During World War II, thousands of German prisoners of war were held in camps across the United States — but some never made it home.
Inside the barbed-wire fences of places like Camp Gruber, Tonkawa, and Fort Meade, Nazi loyalists turned on their own — murdering fellow soldiers accused of betraying Hitler or showing kindness to Americans.

In the summer of 1945, fourteen of those killers were executed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas — the largest mass execution of enemy soldiers on U.S. soil.

This episode of Deadly Truths digs into the forgotten story of the Leavenworth 14 — from the brutal lynching of Johannes Kirsch in Oklahoma, to the burning of Karl Beck in Maryland — and explores what happens when fanaticism outlives the war that created it.

History remembers them as war criminals… but their story still echoes today as a warning about propaganda, obedience, and the price of blind loyalty.

• U.S. Army Court-Martial Records, Fort Leavenworth (1943-1945)

• The Leavenworth 14: Execution of German POWs in the U.S. — Kansas Historical Society Archives

• “Camp Tonkawa: The POW Lynching of Johannes Kirsch” — Oklahoma Historical Society Journal, 2019

• “Fort Meade Executions: The Beck Murder Case” — Military Law Review, Vol. 8

• “Enemy Within: Nazi Discipline in U.S. POW Camps” — Smithsonian Magazine, July 2015

• National WWII Museum: POW Camps in America, 1942-1946

• Eyewitness Account, U.S. Army Chaplain’s Log, Fort Leavenworth, July–August 1945

If this episode made you think — share it.
If it taught you something new — like it.
And if you believe forgotten history deserves a voice — follow Deadly Truths on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and CastBox.

Every share, follow, and review helps this show reach more listeners who believe the past still matters — and that truth, no matter how dark, should never stay buried.

This podcast discusses real historical crimes involving death, war, and execution. It is intended for mature audiences and should be heard with care and respect for the individuals and victims involved.
All research is based on verified historical documents, declassified military records, and reputable archival sources.
No dramatization or speculation replaces factual reporting.

Leavenworth 14, Fort Leavenworth, World War II POWs, German Prisoners, Military Executions, Camp Tonkawa, Camp Gruber, Fort Meade, Nazi Loyalists, American History Podcast, True Crime History, War Crimes, WWII Justice, Deadly Truths Podcast, Becca True Crime, Forgotten Murders, Military History, Execution Stories, Historical Crimes, Kansas History

In January 1901, a young Black man named Fred Alexander was dragged from his jail cell by a mob and burned alive outside Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. His only “crime” was being accused — not tried, not convicted — accused. This bonus episode of Deadly Truths: Death in the Big House examines how racism, mob violence, and media hysteria collided to create one of Kansas’s darkest moments. Through historical records, modern reflection, and the city’s recent efforts at remembrance, we revisit the story of Fred Alexander — and the reckoning that came more than a century too late.

⚠️ Trigger Warning: Contains descriptions of racial violence and lynching.

📘 Show Notes & Resources:

• Equal Justice Initiative — Community Remembrance Project: Leavenworth, KS

• Richard Allen Cultural Center & Museum — Leavenworth, KS

• Kansas Reflector (2020): “The Lynching of Fred Alexander”

• Leavenworth Times Archives — January 1901 editions

• Facing History & Ourselves: Lynching in America

• Clio Database: Fred Alexander Historical Marker, Leavenworth

• ACLU of Kansas: Civil Rights & Historical Memory Series

• 📜 Disclaimer:This episode discusses historical racial violence and lynching. Some descriptions may be distressing. This content is intended for educational and historical awareness purposes. All research is drawn from public historical records, newspapers, and scholarly sources.

  🎧 Closing Call to Action:Like, share, and follow to help keep these stories alive — because history doesn’t haunt us because it’s gone. It haunts us because it’s not forgotten.

  #DeadlyTruthsPodcast #TrueCrimePodcast #FredAlexander #LeavenworthKS #RacialJustice #EqualJusticeInitiative #AmericanHistory #CivilRightsHistory #FortLeavenworth #HistoricalTrueCrime #DeathInTheBigHouse #JusticeForFredAlexander #KansasHistory #PodcastSeasonTwo #RacialViolenceInAmerica

  
  

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas — the oldest military prison in the United States, and the only one authorized to carry out executions.
In this episode of Deadly Truths: Season Two — Death in the Big House, host Becca takes you inside the walls of the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks to uncover the stories of the men currently on military death row — soldiers once sworn to serve, now condemned for murder, rape, and wartime atrocities.

From paratrooper Ronald Gray, to Hasan Akbar, Timothy Hennis, and Nidal Hasan, these cases reveal what happens when discipline collapses, and the military justice system turns inward on its own.

This is the hidden world of military death row — where honor, duty, and death meet in silence.

🎧 Season Two, Episode Four

This episode contains descriptions of murder, sexual assault, and military executions that may be disturbing to some listeners.
It is intended for mature audiences and for educational and historical awareness only.

All research and reporting were conducted using public court records, news archives, and verified historical documentation.

If you found this episode powerful, don’t let these stories fade into silence.

👉 Like, share, and follow Deadly Truths on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
⭐ Rate the show to help more people uncover the stories that history tried to bury.

Every listen helps keep these voices alive — because history doesn’t haunt us because it’s gone.
It haunts us because it’s not forgotten.

Death Penalty Information Center — Descriptions of Cases for Those Sentenced to Death in U.S. Military
deathpenaltyinfo.org

Death Penalty Information Center — U.S. Military Death Penalty: Facts and Figures

Associated Press — A Look at the Six Inmates on U.S. Military Death Row

Army Times — What Death Row Executions May Mean for Soldiers at Leavenworth

We Are The Mighty — The 4 Inmates on Military Death Row for a Combined 80 Years

NCO Journal — NCOs Help Keep Life Quiet at the Disciplinary Barracks

U.S. Army Corrections Command — United States Disciplinary Barracks Overview

Equal Justice Initiative — Two Systems of Justice

United States v. Ronald A. Gray — U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals

• United States v. Hasan Akbar — Court-Martial Proceedings Summary

• United States v. Timothy Hennis — DNA Evidence and Retrial Reports

• #DeadlyTruthsPodcast #TrueCrimePodcast #FortLeavenworth #MilitaryDeathRow #RonaldGray #HasanAkbar #TimothyHennis #NidalHasan #LeavenworthPrison #MilitaryJustice #DeathPenalty #TrueCrime #HistoricalTrueCrime #SoldiersCondemned #USArmy #PodcastSeries #DeathInTheBigHouse #HalloweenInTheBigHouse #JusticeSystem #TrueCrimeStory