pretty big and the number of arrested Real American soldiers and officers was an added and amusing hassle. ``` From the cites given... the more deadly "werewolf" actions happened within 3 months of surrender. Considering that the German Army numbered millions and the fanatical SS several divisions the comparison to the beaten up Iraqi army of 500k shows that in relative terms the Iraqi invasion is WAY WORSE than Germany 1945. Most Germans were also pretty relieved to be under US control instead of Russian sphere... so not much relevance there either. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/22 "2003-08-27T18:17:59Z")
**december** , if you follow the links, your EZ-board post cites the same article that it appears all these rightwing sites are using, in the prior thread it’s what your blog ultimately was using as a source as well. It is [this book review](http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m1373/10_50/66157021/p1/article.jhtml?term=) for _The Last Nazis_. If you read the review, you’ll notice that the text of it has repeatedly been lifted verbatim – it’s in the EZ board and your blog from the original thread you mentioned the Werewolves in. You’ll also notice that it lists a grand total of 5 Americans killed in the Bremen police headquarters bombing as the extent of post war fatalities. That is all that your googling has found, the same text from the same book review used repeatedly. Postwar Germany was most emphatically **not** a bloody affair, read some of the official histories provided by **Eolbo**. Occupation duty in post war Germany did not involve massive sweeps to hunt down Werewolves in the cities, raids to discover huge hidden caches of weapons, search and destroy operations against bands of Werewolves roaming the countryside, and daily attacks against US personnel. I love the thread title. In my estimation now that Rumsfeld finally had to come out and admit that US and Coalition troops are facing guerilla action in Iraq rather than ‘dead-enders’ or criminals, he had to find some way to cast the in the worst possible light, so he used the misreading of history in regards to the Werewolves and Godwinised them. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/23 "2003-08-27T19:13:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dissonance \* > **december** , if you follow the links, your EZ-board post cites the same article that it appears all these rightwing sites are using, in the prior thread it’s what your blog ultimately was using as a source as well. It is [this book review](http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m1373/10_50/66157021/p1/article.jhtml?term=) for _The Last Nazis_. Fair enough. I have one source. Those calling Rumsfeld a liar have no sources. > [@](#): > > You’ll also notice that it lists a grand total of 5 Americans killed in the Bremen police headquarters bombing as the extent of post war fatalities. That statement is so incomplete as to constitute spin. It takes one example as if it were the entirety of what the Werewolves did, but it ignores other key points. Acording to the article:[ul][li]That particular attack in Bremen also killed 39 Germans.[_]There were a lot of Werewolves: “Some 5,000 – 6,000 recruits were raised by the winter of 1944-45, but numbers rose considerably in the following spring”[_]They “specialised in ambushes and sniping”The Werewolves were active from 1944 to 1947. It stands to reason that thousands of people committing murderous attacks for a 3-year must have perpetrated a great many deaths. [/li] E.g., if 5,000 people each averaged one successful attack a month for 3 years, there would have been 180,000 Werewolf attacks. Reduce this by a factor of 10 and we’re still talking about 18,000 – an enormous number. Reduce it by a factor of 100 and you’ve got 1800, still a lot more than there have been in Iraq so far. (Although, to be fair, I have read that some Iraqi collaberators have been killed, but I don’t know how many.)[li]The article gives many other suggestions of substantial bloodshed. E.g.:[/li] – “Werewolves…took the lives of many Allied and Soviet soldiers and officers.” – “Buildings housing Allied and Soviet staffs were favourite targets for Werewolf bombings;” – “Werewolves…soon began to undertake scorched-earth measures and vigilante actions against German `collaborators' or `defeatists’.” – “Attempts to blow up factories, power plants or waterworks occasionally provoked melees between Werewolves and desperate German workers” – “vigilante attacks caused the deaths of a number of small-town mayors and, in late March 1945, a Werewolf paratroop squad assassinated the Lord Mayor of Aachen, Dr Franz Oppenhoff”[/ul]So, what does the article show? – The Werewolves were active for 3 years from 1944 - 1947 – They did kill a lot of people – We don’t know how many other American soldiers died during the occupation, but I’ll bet there were plenty of accidents and unexplained deaths. There always are. Today’s lead editorial in the New York Times complains about the total number of American deaths in “post-war” Iraq (all deaths, not just those due to enemy attacks). I’ll bet that the figure is nowhere the total number of deaths in post-WW2 Germany. The improvements in auto safety alone would have made a significant difference. The difference in POV is that we’re focused on each individual death in Iraq (and properly so.) But after tens of millions died in WW2, the deaths of a few thousand during the post-war period aren’t important enough to be in the history books. ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/24 "2003-08-27T20:44:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > Fair enough. I have one source. Those calling Rumsfeld a liar have no sources. That is a lie in itself. [quote] Some 5,000 – 6,000 recruits were raised by the winter of 1944-45, but numbers rose considerably in the following spring"[li]They “specialised in ambushes and sniping”The Werewolves were active from 1944 to 1947.[/li][/quote] that is not the same as 5.000-6.000 were active from 45-47 \*\*As you have already been told \*\* the vast majority surrendered on Donitz’s orders. So, this is utter rubbish. > [@](#): > > if 5,000 people each averaged one successful attack a month for 3 years, there would have been 180,000 Werewolf attacks. Reduce this by a factor of 10 and we’re still talking about 18,000 – an enormous number. Reduce it by a factor of 100 and you’ve got 1800, still a lot more than there have been in Iraq so far. Now that you have nicely established that there was a (\*\*totaly fictitious[/b) high number of casualties, you then compare it to Iraq. Again with the intent to nullify any importance of current casualties. Sometimes I wonder if you’re being paid to write this sort of spin. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/25 "2003-08-27T21:07:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Latro \* > that is not the same as 5.000-6.000 were active from 45-47 > \*\*As you have already been told \*\* the vast majority surrendered on Donitz’s orders. I adjusted for that. I pointed out that if you reduced my estimate 10-fold _or even 100-fold_ you would still get a number quite a bit larger than the American deaths in Iraq to date. > [@](#): > > Now that you have nicely established that there was a ( **totaly fictitious** ) high number of casualties, you then compare it to Iraq. Again with the intent to nullify any importance of current casualties. My estimate is an order of magnitude guess, based on what the book review said. A range of 1,800 to 180,000 more-or-less is obviously imprecise, but I think it’s reasonable. Before retirement I made order-of-magnitude estimates professionally, and I was pretty good at it. OTOH, the opposing figure of 5 American deaths is unreasonable. It’s based on one single attack, even though the source tells us that there were numerous attacks, which “took the lives of many Allied and Soviet soldiers and officers.” > [@](#): > > Sometimes I wonder if you’re being paid to write this sort of spin. The _New York Times_ doesn’t pay me, but they will be publishing a Letter to Editor from me tomorrow on the subject of Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/26 "2003-08-27T21:33:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > **Fair enough. I have one source. Those calling Rumsfeld a liar have no sources.** Blindingly untrue, links to official US histories from the occupation period have been provided. They show **no evidence whatsoever** of widespread attacks after the German surrender. Most of the attacks by the Wolverines occurred during the war, and the 5,000-6,000 recruits were raised during the war and by and large surrendered afterwards. You are making up numbers from thin air when you decide that these 5,000 wolverines were active after the war and conducted anywhere from 1,800 to 180,000 attacks. It’s pure unadulterated rubbish. It never happened. I’d suggest looking up this title at your local library, if they don’t have a copy they can no doubt obtain one through inter-library loan: THE U.S. ARMY IN THE OCCUPATION OF GERMANY, 1944-1946, by Earl F. Ziemke. (1975, 1985, 1990; 484 pp., maps, charts, illustrations, note on sources, glossary, index). CMH Pub 30-6, paper, GPO S/N 008-029-00090-3, $24.00. The role of the U.S. Army in the post-World War II occupation of Germany. It is the official US Army history of the occupation of Germany, part of the ‘Green Book’ series. You will find that Wolverine activities against US forces occurred almost entirely prior to the end of hostilities in Europe on May 8, 1945. The “numerous attacks” conducted by the Wolverines occurred almost entirely during the war. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/27 "2003-08-27T21:41:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dissonance \* > \*\* The “numerous attacks” conducted by the Wolverines occurred almost entirely during the war. \*\* So, how many occurred after the war? ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/28 "2003-08-27T22:26:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > \*\*So, how many occurred after the war? \*\* I’m having an awfully hard time coming up with a number for you, **december**. Want to know why? From RAND’s America’s Role in Nation-Building: From Germany to Iraq, there’s a link [here, warning, it’s a pdf file](http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1753/MR1753.ch2.pdf), bolding is mine: > [@](#): > > U.S. officials anticipated and planned to deal with significant residual German resistance following the surrender of its armed forces. **Yet no resistance of consequence emerged then or at any time thereafter** , much as in Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy (see Chapter Five). ---
**Author:** ![quixotic78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3ab097/32.png) [@quixotic78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quixotic78)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/29 "2003-08-27T23:32:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > **So, to measure the deaths caused by Werewolves, one must count Germans and Russians, as well as Americans.** I feel like you guys are doing a pretty good job of debunking **december** (not that he’d ever realize it), but this is actually a fair point. I can’t imagine Soviet records of the time are as accurate as our own. Still, like **Eolbo** said (I think it was him), you’ve got to start to question the paucity of evidence. If these Werewolves were so nasty, why are only the two attacks mentioned time and time again? Also, > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > **But after tens of millions died in WW2, the deaths of a few thousand during the post-war period aren’t important enough to be in the history books.** This is so ridiculous it’s almost criminal. I bet I could find out what Ike ate on April 2, 1943 if I wanted to. WW2 is clearly THE most significant event in human history. You think people were lazy in writing about it? Besides, if this is your argument, why are there records of the Bremen and Passau attacks? Shouldn’t those be considered not “important enough to be in the history books”? Hell, we’ve got [records](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000310.html) of deaths in the Pacific after the end of WWII… why are those recorded, but not the German ones? ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/30 "2003-08-28T00:31:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dissonance \* > \*\*I’m having an awfully hard time coming up with a number for you, **december**. Want to know why? From RAND’s America’s Role in Nation-Building: From Germany to Iraq, there’s a link [here, warning, it’s a pdf file](http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1753/MR1753.ch2.pdf), bolding is mine: \*\* Impressive cite, **Dissonmance**. Looks like you may have won the debate as regards the post war period. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/31 "2003-08-28T00:35:28Z")
Why is the comparison with German resistance and not, say, French ? In fact, why is there a comparison at all given the Iraqi army mostly just went home (and didn’t stay around long enough to be defeated), the entire Iraqi border is open and people come and go as the please (like the Afghanistan/Pakistan border during the USSR occupation and not like post-WW2 germany) and the ideology driving this particular resistance is a desire to be free of western occupation (rather than a Nazi ideology) ? ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/32 "2003-08-28T00:50:35Z")
> [@](#): > > _quixotic78 said:_ > I feel like you guys are doing a pretty good job of debunking december (not that he’d ever realize it), but this [_Russian and German casualties_] is actually a fair point. I can’t imagine Soviet records of the time are as accurate as our own. Well, the circumstances of the Soviet held territory aren’t being used for comparison (and I’m not sure that would help out the pro-occupation argument 😉 ). If we are including German casualties of Werewolf attacks then Iraqi casualties would have to be as well. However it muddies the issue since Rumsfeld is talking about military casualties. From the 2nd link in OP: > [@](#): > > Mr Rumsfeld, speaking at a conference in San Antonio, Texas, compared the situation to Germany after World War II, **when Allied forces came under attack** from former Nazi soldiers. “Like the death squads in Iraq, they failed to stop the liberation of Germany,” he said. (my emphasis) So while it is worth considering if we really want to compare the situations-- in this debate it is a typical **december** dodge. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/33 "2003-08-28T01:28:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > \*\*Impressive cite, **Dissonmance**. Looks like you may have won the debate as regards the post war period. \*\* But and the wassun… _jaw drops_.:eek: Why thank you, **december**. I’m surprised that official US Army history didn’t cut it for you, though. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/34 "2003-08-28T03:08:30Z")
