Josef Jakobs

Josef Jakobs
Jakobs in c. 1941
Born(1898-06-30)30 June 1898
Luxembourg
Died15 August 1941(1941-08-15) (aged 43)
Tower of London, London, England
Cause of deathExecution by firing squad
Burial placeSt Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Kensal Green, London
NationalityGerman
OccupationSpy
Known forLast person executed in the Tower of London
Criminal chargeTreachery
Criminal penaltyDeath
Criminal statusExecuted
Espionage activity
Allegiance Nazi Germany
AgencyAbwehr
Service years1940–1941
RankFeldwebel
OperationsWorld War II

Josef Jakobs (30 June 1898 – 15 August 1941) was a German spy and the last person to be executed at the Tower of London. He was captured shortly after parachuting into the United Kingdom during the Second World War. Convicted of espionage under the Treachery Act 1940, Jakobs was sentenced to death and shot by a military firing squad. He was not hanged since he was captured as an enemy combatant.