Hitler's Bandit Hunters: The SS and the Nazi Occupation of Europe
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77. Lukas, The Forgotten Holocaust, 195.
78. Norman Davies, Rising” 44: The Battle for Warsaw (London: Macmillan, 2003), 251-2 and 728.
79. Günther Deschner, Warsaw Rising (London: Pan, 1972), 21–2.
80. Ibid, 251.
81. Noakes & Pridham, III, 952.
82. Joanna K. Hanson, The Civilian Population and the Warsaw Rising of 1944 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982).
83. TVDB, 106-7.
84. TVDB and NARA, RG242, T175/222/2759241-50, papers referring to the transfer from the east to Salzburg.
85. TVDB, 106 and BZ-USMT 14 August 1946.
86. BZ-IMT, 29 January 1946.
87. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP 60, May 1945.
88. Janus Piekalkiewicz, Kampf um Warschau: Stalins Verrat an der polnischen Heimatarmee 1944 (Munich: F.A. Herbig, 1994) and Hans von Krannhals, Der Warschauer Aufstand 1944 (Frankfurt: Bernard & Graefe Verl.f. Wehrwesen, 1964), 300-1.
89. PRO, WO208–3629, PWIS(H)/KP/685, PWIS Interrogations, Kempton Park, May 1, 1945.
90. TVDB, 114-5.
91. Syndor, Soldiers of Destruction, 305, NARA, RG242, T312/343/7916427–6431, Ninth Army special report “Zum Warschauer Aufstand”
92. Guderian, Panzer Leader, 356.
93. BZ-IMT, 29 January 1946.
94. Sven Steenberg, Vlasov (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1970), 171–2, also Reitlinger, The SS, 377, Padfield, Himmler, 527.
95. TVDB, 108.
96. NARA, RG242, BDC, A3345-OSS-231, Heinz Reinefarth, letter to RFSS, 9 September 1944.
97. Ibid.
98. NARA, RG242, BDC, A3345-OSS-231, Heinz Reinefarth, and TVDB, 110.
99. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP 61, September 1–October 31, 1944. The message was confirmed. A reply was not decrypted, sent on September 17. Himmler signalled his acknowledgment of the capture of the fortress and ordered the troops to continue attacks. He was ordered to destroy the uprising soon as everyday counted. TVDB, 110. Bach-Zelewski added in his diary, “I am curious how long we can hold Warsaw and hopefully we can have soldiers luck. Everyday is a success.”
100. Hanson, The Civilian Population and the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, 85–6.
101. BZ-IMT, January 29, 1946; and Bruce, Warsaw Uprising, 201.
102. Borowiec, Destroy Warsaw! 94.
103. Ibid, 95.
104. TVDB, 115. The discrepancy in the figures, Borowiec indicated 974,745 in 1943; indicating a total of 528,994 missing people.
105. TVDB, 107.
106. Noakes & Pridham, III, 952.
107. NARA, RG242, BDC, A3345-OSS-231, Heinz Reinefarth., October 1944.
108. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP61, October 25, 1944.
109. BA R19/321 Schnellbrief on the activities of bandits, October 14, 1944.
110. BA R19/328, CdO, Schnellbrief, Aufstellung der SS-Pol Abt. Z.b.V. (mot) beim BdO Krakau, 12 December 1944.
111. Refer to Mark C. Yerger, Allgemeine-SS, for a more detailed study of the SS commanders in retirement. Sereny, Into That Darkness, commented that Globocnik took Franz Stangl and his team of killers to Trieste. This compares with Sporrenberg and his team of killers who were sent to Norway. The reasoning behind these postings remains unexplained.
Chapter 9: Western Europe
1. Walter Manoschek, “The Extermination of the Jews in Serbia,” in Herbert, National Socialist Extermination Policies.
2. Cf. Mazower, Inside Hitler’s Greece.
3. IWM, IMT-7, 24-65.
4. Fitzroy MacLean, Eastern Approaches (S.I., Cape, 1949), 275, PRO, HW16/6-MSGP 56, May 8, 1944, and PRO, HW16/6-MSGP 54, March 14, 1944.
5. NCA, document PS-508, various correspondence concerning allied incursions in Norway including: the landing of British Freight Gliders in Norway (November 21, 1942), confirmation of the October 18, 1942 order (December 4, 1942), sparing captured commandos for interrogation (December 13, 1942), reference to a formal complaint by the Red Cross over German policy (December 14, 1942). Warlimont signed off all of these orders into OKW regulation as well as confirming the execution (special treatment) of three captured commandos (November 7, 1943) none of which was mentioned in his memoirs.
