Author: Alfred M. De Zayas

Alfred-Maurice de Zayas (born on 31 May 1947) is a Cuban-born American lawyer and writer, active in the field of human rights and international law. From 1 May 2012 to 30 April 2018, he served as the first UN Independent Expert on the Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order, appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. De Zayas' work focuses mainly on the expulsion of Eastern European Germans after the Second World War. For decades, he has been a dear friend of the German expellees.

Allied Atrocities: Genitals cut off

By Alfred M. De Zayas ∙ January 1, 1989

Manuel Ruiz was a Spanish soldier, a member of the so-called Blue Division, which was composed of Spanish volunteers. He told his story before Judge Schoene on December 27, 1941. “After Christmas 1941 the first company of the Spanish Division was attacked by the Russians at its middle section, just north of Novgorod. Many wounded…

Allied Atrocities: “Intelligence Reports indicate clearly that all of our propaganda efforts to instill a sense of collective guilt have fallen flat.”

By Alfred M. De Zayas ∙ January 1, 1988

[About the expulsion of the Germans from the East] A flight of bad conscience? Another argument which is frequently heard is that Germans fled out of feelings of guilt, anticipating Red Army vengeance for the crimes committed by the Nazis in the Soviet Union. Of course, a number of functionaries knew about the crimes of…

Allied Atrocities: Killed while swimming

By Alfred M. De Zayas ∙ January 1, 1989

Following are the events surrounding the sinking of the German ship, Erich Giese on 13 April 1940 by the British Navy. Captain Karl Smidt explained during his Paris deposition on 23 August 1940: “While the crew of some 200 men was swimming in the water, the British destroyers opened fire against us with machine guns…

Allied Atrocities: Rubber boats suddenly sank

By Alfred M. De Zayas ∙ January 1, 1989

Statement of Corporal Walter Segel before Judge Sauermann: “Together with my troops I went on board a Greek caique on 17 May 1941 and we sailed from Piraeus in order to land on the western shore of Crete on 20 May to give support to the parachute troops. We sailed in a convoy of 21…

Soviet Union: “Naked women were nailed through their hands”

By Alfred M. De Zayas ∙ January 1, 1988

At the edge of the town, on the left side of the road, stands the large inn 'Weisser Krug' … In the farmyard further down the road stood a cart, to which four naked women were nailed through their hands in a cruciform position. Behind the Weisser Krug towards Gumbinnen is a square with a…

Allied Atrocities: Entire families were liquidated

By Alfred M. De Zayas ∙ January 1, 1989

First report of three judges from the military court at Prague, Hans Boetticher, Georg Hurtig, and Horst Reger. The report dated 29 September 1939 describes their work in the province of Posen between 18 and 28 September: “Witness depositions were not limited to ethnic Germans but also extended to Polish persons. Polish soldiers, especially the…

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