Tapping Hitler's Generals

HENNECKE: No, they didn’t; that’s the trouble.

MÜLLER-RÖMER: It wasn’t so bad before the war.

HENNECKE: The civilised world was horrified at the things that went on in our concentration camps! The persecution of the Jews and all those things.

MÜLLER-RÖMER: Yes. My God–the German people should have protested!

HENNECKE: I never heard much about those things before I came here. At first I wouldn’t believe them. There is such a lot of silly talk! Whenever you asked: ‘Did you see it yourself?’ or ‘Do you really know someone?’, you got the answer: ‘No, an uncle of Mrs so-and-so told me.’

MÜLLER-RÖMER: The peace-time inmates of concentration camps were people who more or less were criminals and I also believe conditions there weren’t so dreadful up to the outbreak of war.[80]

HENNECKE: What do you mean by ‘criminals’? They were people who had been locked up arbitrarily: take FRITSCH for example. It’s a scandal. There was no justice left. When FRITSCH, that very capable man, was dismissed, the entire Armed Forces should have risen as one man and said; ‘Stop, no farther!’

MÜLLER-RÖMER: He is supposed to have planned a revolt but, of course, there’s no proof.

Document 34

CSDIC (UK) SR REPORT, SRGG 1026(c) [TNA, WO 208/4168]

ALFRED GUTKNECHT–Generalmajor (Higher Commander of the Kraftfahrtruppen West)–Captured 29 Aug. 44 in Soissons-Rheims.

HEINRICH EBERBACH–General der Panzertruppe (GOC VII Army)–Captured 31 Aug. 44 in Amiens.

GUTKNECHT: Do you think that HITLER will carry on the fighting on German soil?

EBERBACH: Yes, if he has the say.

GUTKNECHT: I don’t think it right, unless he can see any chance of victory.

EBERBACH: That’s it.

GUTKNECHT: But if he can’t see any chance, then, in my opinion, it is not right. Then everything will be smashed to bits.

EBERBACH: He always sees a chance, because he always gives way to ideas, which are not true. He has a terrific imagination and he always sees what is still to come as an accomplished fact. He sees all the new U-boats and all the aircraft and whatever else is in process of being produced[81] as being already completed and that gives him faith and a positive attitude, which infects all those around him. You simply can’t get away from the optimism, which surrounds him, when you are in his presence.

GUTKNECHT: Healthy optimism is in itself a very good thing, but there must be some limit to it.

EBERBACH: It is sheer fantasy

GUTKNECHT: I see a limit to it as soon as they penetrate from right to left, that is from the west and the east, into GERMANY proper. Then there is no longer any point in it, to my way of thinking.

EBERBACH: No.

GUTKNECHT: Because our industry too has been more or less hard hit.

EBERBACH: Yes, of course.

Document 35

CSDIC (UK), GRGG 186

Report on information obtained from Senior Officers (PW) on 4–5 Sept. 44 [TNA, WO 208/4363]

BASSENGE: I’m quite sure that General CHOLTITZ ought to be accepted with the greatest caution, because it isn’t owing to any outstanding military ability that he was always with SCHMUNDT and HQ and got promoted so fast and everything.

THOMA: …not promoted out of turn.

BASSENGE: And how, Sir! He’s younger than I am. I was ‘Oberst’ while he was still ‘Oberstleutnant; he’s been promoted out of turn time and time again.[82]

THOMA: One ought to ask him quite casually what… he had. It’s also interesting that he’s now come to me about the SEYDLITZ business. It’s just the same as AULOCK (PW) did, a man who had sent HITLER telegrams of loyalty the day before his surrender.[83]

BASSENGE: And CHOLTITZ’s defence of GERSTENBERG[84] yesterday was extremely significant.

THOMA: But he piped down.

BASSENGE: Yes, I shut him up all right, but this initial attempt is absolutely typical of the man. It would be pitiful if windbags like CHOLTITZ began gathering supporters here.

THOMA: I should tell him immediately: ‘We want peace and quiet here; if you want anything, put it in writing and we will then pass it on to the Commandant.’ I should take a very firm stand. It’s quite out of the question that one man should appear to speak as representing the camp or otherwise.

Document 36

CSDIC (UK), GRGG 195

Report on information obtained from Senior Officers (PW) on 16–17 Sept. 44 [TNA, WO 208/4363]

CHOLTITZ: One of the Americans asked me whether all the money that is being sent abroad at present is in preparation for a Nazi underground movement, which is to be set up again later.

SPONECK: There’s one point that needs careful consideration. Once the war is lost, has National Socialism which, after all, was responsible for the whole thing, got even the remotest chance? Communism has, but National Socialism, in its present form has utterly ruined everything.

CHOLTITZ: After a time we shall hear a great deal of talk on the German wireless about the treachery of the officers and the civilian communities, and that’s the last thing they’ll… to the young people.