Tapping Hitler's Generals

FRANTZ: I should like to tell you one thing. When one hears the radio here, or reads the newspaper, one always hears such critical remarks. The circle of grumblers here is fairly large. Above all General THOMA (PW) makes such remarks. We have the misfortune to have three GOC’s from AFRICA here as PW. We must see to it that these critical remarks are ignored, and that one does not become involved in discussion about them. General CRÜWELL (PW) and several others are against it. We must strengthen this circle of anti-grumblers and make a stand against these people. […]

Document 12

CSDIC (UK), SR REPORT, SRGG 204 [TNA, WO 208/4165]

HANS-JÜRGEN VON ARNIM–Generaloberst (GOC Army Group Africa)–Captured 12 May 43 in Tunisia.

Information received: 9 July 43

ARNIM: Recently morale has been fluctuating somewhat here. I know under what tremendous strain you, as commanders, and your forces were placed, and the fact that you and your men were able to carry out your duties is certainly no reason to strike a note of depression or to be sad; on the contrary, you should be proud of your troops, proud of your own achievements; it would be difficult for any other nation, any other army, to do what our troops did there. Whether the time which we were given to held out there achieved its purpose or not, is no longer a matter for discussion–I am convinced that it did. Gentlemen, the TUNIS affair cannot be looked upon as a debit but as a moral credit for us. A real ground for depression is the fact that we are now out of it and can no longer take an active part as soldiers and fighters in arms. In spite of that, we are and we remain part of the nation even if we are PW, and in spirit we are intimately bound up with the decisive battle of our Fatherland. We have perhaps more time to think things over than people at home, but we are and we remain soldiers as long as we live.