> [@](#): > > _December said_ > Impressive cite, Dissonmance. Looks like you may have won the debate as regards the post war period. Oh as regards the post war period, IOW the whole friggin’ debate. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Eolbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@Eolbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eolbo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/35 "2003-08-28T04:15:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > \*\*Impressive cite, **Dissonmance**. Looks like you may have won the debate as regards the post war period. \*\* **December** there never was a debate, your position was a complete non-starter without even a shred of historical credibility. Now I hope you will stop propagating a lie. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/36 "2003-08-28T05:30:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > The _New York Times_ doesn’t pay me, but they will be publishing a Letter to Editor from me tomorrow on the subject of Iraq. \*\* Already online. To the surprise of, well, no one, you simply repeat as fact something which has been repeatedly and patiently explained to you here is not a fact, that the UN was never going to approve an invasion of Iraq under any circumstances. There’s a word for what you do - but at least you’re consistent about where you do it, namely everywhere. But, if you really want to look foolish to the entire world as well as here, that’s your business. As for the Werewolf stuff above, it’s noticeable that you have no basis for saying what you have about it, that any issue of fact has always, always fallen on others to support, that you have repeatedly demanded information that you have the time and knowledge to find out yourself, and that you have in short been stalling through this entire thread in order to avoid confronting your fear of finding that the facts do not comport with your preconceptions of the world. You owe several posters here your gratitude for their unwarranted patience. ---
**Author:** ![T.Mehr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@T.Mehr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.Mehr)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/37 "2003-08-28T06:56:20Z")
After you guys have thoroughly put away with this stupid comparison of post-war Germany and Iraq, one big question remains: How come nobody (in charge) ever thought about it that there might be differences? Did Rumsfeld really belive, that after Saddam is gone, everything would go as smoothly as after WWII? On the one side we have a people totally exhausted after 6 years of war - and a total defeat. On the other hand an army that fled after a couple of month of fighting. And - surprising as it might be - I see some differences in mentality between the two nations, too… ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/38 "2003-08-28T13:09:21Z")
**T. Mehr** , I don’t think there is any chance that Rumsfeld ever believed it. He was, after all, actually alive at the end of WW2 (he was about ~13-16 yrs old during the 3 years following). This is merely a false talking point to try and make the Iraq pill easier to swallow. Business as usual. ---
**Author:** ![MMI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@MMI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MMI)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/39 "2003-08-28T14:18:55Z")
From **Dissonance** ’s first cite, now available as a site! THE U.S. ARMY IN THE OCCUPATION OF GERMANY 1944-1946 by Earl F. Ziemke [http://www.army.mil/CMH-PG/books/wwii/Occ-GY/](http://www.army.mil/CMH-PG/books/wwii/Occ-GY/) Looking at chapter 19: [http://www.army.mil/CMH-PG/books/wwii/Occ-GY/ch19.htm](http://www.army.mil/CMH-PG/books/wwii/Occ-GY/ch19.htm) > [@](#): > > Except for black marketeering, some thefts of food and firewood, and petty violations of military government ordinances, the German civilian crime rate was low, sometimes almost disconcertingly low for the Army agencies charged with ferreting out and suppressing resistance. In October, after five months of occupation, Seventh Army G-2 believed Germany to be a “simmering cauldron of unrest and discontent” and claimed to have detected a “mounting audaciousness in the German population”; but as concrete evidence G-2 could only cite some illicit traffic in interzonal mail (then still prohibited), a “strongly worded” > > ## [354] > > Werwolf threat to one military government officer in the Western Military District, and a protest against denazification from the Evangelical Church of Wuerttemberg.38 Patrols occasionally found decapitation wires stretched across