Joseph Schultz was a German soldier on the Eastern Front. On the 20th of July 1941, he along with seven of his brothers in arms were sent out on what they thought to be a routine mission. After a short march they soon understood that they were on a quite different mission than what they were used to: Ahead of them, they saw fourteen captured local civilians who were blindfolded , positioned up against a wall. The 8 soldiers in Schultz platoon were halted 10-15 meters away, and an NCO ordered them to execute every one of the civilian. Seven of the soldiers took aim, and in the silence that followed you could only hear the sound of a rifle beeing dropped. Jospeh Schultz disobeyed a direct order, dropped his rifle and walked slowly towards the 14 civilians which only heard cautious footsteps in the grass infront of them. The young Schultz positioned himself together with the soon-to-be executed civilians, and choosed death instead of killing hopeless civilians. A few seconds later 14 civilians and 1 German soldier laid dead in the grass. He was executed by his own brothers in arms by order of the NCO.
This action shows that its actually possible to do evil things. Its possible to be a free-thinking morally human-being no matter what is happening around you. But, no other of his 7 brothers in arms followed his example. It was no revolt. No large-scale deserting. This is no hero-story. Neither a story about a victim. No-one was saved by Joseph Schultz action. Everyone were shot. Everyone plus one more. But he was a moral example. He refused to fire because its wrong to fire. It was no different on how many that were shot. But it was a difference to him. And to us.
Evo i drugog izvora, manje literarno nadarenog, ali mnogo preciznijeg
* Joseph Schultz wasn't stationed at eastern front but in Balkans, Serbia. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...=15&iwloc=addr
* His unit was operating in the area of Donja Jasenica.
* Partisans were captured at the hill Gradiste near village Visevica.
* After capture partisans were taken to Smederevska Palanka and kept in the barracks of 5.th cavalry regiment of former Yugoslav Royal army.
* German high command certainly didn't want to publish the truth about his death since it would have negative effect on moral so it is no surprise that they reported to his mother that he was killed by partisans on 19th and filed it as death in combat. That's why the German federal military archive in Freiburg i. Breisgau found an incorrect document - pure Nazi propaganda.
* His brother Walther was informed by German Bundestag member Ostman von der Leye about what took place and later he recognized Joseph from the photographs.
* His remains were found in 1947 together with the remains of 16 partisans he was killed with during exhumation in order to be buried decently on different location.
* There is already a monument built in his honor, some 35 years ago in the village Lokve near town of Gornji Milanovac and another in Smederevska Palanka (monument dedicated to both partisans and Joseph).
* Joseph was an decorateur, painter... he played the piano too.
* His brother said that Joseph was a member of some secret anti-Hitler organization.
* Prior to his execution he had numerous conflicts with officers in charge as he disobeyed unethical orders.
* It's been said by eyewitnesses that after he refused to shoot and having his commanding officer yelling at his face, he took of his helmet, ripped of his insignia, thrown the rifle and walked to the the partisans. Than he turned and reached for hands of those two partisans on his sides.
* Some of the partisans were still kids, teenagers. Joseph wasn't blindfolded.
* It's been also said that after first salvo was fired he stood standing as none of his comrades aimed at him. Than the firing squad commander ordered another salvo and he was killed too. However this version is unconfirmed.
* In 1981, German ambassador in Yugoslavia Horst Graber visited this monument and paid his respects to Joseph Schultz.
* In 1997, German ambassador in FRY Wilfried Gruber visited another monument in Smederevska Palanka which is dedicated to both partisans and Joseph Schultz.
* This is another photo taken just before whole thing happened.
Ne znam da li se sećate, ali Šulc se pominje u školskim udžbenicima.
