The Execution Of The Commandant Of Espeland Prisoner Of War Camp

During the Second World War, there were many prisoner of war camps established by the Nazis. But one man was sent to a Norwegian camp named Espeland to brutalise the inmates. Ludwig Runzheimer was a barbaric torturer who instilled a draconian regime into the camp and he forced inmates to do terribly pointless exercises which resulted in deaths from exhaustion. At the end of the war he was executed for his war crimes and faced a firing squad for it.
Join us today as we look at, 'The Execution Of The Commandant Of Espeland Prisoner Of War Camp'
To support our channel please make sure to subscribe.
Check out our SECOND CHANNEL TheFortress for a new video EVERY DAY! Subscribe to this by clicking this link:
/ thefortresss
Thanks for watching! Support the channel by subscribing, liking, and sharing.
Follow me on Twitter: / theuntoldpast
Follow me on Instagram: theuntoldpast
Disclaimer: All opinions and comment stated below in the Comments section do not represent the opinion of TheUntoldPast. All opinions and comments and dialogue should discuss the video above in a historical manner.
TheUntoldPast does not accept any racism, profanity, insults, sexism or any negative discussion aimed at an individual. TheUntoldPast has the right to delete any comment with this content inside it and also ban the user from the channel.

[@RedProg]

I appreciate everything you do. People need to know history instead of erasing or ignoring.. Members of my family served with Pattons 3rd and also in the Pacific. My Uncles never spoke of their time in military service but after they passed we found their diaries.

[@kimpunter5299]

Even when they know history, they'll allow it to happen again

[@tiffanytrippeer5401]

My grandfather was in the Calvary 3rd regiment at Christiansen Barracks late 50’s,thank you for your service

[@user-fi2ix7mr6i]

No tears were shed for Ludwig Runzheimer.

[@zingwilder9989]

His war crimes weren't limited to the POW camp, I'm sure.

[@stephencope7178]

The thumbnail shows three Germans that were caught wearing American uniforms, following their antics that included moving road signs to confuse. They all learned to speak English albeit with an American accent. According to the rules of war, they were all shot, as they were wearing american uniforms.

[@paulbeesley8283]

The oddest thing is that by Match '45, the war was obviously over and in Norway, there was nowhere to hide and only neutral Sweden, to run to. Why then, did he do everything possible to get himself on a "People To Slot When We.Win The.War," list?

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

He truly believed in the Beloved Fuhrer and the Wunder Waffe!

[@jayturner3397]

Oh my..I can think of sooooo.many deserving cases today..hmmmmm

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

Giving them that "Old Pine Overcoat"!

[@ericfrohlich9137]

Good riddence to a horrible creature !

[@joeri722]

The images you show in the beginning were taken in Belgium. They show the execution of Germans who were taken prisonner in american uniforms. The men were taken prisonner during the Arden offensive. They were germans who spoke perfectly english. They gave false directions to the allied troops and turned road signes (showing directions) the wrong way.

[@ScottDukesRealEstate]

Thanks for the info. Using US uniforms makes them spies as I'm sure you are aware and the penalties are more harsh.

[@bertnl530]

I see also some images from Netherlands.

[@rudigerringk9856]

Ich lese gerade das Buch: Im Rücken der Amerikaner. Handelt von der Zeit ,der Gegend,dem Sachverhalt.Von 9 Mann hat Einer überlebt. Der schrieb das Buch

[@Oldguy80-vh1em]

The man being executed at the beginning of the video was a German soldier who was dressed in a American uniform at the battle of the bulge. It was not the Nazi officer you described

[@Mister_Jimmy]

He engaged in “tochah and slawtaw”.

[@gerrymacmanus]

The picture is NOT of Sverresborg castle, not according to Wikipedia!