roads, ineptly it would seem, since no deaths or injuries resulted from them. Military government public safety officers from scattered locations reported various anti-occupation leaflets and posters, some threats against German girls who associated with US soldiers, and isolated attacks on soldiers. Although not a single case was confirmed, possibly the most talked about crimes against the occupation were the alleged castrations of US soldiers by German civilians. \*\* When the commanding officer of Detachment E3B2, in Erbach, Hesse, was asked to investigate one such rumor, he reported that not only had there been no castration but that there had not been a single attack on US military personnel in over four months of occupation.39\*\* Bolding is mine. This is the only reference to werwolf that I could locate in the document. From this site: [http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/reference/cstb46.htm](http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/reference/cstb46.htm) on the **History of the U. S. Constabulary 10 Jan 46 - 31 Dec 46** > [@](#): > > In 1946, the Constabulary made many swoop raids, known officially as “check and search operations,” against displaced persons’ and refugees’ camps and the German population. No raids were made unless > > - 17 - > > requested by the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, military commanders, military government, or investigative agencies which had reason to suspect black-market or subversive activities. The trooper operating in the municipalities was a deterrent to the individuals and groups who are the mainstay of the black market. In six months, 2,681 black-market transactions and 173 subversive acts were uncovered in Constabulary operations > [@](#): > > The Constabulary, new in concept, has already made its imprint in the occupation of Germany. Military government has been able to feel that it can turn to the Constabulary for support at any time and know that the needed assistance will be furnished quickly and efficiently. The German people and its police have reason to see in the Constabulary a safeguard as long as they are law-abiding and refrain from subversive and black-market activities. The displaced persons at the end of 1946 were more than ever convinced that the Constabulary was acting in their best interests in tracking down the lawless fringe among them. The military and civilian members of the forces of occupation and their dependents could rest more secure in the knowledge that an efficient Constabulary was covering the United States Zone of Germany, in bad weather and in good, every hour of the day. I find no definition for “subversive acts” within the text of this (albeit short) document, but the fact that there is nothing specific mentioned leads me to believe that these were not considered especially important, especially given the information provided by the more comprehensive work above. I assume that had the constabulary (38,000 strong), the enforcement division of the occupation, been involved in suppression of guerillas this would have been mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![MMI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@MMI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MMI)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913/40 "2003-08-28T15:01:31Z")
From: [http://www.usarmygermany.com/Units/Occupation/USAREUR\_XII%20Corps.htm](http://www.usarmygermany.com/Units/Occupation/USAREUR_XII%20Corps.htm) > [@](#): > > “21 May. Period was generally quiet except for a few scattered incidents. At 0300 hrs this morning, trucks belonging to the 410th FA Gp were fired on just South of Grafenau. Fire was returned and one German killed. Civ reported six armed SS troops in woods N of Renstein vic at 2000 last night. Civ reported five armed enemy soldiers in woods S of Chocholatalhota toward Husinec. . . The 26th Inf Div reported one boy, civilian, was killed by a minefield vic Kohlgruben . . . . The 90th Inf Div reports a sharp increase in the sabotage of communications during the night. Three telephone poles were chopped down vic (P272176) and wire was cut vic (P290048) (P215145) and (U365930) . . . There were two reports of sniping during period. Personnel of the 27th AAA Gp were fired on from the woods near Drachelsried yesterday morning. Appropriate action was taken but snipers had fled. A party of six U S officers were fired on vic Konusin last night. One officer was reported wounded. Civilians reported 22 May that an organized group of armed German soldiers is in Frymburk. . . 25 May. During period enemy activity consisted of cutting field wire four times vic (06071). Patrol investigating incident at present. 90th Inf Div: Polish and civilian informants reported 21 SS trs, armed with machine pistols (“burp” guns) vic Zfitiarn; investigation of report resulted in wounding of one SS trooper, while remainder fled into woods in the area; investigation continuing. 