Tapping Hitler's Generals

Born Hessisch Oldendorf, 9.4.1897. Prot. WWI: 15.8.1914 entered Army; Feldart.Reg.62, finally Leutnant. Reichswehr: mainly Adjutant, Art.Reg.6; 1.3.1939 Oberstleutnant. WWII: 8.12.1939–11.4.1942 CO, Art.Reg.1 and 73; 1.2.1942 Oberst; 6.4.1942 awarded Knight’s Cross; 1.1.1943–7.6.1943 acting CO, 14.Pz.Div.; 16.6.1944 acting CO, 4.Kav.Brigade; 27.8.1944 awarded Oak Leaves; 1.10.1944 Generalmajor; 28.2.1945 CO, 4.Kav.Div.; 20.4.1945 as Generalleutnant, acting CO, XXXXI.Armeekorps; 3.5.1945 Wittenberg PoW; 18.5.1945 Trent Park. Repatriated 10.10.1947. Died Baden-Baden, 4.12.1970.

CSDIC (UK) opinion: Of above-average intelligence and fully cooperative. He claimed to have always been anti-Nazi, but it was felt that he was merely an opportunist, and must have kept in well with the Party, otherwise he would not have risen so quickly in rank and prestige.

LEUTNANT KLAUS HUBBUCH

Born Karlsruhe, 1.5.1922. RC. WWII: 12.3.1940 entered Army, Pz.Reg.8/15, Pz.Div., North Africa; 1.6.1942 Leutnant, finally Comp. Cdr; March–May 1943 Ordnance Officer to Divisional Commander Generalleutnant Willibald Borowietz; 9.5.1943 PoW Tunisia; end May 1943–30.1.1944 Trent Park, then Canada. Repatriated 26.6.1947. Died Cologne, 1.4.1997.

CSDIC (UK) opinion: ‘This young man is a typical Nazi product. Hubbuch has the typical lack of intelligence, narrowness of vision and overwhelming jingoism of the Nazi. He is an unpopular figure except with people like Crüwell, who find him a useful tool. His general knowledge is so limited that it is astounding–so are his manners. He thinks Boes a fine figure and worships Oberst Buhse, another Nazi and one of the early and youngest Knight’s Cross winners. If Germany should lose the war, however (an inconceivable event in his opinion), he will try to join a “Freikorps” on the lines of those in existence after the last war, and strive for revenge. He would make an implacable and cruel enemy.’

GENERALMAJOR HEINRICH-HERMANN VON HÜLSEN

Born Weimar, 8.7.1895. Prot. WWI: 13.8.1914 entered Army, mainly Leutnant, 4.Garde-Reg. zu Fuss. Reichswehr: Cavalry regiments; 1.3.1938 Oberstleutnant. WWII: 6.8.1939 CO, Aufklaerungs-Abt.44 (reconnaissance); 1.2.1940, Oberst; 1.4.1941–17.8.1941 CO, Reiter-Reg.2; 2.11.1941 awarded German Cross in Gold; 25.5.1942–15.12.1942 CO, 9.Schützen-Brigade, 9.Pz.Div.; 25.4.1943 as Oberst, acting CO, 21.Pz.Div, Tunisia; 1.5.1943 Generalmajor; 13.5.1943 PoW (France); 26.5.1943–25.5.1944 Trent Park. Repatriated 17.2.1947. Died Celle, 6.6.1982.

Assessed 15.12.1942: ‘Blameless character with noticeably elevated view of life and duty. Correct in his National Socialist attitude. Fully proven at the front. Has come on well tactically as troop leader. Mentally and physically extraordinarily active. Full of ideas. Strong side: Very agile, therefore many-sided, energetic. Combats slackness and unmilitary conduct harshly without regard to eventual personal disadvantage. Good instructor. Weak side: inclination to talkativeness and egotism tends to concern himself overmuch with trivialities.’

CSDIC (UK) opinion: ‘This tall, slim German General most certainly has not the figure of his age. He is very well preserved indeed and one of the keenest sport enthusiasts here. Hülsen is a strong supporter of the Nazi clique and of Crüwell. He is always urging the latter to give us as much trouble as possible, and, of course, Crüwell is only too willing to listen to his type of talk. On practically the first day here, Hülsen advised as many people as he could that it was their duty to annoy us and cause us as much trouble as possible. Hülsen is a hanger-on of the worst type and is always trying to be with Arnim.’

OBERST ERWIN JÖSTING

Born Remscheid, 30.6.1890. Prot. Entered Army 1911. WWI: Company cdr, finally Oberleutnant (aerial forces). Reichswehr: 1920 discharged; 1934 reactivated to Luftwaffe as Hauptmann; 1935 CO, Fliegerhorst Stade (aerodrome cdr); 1937 Major; 1938 CO, Fliegerhorst Bad Vöslau near Vienna. WWII: 1941 acting CO, Special Staff Bulgaria; 1944 Oberst, CO, Fliegerhorst Mainz-Finthen; 22.3.1945 PoW (US); 7.4.1945 Trent Park. Repatriated 1946. Died Gütersloh, 1.6.1953.

CSDIC (UK) opinion: ‘He is a Nazi of the Prussian type. To Senior PoWs he shows himself outspokenly anti-Semitic, while decrying the unwisdom of atrocities against Jews.’

KONTERADMIRAL OTTO KÄHLER