Tapping Hitler's Generals

HENNECKE: The Allies are convinced that they have won the war. Why are they so friendly towards us? Apparently they shrink from the idea of letting the Bolshevists into EUROPE. It seems strange to me. Sometimes I had the impression that the BAO, with all his questions about the new weapons and so on, was trying to prevent further useless bloodshed–which is really only natural.

? SATTLER: I look on all that as a cunning Jewish trick.

HENNECKE: Yes, but how often have the British made an alliance with the country which they have just conquered, against a stronger one?[42]

KÖHN: Yes, that’s true, but I don’t believe that they feel so sure of themselves now, that they think that victory is already theirs. They will be saying to themselves: We must try to form a strong nucleus of officers here, who will to some extent act out to be a new body of leaders, and we will use that for propaganda again.

SATTLER: That is the same story as in RUSSIA.

KÖHN: Yes, exactly the same, only that there it is perhaps done by force whereas here–

HENNECKE: I have the impression, and it is a lasting one, that the people here are afraid of the idea of Bolshevism. I keep thinking of the uneasiness which we all felt when we were suddenly told that we were allying with RUSSIA. It was something so nonsensical. The alliance which they have got with the Russians is just as nonsensical, firstly from the ideological standpoint, which means a lot of them, and secondly from the standpoint of economics, and through fear of what a power she might become.

KÖHN: That is possible, but ENGLAND has no policy of her own to formulate any longer. Her policy is formulated by the Americans.[43]

Document 21

CSDIC (UK), GRGG 154

Report on information obtained from Senior Officers (PW) on 4 July 44 [TNA, WO 208/4363]

HENNECKE: The frightful thing is that the confidence of those brave people, who have accepted one misfortune after the other, is such that they still believe–Because for a year and a half they have kept burbling about the stupendous effect of our reprisals, the nation is now clamouring for it too in their distress.

BASSENGE: When KREIPE (PW) came here I asked him: ‘What are the people talking about in GERMANY?’ He said: ‘There is only one topic of conversation in GERMANY and that is the reprisal weapon.’

HENNECKE: It was like that a year ago, then they put an end to the talk. The reprisal weapon has come, and it’s no damned good.

THOMA: Naturally, it isn’t pleasant for the English, with bombs falling somewhere or other at any moment, but it isn’t actually–

HENNECKE: It doesn’t really count, using methods of that sort. But just think what was said about it: ‘Wherever one of these things land, not a bird nor a leaf in the trees will be left alive within a radius of 6 km.’[44]

THOMA: It is our great tragedy that this German midget GOEBBELS is our military spokesman. He talks about strategic targets–

HENNECKE: Yes, he talks a great deal too much.

THOMA: He is the only one for whom I have any particular dislike, because he is crafty enough to know that he is lying. The others don’t know it.

Document 22

CSDIC (UK), GRGG 156

Report on information obtained from Senior Officers (PW) on 8, 9, 10 July 44 [TNA, WO 208/4363]

KÖHN: The Bolshevists will destroy and smash everything in the path in GERMANY.

HENNECKE: Oh, I don’t think they will destroy the towns.

KÖHN: They will shoot everyone. They did that in LITHUANIA and wherever else they’ve been.[45] Anyone who speaks his mind now will be shot immediately.

HENNECKE: Yes, if someone were to say: ‘There’s no point in it any more.’

KÖHN: No one says that.

HENNECKE: It’s dreadful.

KÖHN: The moment that man took on ZEITZLER[46] things started to go badly. Anything more crazy–the few capable men still left to him he sends packing.

HENNECKE: They are still sending a few flying bombs over here, but they are not really doing ENGLAND any harm. When one sees what a powerful country can put up with–and ENGLAND is large too–… I mean, those things are mere pinpricks. It’s just a pinprick compared with a single air raid of a thousand bombers.

KÖHN: Yes, if only we could send a thousand flying bombs to LONDON!

HENNECKE: A thousand isn’t enough either–when you consider that just before the invasion two thousand bombs alone were dropped on the ‘Batterie’ on MARCOUF, in that small area.[47] Now picture the size of LONDON–thirty, forty thousand would have to fall on it. I honestly don’t know what the future holds. There will probably be the most dreadful starvation; the Russians will take everything and eat everything up, that’s the least they will do. They are insatiable, those fellows. No, it’s absolutely dreadful. The best thing would be to cease hostilities in the West and join with the English in fighting the Russians.