German spies shot in Belgium. U.S.

German spies shot in Belgium. U.S. military policemen tie Sergeant Manfred Pernass, 23, to a stake before he is executed by an American firing squad, with two other German spies; Officer-Cadet Guenther Billing, 21 and Corporal Wilhelm Schmidt, 24. The three Germans were shot after a court-martial by American authorities in Belgium. During the 'Battle of the Bulge'in December, 1944, the three Germans were captured earing American uniforms, armed with American weaons, driving an American jeep in convoy. When stopped, they failed to give the password and admitted that their mission was to locate and sabotage communications and reconnoitre bridges and roads over the Meuse. All three men, especially trained for the job, had familiarized themselves with American habits and accent by mingling with American prisoners-of-war in Germany. Een bezoeker van de beeldbank schrijft: 'De afgebeelde Duitse soldaat is niet Wilhelm Schmidt maar Manfred Pernass. Vanaf het executiepeloton gezien staat Schmidt helemaal links, Günther Billing in het midden en Pernass staat helemaal rechts (kijk tussen Pernass en de Amerikaan die de schietmarkering aanbrengt, Billing en Schmidt zijn nog te zien). Toch vreemd dat deze bekende leden van Greif nog steeds verkeerd op naam gezet worden.'