Evening star., 1945-06-17
Nazi on Trial Says
He Killed U. 5. Flyer
Without Thinking
BY the Associated Press.

AHRWEILER, Germany, June 16
International and in hollow
voice. Peter Back, 81, today con.
fessed to an American military com
mission that he shot an American
flyer who parachuted to earth neal
the village of Priest, Germany, last
August.
Without a culver of feeling, the
small-town Nazi said he did it 'ir
my excitement" and without think
ing"
The case against him was finished
in short order. The military prosecu-
tor, Maj Theodore X. Irwin of Dal.
las, Tex, didn't even make a fina
argument
Verdict Scheduled Later.
The commissions verdict will bt
announced in several days by 1t
Gen. Leonard T. Gerow, along with
verdicts on three others tried two
weeks ago for the same crime. The
maximum penalty is death by hang.
ing.
Back, tailor with one leg Grip.
pied by infantile paralysis. sat stifi,
in the court room, his eyes cold ano
steady. He frequently consulted hi
German defense attorney, Franz
Mehn Of Trier. who also defended
tine other three, including Matthia!
Krein.
Krein, testifying against Back to.
day. told the commission that Back
riding a motorcycle, rushed up t.
the trapped airman and quickl,
shot him twice in the head anc
neck. The shots did not kill him
Krein said, so two other person.
finished the flyer OF with a club anc
hammer.
Was Village Nazi Leader.
Back was a village Nan leader
One Of his own character witnesse,
testified his position in the party
was such that the villagers feared
him.
In his statement to the court
Back quoted a man named Adam
Weber as saying, Its pity didn't
find him (the flyer flrst-I would
have cut his belly open"
Back also quoted an Ernest Con-
rad as saying Il would like to burn
him." and said Conrad then kicked
the airman in the face.
Commended for Act.
The night of the killing, Back
related, he was visited by the Nazi
district leader from Bitburg, who
patted him on the back and said
You did a good job. But next time
shoot between the eyes"
When Back insisted that he shot
the flyer simply without thinking
his German lawyer prodded, you
must have thought about some
thing"
But Back could say no more than
Il was so nervous and excited
The nine-man trial commission
was reduced to seven members al
the outset of the trial when Col
Charles H. Bryan of Parkersburg
w. Va, and Col. Horace M. Wood.
ward. jr., of 4342 Reno road, Wash.
ington, said they already hao
formed prejudiced opinions about
Backs guilt.
The remaining seven members
headed by Col. Louis J. Compton Of
1902 Quesada street, Washington, in
cluded only two who sat at tn,
previous trial.
Col. Woodward, native of Wash.
ington, was stationed here with thu
Services of Supply for 18 months be.
fore going overseas last November
his wife revealed. A graduate OF
Western High School, Col. Wood.
ward left Catholic University during
the World War to enter the Army
and has remained in the Army ever
since.
Col. Compton served from 1898 tc
1912 on the General Staff at the
War Department here. A veteran
of % years Army service, he went
overseas last December to serve as
field artillery officer of Gen. Gerow's
18TH Army. Col. Compton recently
received the Bronze Star for heroic
achievement, his wife said.