Tapping Hitler's Generals

PFUHLSTEIN: As regards the SPIEDEL matter I would just like to say that my impression is that the decision as to who was to appear before the Court of Honour was made entirely by the ‘Reichssicherheitshauptamt’, that is to say, by HIMMLER and KALTENBRUNNER. Because it was like this: I was arrested on 1 September and was immediately taken to the ‘Reichssicherheitshauptamt’ where those people were kept whom they considered the most compromised. The next place of imprisonment was MOABIT, and then came a much better camp–a long way outside–I don’t remember the name at the moment–where the arrested officers concerned were far better off and could come and go in freedom. There, for instance, were HEUSINGER and General FALKENHAUSEN, and there were also SPIEDEL and a whole lot of other people who were far less compromised. I was very deeply compromised; I was chained and was with all those who were most deeply compromised, 90 per cent of whom were hanged. I was lucky in that I had extricated Herr KALTENBRUNNER from a nasty dilemma only a short time before[488] and that turned the scales; he told me himself–he got me out on 5 January–that as he knew me personally and that as I had rescued him from a very unpleasant situation he had decided not to bring me before the Court of Honour, nor hand me over to the hangman.

KIRCHHEIM: How was he going to save you?

PFUHLSTEIN: He simply dropped the charge entirely, reported to the REICHSFÜHRER about it, and the REICHSFÜHRER accepted his suggestion that I–

KIRCHHEIM: Was he above suspicion?

PFUHLSTEIN: Not above suspicion. That is to say, the charge against me was quite enough to send me to the gallows. But by reason of that personal matter I had the man’s goodwill. ‘We’ll wash that out because we know each other; you helped me out of a difficulty, now I’ll help you.’

KIRCHHEIM: You would have come before the People’s Court?

PFUHLSTEIN: No, not even that. That was impossible. I only wanted to illustrate by that that I’m convinced that in the end the final decision lay with KALTENBRUNNER or Herr HIMMLER, who in my case decided in my favour.

KIRCHHEIM: But I don’t believe KALTENBRUNNER produced cooked evidence.

PFUHLSTEIN: No, I don’t think so.

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES

GENERALOBERST HANS-JÜRGEN VON ARNIM

Born Ensdorf, Silesia, 4.4.1889. Prot. Entered Army 1.4.1908. WWI: Served at Staff and front, finally Hauptmann and Battalion Cdr, Res.Inf.Reg.93. Reichswehr: Staff and field. WWII: 2.12.1939 Generalleutnant; 12.9.1939–11.10.1940 CO, 12.Inf.Div.; 12.10.1940–11.11.1941 (with breaks) CO, 17.Pz.Div.; 4.9.1941 awarded Knight’s Cross; 17.12.1941 General der Panzertruppen; 11.11.1941 Cmmdg Gen., XXXIX.Pz.Korps; 3.12.1942 C-in-C, 5.Pz.Armee Tunisia; 4.12.1942 Generaloberst; from 9.3.1943 C-in-C, Armeegruppe Afrika; 12.5.1943 PoW Tunis; Trent Park 16.5.1943–16.6.1944; to USA. Repatriated 1.7.1947. Died Bad Wildungen, 1.9.1962.

On 13.12.1942, Walter Model, C-in-C, 9.Armee assessed him: ‘Fully proven Commanding General in defensive fighting. Energetic and relishes responsibility. Committed himself unconditionally, unshakeable confidence even in crisis situations. Lives and leads per the National Socialist worldview.’

CSDIC (UK) opinion: He drifted between the two political cliques at Trent Park but had no clear affinity with either. Considered extremely anti-Communist and anti-Semitic but the British could find no concrete indication of active support for the Nazi Party.

GENERALLEUTNANT CURT BADINSKY

Born Grebenstein/Hofgeismar, 17.5.1890. Entered Army 15.1.1910. WWI: Mainly commands at Jaegerbataillon 9, finally Oberleutnant, 1a, Group Staff, General Wehr. Reichswehr: Infantry officer; 1.8.1938 Oberst. WWII: 26.8.1939–6.1.1942 CO, Inf.Reg.489; 11.10.1941 awarded Knight’s Cross; 1.2.1942 Generalmajor; 17.1.1942–10.7.1942 Leader and CO, 23.Inf.Div.; 1.9.1942–16.11.1942 CO, 269.Inf.Div., then Territorial Section Cdr, Bergen; 1.3.1943 Generalleutnant; from 24.11.1943 CO, 276.Inf.Div.; 20.8.1944 PoW Falaise; 25.8.1944–23.9.1944 Trent Park, then Clinton Camp USA. Repatriated 21.6.1947. Died Oldenburg/Oder, 27.2.1966.

CSDIC (UK) opinion: A professional soldier, ‘having the honour of the soldier at heart’. Thought to be ‘anti-Nazi’, he characterised Hitler as ‘an ape’ and condemned his politics as ‘devastating’, but was not openly an enemy of the regime.

GENERALMAJOR DIPL. ING. GERHARD BASSENGE