Ernst Peter Burger (September 1, 1906 — October 9, 1975) was a German spy and saboteur who landed on American soil during World War II. He was captured but escaped execution. He was deported to Germany in 1948.
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Born in Augsburg, Burger was a machinist by trade. He had lived in the United States for some years, even serving in the National Guard. Despite his history as a survivor of a Nazi internment camp and harassment of his wife by Nazi party members, Burger was recruited by the Abwehr, Nazi Germany's intelligence organization. He took part in Operation Pastorius, a plan by which eight German saboteurs were to be transported by U-Boat to the United States. Burger and the others landed with the intention of damaging United States economic targets.[1]
George John Dasch, another saboteur, almost immediately lost his nerve and betrayed his comrades. He surrendered and told the FBI of Burger's location. FBI agents followed Burger to two other saboteurs, before arresting him. When all eight agents had been apprehended, the saboteurs were tried and convicted of treason and espionage. All were sentenced to execution by electrocution: however, Burger's sentence was commuted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to life in prison and Dasch's to thirty years because of their cooperation.[2]
After the war, both Burger and Dasch were released by President Harry S. Truman and were deported to Germany in 1948. Burger and Dasch had been led to believe they would receive pardons because of their cooperation, but both men died without ever receiving any.