Tapping Hitler's Generals

REITER: To sum up, today I would say: the man has certainly done the Germans some good services. I would say: he is a tragic figure, a centre of contention and a tragic personality, surrounded by an incompetent circle of criminals.

FRANZ: Yes.

One gets one shock after another. They are all things which it was impossible to reckon on.

REITER: It’s all dreadful, absolutely dreadful.

FRANZ: HIMMLER and DÖNITZ will now wage war on each other!

REITER: They say that the FÜHRER designated DÖNITZ to be his successor. How did he visualise it all? It has to be acceptable to the people. How can he pick on that man? It’s out of the question.

FRANZ: Actually the German people shouldn’t put up with it.

REITER: DÖNITZ wants to carry on the war just as the FÜHRER would have done.

FRANZ: I simply don’t know what to say.

REITER: The moment the FÜHRER’s eyes close, a new government should be set up; it must be approved by the people.

FRANZ: It should be elected. Yes, they are doing all the things they shouldn’t do all over again. The German people could flatly announce: ‘It’s out of the question! I must be consulted as to whether I agree or not.’ It’s just another dictatorship now. From one dictatorship to another. The FÜHRER was the only man with character. He impressed us. Actually, he once had very good ideas.

REITER: He was a historical figure; only history will be able to give him his proper due; one must first hear all that happened; we have heard nothing. Those incompetent fools who never told the FÜHRER that he was being lied to in reports etc.! We, too, shall be blamed for that, you can be sure of that.

FRANZ: At the moment we are under no military oath.

REITER: No–well yes. If the FÜHRER handed over–I really don’t know.

FRANZ: I don’t care a damn, I swore allegiance to him. I never swore allegiance to DÖNITZ.

REITER: We shall have to take a new oath now.

FRANZ: I wouldn’t dream of swearing allegiance to just anyone now.

REITER: Anyway, it’s out of the question for PW.

FRANZ: At any rate, I owe allegiance to no one now, at least, that’s what I’m telling myself. I don’t know if I’m right or not.

Document 80

CSDIC (UK), GRGG 300

Report on information obtained from Senior Officers (PW) on 16–17 May 45 [TNA, WO 208/4177]

MASSOW: We Generals must be put into circulation again, we must assist in the reconstruction, we must cooperate again, and it would therefore be absolutely incomprehensible if we were kept here indefinitely for a long period.

[…]

Document 81

CSDIC (UK), GRGG 301

Report on information obtained from Senior Officers (PW) on 18–19 May 45 [TNA, WO 208/4178]

DITTMAR: If they adopt the HANOVER-HERSFELD line as the Russian–Anglo-American demarcation line GERMANY will go red.

THOMA: Yes.

DITTMAR: We must be extremely careful to see that we are not backing the wrong horse, if we enter into dealings with the Anglo-Americans.

FRANZ: These English and Americans are a sanctimonious crowd. The things they are carrying out now, with high-sounding words. First they kill the German population with their bombs etc., and then they just leave them to die. With all their fine speeches and so on, they are doing exactly what they want to do: eradicate twenty million Germans. To support their actions they bring up the concentration camp business and leading Party men, etc. They bring that up and say: ‘That is our permit for doing what we do.’

Document 82

CSDIC (UK) SR REPORT, SRGG 1271 [TNA, WO 208/4170]

The following is a lecture on conditions on the Russian front given by:

CS/443–Generalleutnant HEIM (Commander, Boulogne)–Captured 23 Sept. 44 in Boulogne–to his fellow officers (PW) on 23 May 1945.