6. NCA, document PS-7276, Commando operations, March 21, 1944.
7. NCA document RF411, Bandenbekämpfung: Instructional pamphlet 69/2 comes into force for the Wehrmacht on 1 April 1944. Instructional pamphlet, for service use only 69/1 “Combat instructions for the Combating of Bands in the East.”
8. NCA, document PS-532, Treatment of commandos, June 23, 1944.
9. NCA, document PS-537, Treatment of members of foreign “military missions,” captured together with partisans, July 30, 1944. The order included the soldiers from British, American, and Soviet missions.
10. NCA, document D-762, Combating of terrorists and saboteurs in the occupied territories, July 30, 1944.
11. CMH, German antiguerrilla operations in the Balkans (1941–1944) (Washington D.C.: Center of Military History, 1954), referred to here as the Gaisser study.
12. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP 49, September 9, 1943.
13. TVDB, 89.
14. TVDB and NARA, RG242, T175/222/2759241-50, papers referring to the transfer from the east to Salzburg.
15. NARA, RG238, M1270/26/798, Ernst Rode interrogation report, October 22, 1945.
16. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP 59, August 8, 1944.
17. IWM, USMT-7, 8917.
18. Trevor-Roper, Hitler’s War Directives, 214–6.
19. TVDB, 106.
20. Wilhelm Hoettl, The Secret Front: The Inside Story of Nazi Political Espionage (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1953), 318. Hoettl was scathing about Skorzeny’s taking the laurels for the raid. The planning according to Hoettl was conducted by his adjutants Radl and Folckersam, while there is evidence the original plan was drawn up by Luftwaffe parachute Gen. Kurt Student.
21. NARA, RG338, FMS, B289, Alfred Zerbel, November 18, 1950. Zerbel almost certainly confused the title of the GBA with its function of rounding up labor.
22. Trevor-Roper, Hitler’s War Directives, 255–62.
23. NARA, RG242, T175/81/2601886, declaration of Upper and Middle Italy, April 3, 1944.
24. TVDB, 97.
25. NARA BDC, A3343-SS0-010c Karl Wolff. He suffered Nephrotomie, Pyetomie, and heart disease and, like Bach-Zelewski, underwent convalescence in Hohenlychen and Karlsbad. Right up to the very last days, Wolff ensured he was fully paid-up for all his benefits and entitlements.
26. NCA, document UK-66, “New Measures in connection with operations against Partisans” June 17, 1944, 576–80; and Gerhard Schreiber, “Partisanenkrieg und Kriegsverbrechen der Wehrmacht in Italien 1943 bis 1945,” in Beiträge zur Nationalsozialistichen Gesundheits-und Sozialpolitik, Band 14, Repression und Kriegsverbrechen: Die Bekämpfung von Widerstand und Partisanenbewegungen gegen die deutsche Besatzung in West-und Südeuropa (Berlin: Schwarze Risse, 1997), 93–129. Schreiber referred to the original title “Neuregelung in der Bandenbekämpfung,” 107.
27. NCA, document UK-66, combating partisans, June 20, 1944, 581.
28. NCA, document UK-66, Commander Covolo area headquarters, July 11, 1944, 582.
29. PRO, WO311–359, Statements of German Generals in Italy, September 17, 1946.
30. NARA, RG319, IRR, overheard prison cell conversation Karl Wolff, July 7, 1945.
31. PRO, WO 311/28, Allied Force Headquarters (British Section). Report on German Reprisals for Partisan Activity in Italy, July 9, 1945. The report considered 20 cases, “The Special Position of the SS,” 21.
32. NARA, RG242, BDC, A3343-SSO-010C, Karl Wolff. Führungsstab BB-Ia-Nr.3096/ 44 g: Betr.: Abschlussmeldung in der “Bandenbekämpfungswoche.”
33. NARA, BDC, A3343-SS0–090C, Willi Tensfeld, February 24, 1945.
34. Hoettl, The Secret Front, 157.
35. Brunner und Voigt, Deutscher Handelsschulatlas, (Berlin: B. G. Teubner, 1925), 14–15.
36. HSta Düsseldorf Regierung Aachen, file 22757, document 57, letter March 7, 1933. Rösener wrote
to himself confirming his promotion to SS-Sturmbannführer. He also instructed himself to remain in the same office, no.257, from where he sent the letter.
37. NARA, RG242, T175/10/2511956, Zusatzbefehl 1, October 5, 1942.
38. NARA, RG242, BDC, A3343-SSO-285A, SS-Standartenführer Otto Lurker (Hitler hinter Festungsmauern, Berlin, 1933).
39. NARA, RG242, T175/10/2511958, regular five-day reports for all Alpenland activities.
40. NARA, RG242, T175/10/2511824-5, Energieversorgung Südsteiermark, October 17, 1942.
41. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP 33, March 17, 1942.