26 May. 4th Armd Div: Civilian reports approximately 200 SS troops vic (0175735) hiding in woods during day time and enter towns that vicinity at night to loot. Other units have nothing to report . . . . 28 May. 90th Div: Fire at Chemical Warfare Dump, vic Grafenwohr reported afternoon 28 May. Fire completely under control by 1800B. Exact cause of fire undetermined, though two German youths apprehended, who stated they were removing tar strips from gas crates for use in patching up homes. Approximately 11 civilians in area being held for investigation by CIC. Civilian reported four SS troops, armed with rifles, vic wood at Grafenkirchen. Informant further states woman civilian, by name of Hopfl, house No. 45, Grafenkirchen, carries food to the SS troops. 31 May. Three boys dynamited a part of a bridge vic Hekanagger in an attempt to blow the bridge this morning. Boys were approximately 12 years old. Leader was Robert Weigel, Hitler Jugend. . . 1 June. A single SS soldier was shot vic Maxhutte when he attempted attack on a guard who was searching his coat for identification papers. CIC reported fo arrests during period, including one Karl Bergen admitted Gestapo agent. . . 7 June. There were three cases of wire cutting in Regensburg yesterday and two instances of wire cutting vic (0250432) by children ranging in age from six to fourteen. Oldest was a Hitler Jugend. . . 11 June. In Rottenburg typewritten notices have been appearing on buildings, stating. “Long live the Fuhrer! Heil Hitler! Long Live the Great Germany! Young Nazi Awakening.” Investigation pending . . . 18 June. Single report of communications wire being cut vic Neustadt on 18 June being investigated. Cub pilot discovered bullet hole in plane after hearing shot as he flew over Hurschau area last week. . . Investigation of murder of Burgomeister, Wilhelm Adhoch, Refthal on 12 June, indicates he was killed be unknown Polish person or persons in retaliation for the beating and injuring of a Polish boy on 11 June . . .” > > As the summer wore on, incidents decreased and so did any evidences of formal organization for guerrilla activities. There were, it seemed, no more “Werewolves.” SHAEF and 12th Army Gp came out with pamphlets urging alertness, and strict observance of the non-fraternization Policy for simple safety’s sake. XII Corps Hq set up an elaborate “Occupational Combat Range” south of Regensburg. As late as September the Xll Corps Intelligence Summaries were reporting an occasional incident such as: > > “82nd Div reported body wearing GI shorts found in Danube River vic Mariapocking 1 Sep 45. No evidence of foul play apparent. Body in water two days medical report states.” It does look like XII Corps was harrassed for about 3-4 weeks post surrender, with one definite casualty (the injured officer). It seems like much of the harrassment came from teenagers rather than highly-trained SS werewolves. (Yes I know that kids 12 and up were trained and sent into combat but most of the descriptions show largely amateurish and ineffective attempts). The work then describes SWOOP raids to uncover black markets and werewolf-like subversive activity. There is considerable description of black marketeering activity caught. Occupation-related casulaties are described however > [@](#): > > And also a certain amount of damned foolishness. The U S military hospitals were no longer taking battle casualties, but besides injuries incurred through the normal occupational hazards of, well, occupational duties, the number of victims of jeep accidents began to mount to alarming totals, and more and more Americans were carried into the operating rooms of the 101st Evac, 16th F Hosp, and others in the area, suffering from gunshot wounds as a result of careless handling of German trophy weapons. So many GI’s and officers shot themselves or their best friends with P-38’s, Walther .32’s, and the like, that Third Army issued the previously mentioned order against carrying around such foreign booby-traps. Overall several things have come out of some diligent googling and web surfing: 1. The Occupation forces in Germany were able to provide security (from both criminal and subversive elements) to both Germans and DP’s/refugees to the extent that mutual trust was built up fairly quickly. 2. Sabotage and attacks seem to have trailed off fairly steeply after surrender - at least in XII corps sector. 3.) The US Army has done a very, very good job of transferring its excellent histories, analyses and other documents to a web readable format. So far I have not found a comparable British Army website (although I have found indexes of documents which can be found on microfilm in the appropriate archives). If anyone knows of one please post it. I am not holding my breath for the Russian WWII/post-war archives to be available on the web (in English) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-american-werewolf-in-baghdad/197913.md?page=3)