[@bennyandersen742]

I went to visit the place where this guy was executed a year ago or so, A few Norwegian nazis were also executed there. Its strange to see the wall were the bullets hit. Lately there have been some discussions about the fairness of these executions. There was obviously a correlation between being sentenced to death and time passed since the war ended.

[@fetus2280]

"The great masses of the people . . . will more easily fall victims to a great lie than to a small one" A. H.

[@nobones999999999]

Cry more beta fekkit 😢 hahahahahahahahaha

[@user-lu4gl6tn9i]

I thought Trump said this

[@laurentcherrier8492]

Yes and you are the lier...

[@fetus2280]

@@laurentcherrier8492 Do you mean Liar? If youre going to attack me at least learn to Spell mate.

[@fetus2280]

@@user-lu4gl6tn9i Nope. That Famous German did. He spoke to Everyone telling them how things Are. He awakened the masses to the West and Its terrible government. Along with Communism. All his speeches werent for 3-4 people. It was for Everyone.

[@tomgeorgsderholm4554]

Outside the city of Bergen in western Norway

[@michaelmcmanus7428]

Espeland was an internment not a POW camp.

[@carlhicksjr8401]

Respectfully, you make a common error in a lot of history channels that discuss the SS. I bring this up not to be pedantic, or to excuse Runzheimer of his crimes, but rather for accuracy's sake. Runzheimer was not an 'officer'. Yes, he was an official of the GFP and Totenkopfverbande, but his final rank was SS-Oberscharfuhrer... roughly equivalent to a UK Colour Sergeant and a US Sergeant First Class [NATO Grade OR-7]. He did exercise the power of life and death over his camp, as many SS NCOs did, and he absolutely deserved his death sentence, but he never was a commissioned officer. [BTW, I feel like I'm being a picky jerk here. But as anyone whose ever served in a military will tell you there is big gap between officer and enlisted man, and such a simple error in terminology is something we notice.]

[@zingwilder9989]

I understand your point, Mr. Hicks, but I don't believe that the channel creator mentioned his rank. Indeed, he was an Oberscharführer, which would be equivalent to an E-6 (Staff Sergeant) in the US Army. However, Runzheimer is reported as the task-force leader, versus Commandant, of the compound.

[@alecbowman2548]

@@zingwilder9989he was mentioned as the “only German officer in Norway not to appeal his sentence”.

[@zingwilder9989]

@@alecbowman2548 Yes. I see what you are saying; however, the channel creator was clearly generalizing...he, again, mentioned no rank.

[@carlhicksjr8401]

@@zingwilder9989 Towards the end of his presentation he specifically calls Runzheimer an 'SS officer'. I've heard the same mistake made by other youtube history channels and I thought to address it. When one is a military veteran and a military historian, minor mistakes like that look pretty glaring. Often those tiny mistakes add up to the point where someone who has done the reading begins to doubt the veracity or viewpoint of the presenting historian. I certainly don't wish to be insulting or condescending to the creator. My critique is just that... advice designed to increase his credibility not pick apart his effort.

[@zingwilder9989]

@@carlhicksjr8401 You were fine, Mr. Hicks, and I completely get it. Although I don't consider myself to be a military historian, I did spend four years in the Army; and indeed, there is a difference between an NCO and Commissioned Officer. Sometimes, it's a case where you just have to know the Army dynamics. You were respectful and decent - Go Army!!

[@janlindtner305]

👍👍👍

[@brotjack]

Sacan wal woo 😂

[@ralfbernburg3925]

Vae Victis

[@williamberry8895]

That's how you say oh in Norwegian?

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

Can you get rid of this bot voice and find one of a billion English speakers to narrate this properly????

[@RonSeymour1]

I believe that this is his natural voice. I have to admit that the tone and numerous repetitions of facts can be annoying. However, the content balances this out, at least for me.

[@barney2633]

Inaccuracies plus sensationalising commentary. Overlong, not impressed.

[@pierandreafrancini48]

A quando le esecuzioni dei cruminali comunisti?