Tapping Hitler's Generals

Born Militsch/Silesia, 1.11.1888. Prot. Entered Army 1.3.1908. WWI: Cavalry, Staff and field, finally Rittmeister, 91.Inf.Div. Reichswehr: Cavalry units, 1932 Olympics, equestrianism; 1.10.1934 CO, Kav.Reg.15; 1.4.1936 Oberst; 1.3.1938 CO, 2.Schützen-Brigade. WWII: 12.9.1939 Chief of General Staff, XXXIV.Armeekorps; 1.3.1940 Generalmajor; 25.4.1940–10.10.1940 CO, 442.Landesschützen-Div.; 11.10.1940–4.1.1942 Oberfeldkommandantur 365; 1.3.1942 Generalleutnant; 5.11.1942 awarded German Cross in Gold; 10.1.1942–7.10.1943 CO, 330.Inf.Div., Eastern Front; 8.10.1943–31.12.1943 General, Security Forces and Military Cdr, White Russia; 1.1.1944 General der Kavallerie, acting CO, various corps, Eastern Front; 3.11.1944 Commdg Gen., LIII.Armeekorps, Western Front; 6.3.1945 PoW Neunkirchen (US); 9.3.1945–5.7.1945 Trent Park. Repatriated 1947. Died 29.7.1980.

Assessed on 1.3.1944 by Feldmarschall Busch as: ‘Eccentric character. In the winter of 1943, despite great difficulties, rigorously organised the new area given over to him, setting aside opposition and securing reliable cooperation with the numerous service offices in his domain. He handled the local partisan warfare with prudence, tenacity and bravery. His attitude to National Socialism is undoubted.’

CSDIC (UK) opinion: ‘The typical Prussian regular officer aristocrat. His connections and manners are impeccable. To Allied officers he has shown himself violently anti-Nazi, probably quite geninely, in view of his attitude that his class has been ousted by upstarts from its rightful place in the German sun’. Freiherr von Broich, a Trent Park inmate, considered Rothkirch ‘lacking the least conscience’. He was so close to the Party and SA that ‘we [the Army] were never able to get rid of him’.

GENERALMAJOR ROBERT SATTLER

Born Königshütte, Upper Silesia, 6.12.1891. Entered Army 2.12.1912.

WWI: Inf.Reg.63, finally as Oberleutnant Reichswehr Comp. Cdr. Inf.Reg.15 and 11. Reichswehr: 1.4.1937 Oberstleutnant. WWII: 1.4.1940 Oberst; 1.9.1939–19.4.1942 CO, Inf.Reg.176, Poland, France and Russia, relieved ‘for not showing the necessary alacrity in defensive actions’; 21.1.1942 awarded German Cross in Gold; 1943, CO, Acceptance Office IX for Officer Applicants; 1.10.1943 Generalmajor; 25.4.1944–21.6.1944 CO, Cherbourg fortifications, afterwards CO, Cherbourg town; 27.6.1944 PoW Cherbourg, (US); 5.7.1944–23.9.1944 Trent Park. Died 7.8.1978.

CSDIC (UK) opinion: ‘A dumb vain man, who felt that he ought to be a Nazi but didn’t quite know what to do about it. He tried to make up for his lack of height by a certain snappishness of manner but was, nervertheless, not unpleasant.’ Sattler had not been keen on fighting to the last bullet at Cherbourg. After Schlieben refused to let him sail out from the almost encircled enclave by E-boat (see SRGG 949, 4.7.1944, TNA WO 208 4168), he surrendered his force of 400 to US troops a few days later, upon receipt of their ultimatum. Naval Group West considered Sattler’s conduct ‘a completely incomprehensible procedure undoubtedly contrary to Hitler’s instructions’ (see Neitzel, ‘Kampf um die deutschen Atlantik- und Kanalfestungen’, p. 390).

GENERALLEUTNANT HANS SCHAEFER

Born Triptis/Orla, 3.4.1892. Prot. Entered Army 28.2.1912. WWI: Leutnant, including Grenadier-Reg.10. Reichswehr: 1.4.1936 Oberst leutnant; 1.10.1938 Oberst. WWII 1.9.1939–2.2.1942 CO, Inf.Reg.127, Poland, and 251, Poland and France; 3.2.1942–31.12.1942 CO, 252.Inf.Div.; 1.4.1942 Generalmajor; 1.1.1943 Generalleutnant; 1.1.1943–5.6.1943 CO, 332.Inf.Div.; 28.7.1943 awarded German Cross in Gold; 14.4.1944 CO, 244.Inf.Div. and CO, Marseilles fortifications; 28.8.1944 PoW (US); to CSDIC (West) in France, camp near Marseilles, later Revin north of Charleville; 1.1.1945 Trent Park.

CSDIC (UK) opinion: ‘Created a rather bad impression on arrival at No. 11 Camp. He appears to be self-centred and self-satisfied, adopting the air of a spoilt child. He seems not to be a good mixer and is rather intolerant. He appears to be anti-Nazi. He thinks steps should be taken to induce the Wehrmacht to give up the struggle; at the same time he does not believe any such approach has hope of success as long as the Wehrmacht remains one fighting whole.’

GENERALLEUTNANT KURT WILHELM VON SCHLIEBEN