In October 18 1942 Adolf Hitler issued an order that all the commandos captured in the Europe and Africa should be immediately killed even if they attempted to surrender. Any man or small group of men with the uniform of commando or similar unit would be turned over to the SD (Nazi security service) for summary execution. He claimed that since commandos were ordered not to take prisoners, they would not be taken as prisoners, either.
Generals like Erwin Rommel and Albrecht Kesselring did not obey the order but relied on the Geneva conventions.
Hitler later expanded this order to include all captured Allied pilots. It also effectively included most members of resistance movements and agents of Special Operations Executive. Later Gestapo took this job from SD.
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