On 8 September , Italy surrendered to the Allies . This began a race to disarm and intern the Italian garrisons of the Balkans before the Allies could take advantage of it . Lanz was tasked with overcoming the Italian forces in Epirus and the Ionian Islands . In two cases , in Cephalonia and Corfu , the Italians offered resistance . Lanz himself was initially in favour of negotiating the Italian surrender , but in the end followed his orders and stormed these islands . In Cephalonia , the battle raged for a week before the Italians surrendered . After their surrender , and according to a directive from Hitler , more than 5,000 Italians were executed by the Germans . Lanz was present in Cephalonia both during the battle and the subsequent massacre . In Corfu , resistance lasted only for a day , but all 280 Italian officers on the island were shot and their bodies were disposed of in the sea , on Lanz 's orders
more than 5,000 Italians were executed
Massacre of the Acqui Division
Hubert Lanz