Why did they do it?

Another WWII hero passes on.


Henri Salmide, 90, Dies - German’s Defiance Saved a French Port - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com

Heinz Stahlschmidt just couldn't see blowing up the docks at Bordeaux, so he just set off the the HE in its warehouse. Based on my own experiences, it's easy to do the right thing in an emergency situation where the choice is action right now. It always amazes me that people will do what they think is the right thing, even when they have some time to think about it and weigh the consequences.

Stahlschmidt had plenty of time to think about what could happen if he did the right thing, and he did it anyway. *** BUT, did he really do the right thing? Was blowing the French docks a legitimate military order? He was a petty officer, not a command-level commissioned officer. As a strong supporter of the war against Hitler I think he did the right thing, but in the strictest sense, as a German NCO, was he right? Or did he refuse to carry out a lawful order plus commit a treasonous act of sabotage?

Well, even the French seemed to have misgivings about him. But he did live out the rest of his life in France, to the age of 90.

jn