Report: 'Hitler's wish' protected Jewish WWI vet

BERLIN (AP) — A Jewish World War I veteran was allegedly spared — for a while, at least — from Nazi persecution thanks to a letter that claimed Adolf Hitler wanted him protected, a German Jewish newspaper reported.

The Nazi leader ordered the genocide of all Europe’s Jews but apparently wanted Ernst Hess, a judge, to be left alone because they had served in the same WWI unit and Hess had briefly been his commanding officer, said historian Susanne Mauss, who discovered the letter. It was signed by a senior member of the SS paramilitary organization and dated Aug. 19, 1940.