Bruno Bräuer
| Bruno Bräuer | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 4 February 1893 |
| Died | 20 May 1947 (aged 54) Athens, Greece |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany
|
| Service/branch | Luftwaffe |
| Rank | General der Fallschirmtruppe |
| Commands held | "Fortress Crete" |
| Battles/wars |
World War I World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Bruno Bräuer (4 February 1893 – 20 May 1947) was a general in the paratroop forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. He served as a commander on Crete (so-called Fortress Crete) and then commanded the 9th Paratroop Division. After the war, Bräuer was convicted of war crimes and executed.
In November 1942 Bräuer replaced General Alexander Andrae as commander on Crete. On 25 March, Greek National Day, he released 100 Cretan prisoners from jail. One prisoner, Constantinos Mitsotakis, later became Prime Minister of Greece. After German failures at Stalingrad and El Alamein, Bräuer ordered the construction of underground command bunkers, more defenses around Suda Bay and increased ammunition stocks. Bräuer was replaced by General Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller in 1944.
In January 1945 the German 9th Parachute Division was formed under Bräuer, mostly made up of Luftwaffe ground forces. In January 1945 two of his battalions were encircled by the 1st Ukrainian Front in Breslau, where they were destroyed. The rest of the division retreated back to the Seelow Heights. Many of the troops fled when the Soviet barrage began. Before long, the line had nearly completely collapsed and many of Bräuer’s men began to desert. Bräuer suffered a nervous collapse and was relieved of his command.
Along with General Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller, Bräuer was charged with war crimes by a Greek military court. He stood trial in Athens for atrocities on Crete. He was accused of the deaths of 3,000 Cretans, massacres, systematic terrorism, deportation, pillage, wanton destruction, torture and ill treatment. Bräuer was convicted and sentenced to death on 9 December 1946. He was executed by firing squad at 5 o'clock on 20 May 1947, the anniversary of the German invasion of Crete. The historian Antony Beevor describes him as 'a truly unfortunate man' having been executed for crimes 'committed under another general'.
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