Hauptmann (Captain) Eduard Altacher - German Forces | Gallery

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Hauptmann (Captain) Eduard Altacher

These pictures show the austrian Knight\'s Cross holder of the german mountain troops Hauptmann EDUARD ALTACHER (1919-1945). Beginning the war as a private he made officer due to his fine character and extraordinary bravery on the battlefield. He fought in Yugoslavia, Greece, Russia, Norway, Finland and ended the war as a teacher to young mountain troopers at the school of mountain troops in Mittenwald (Bavaria, close to the austrian border). He was decorated wit the Knight\'s cross, Iron Cross 2nd and 1st class and the Infantry Assault Badge. After capitulation of german forces he was provost of the POW-camp of Zell am See/Austria. When released on May 27th 1945 on his way home to his family he was stricken to death by marauding polish forces as a reputed nazi.

This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/german-forces/18205/hauptmann-(captain)-eduard-altacher
#2

The information on his death is incorrect. Rather, as a POW Officer in his civilian car, he was stopped by two drunken, new-replacement, American privates, who started to commandeer his car. One then thought better and waved him on, while the other fired four or five Luger rounds after the car. Approaching and finding the Captain still alive, this same private then shot him in the head. The first private left on foot to report this situation. The murderous, drunken, and/or insane private, Floyd Wilkinson “Bud” Craver (25 August 1921 – 6 July 1987), managed to get his initial car started and continued on his killing spree. He shot Sergeant Charles E. Grant (Easy Company, ‘Band of Brothers’) in the forehead, then murdered UK Major Martin Ralph George Watkin, and wounded UK Warrent Officer Dodd. When Craver was captured, he was involved in the attempted rape of a local Austrian girl. Tried and sentenced to life in prison, he was for some reason RELEASED went on to be a drunken paint contractor with DUI’s. (???)
I am an American, but I am SICKENED at the story of the Captain’s murder - having risen from private to Captain, receiving his country’s highest military decoration, and surviving the Eastern Front - only to be killed by a drunken new-arrival at the end of the war!!

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