42. NARA, RG242, T175/10/2512274, BdO Alpenland in Marburg, Stabsbefehl 20, December 17, 1942.
43. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP53, January 12, 1943.
44. NARA, RG242, T175/10/2512023, Bandentätigkeit, SD report, Lurker, March 22, 1943.
45. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP54, March 14, 1944.
46. NARA, RG242, T175/81//2601501-2034, Bandenlage im Bereich des HSSPF im Wehrkreis XVIII Veldes, May 1943.
47. NARA, RG242, T175/81/2601501-2034, Message from Rösener to Himmler, May 19, 1943. The stenographer made several errors in the message not least the salutation “heil titler.”
48. NARA, RG242, T175/10/2512025, BdO Marburg, June 19, 1943.
49. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP 47, July 9, 1943.
50. NARA, RG242, T175/81//2601501-2034, Oberkrain and Untersteiermark declared Bandenkampfgebiet.
51. NARA, RG242, T175/81//2601501-2034, collection of papers concerning the raising of forces for HSSPF Alpenland.
52. NARA, RG242, BDC, A3343-SSO-042B, Erwin Rösener, correspondence July 1–23, 1943.
53. BA R19/305, CdO, Schnellbrief Betr. Aufstellung der Polizei Infanterie Geschützkompanie “Alpenland,” August 6, 1943.
54. BA, R19/305, Schenllbrief, Betr. Heimatstandort der Pol. Inf. Gesch Komp “Alpenland,” September 25, 1943.
55. Terry Gander and Peter Chamberlain, Small Arms, Artillery and Special Weapons of the Third Reich (London: Macdonald and Janes’, 1978), 286.
56. NARA, RG242, T175/81//2601501-2034, letter to Winkelmann, May 29, 1943.
57. NARA, RG242, T175/10/2512021–2. Landrat Kreis Cilli to SD Untersteiermark, July 7, 1943.
58. NARA, RG242, T175/10/2512154, Vorfälle durch Banden in der Umgebung Warasdin-Toplitz, September 12, 1943.
59. NARA, RG242, T175/10/2512171, Fernschreiben from 19th SS-Police Regiment, September 14, 1943.
60. NARA, RG242, T175/10/2512641-3, Gefechtsstand 19th SS-Polizei Regiment, September 30, 1943.
61. PRO, HW16/6, part two, MSGP50, October 7, 1943.
62. NARA, RG242, T175/10/2512183, Gendarmerieposten Friedau, Untersteiermark, October 1, 1943.
63. TVDB, 86.
64. NARA, RG242, T175/10/2512100-3, Befehl zur Säuberung des Grenzraumes südlich der Save im Abschnitt Ratschach-Steinbrück-Trifail-Sava, Führungstab für Bandenbekämpfung, October 15, 1943.
65. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP52, December 15, 1943.
66. NARA, RG242, BDC, A3343-SSO-042B, Erwin Rösener. Gauleiter Uiberreither to Himmler October 28, 1943.
67. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP60, September 7, 1944.
68. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP58, July 3, 1944.PRO, PRO, HW16/6, MSGP59, August 8, 1944, PRO, HW16/6, MSGP61, November 5, 1944, and HW16/6, MSGP62, December 31, 1944.
69. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP61, November 5, 1944.
70. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP62, December 31, 1944.
71. NARA, RG242, BDC, A3343-SSO-042B, Erwin Rösener. The document was signed but not dated by Bach-Zelewski, allowing Himmler to use the report as and when required.
72. NARA, RG242, BDC, A3343-SSO-042B, Erwin Rösener.
73. Ibid, Erwin Rösener. Report by Dr. Braitmair, May 29, 1944 and Dr. Fahrenkamp, November 1944.
74. PRO, HW16/98, “History of the German Police W/T Network,” July 1945, 21.
75. NS19/1165, KSRFSS to Der Höhere SS-und Polizeiführer Alpenland, October 8, 1943.
76. PRO, CAB 120-732, Recent Activities and Present Strengths (July 1943) of Opposing Forces in Yugoslavia, Albania and Greece, Joint Intelligence Sub-Committee for the War Cabinet.
77. NARA, RG242, BDC, A3343-SSO-378A, Artur Phleps, letter to Himmler, May 7, 1944.
78. Lepre, Himmler’s Bosnian Division, 187–94.
79. Ibid, 198.
80. BBC series, SOE: the interview with Bill Deakin former mission commander with Tito. Michael McConville, “Knight’s Move in Bosnia and the British rescue of Tito: 1944,” RUSI Journal, December 1997, 61–9.
81. Otto Kumm, Prinz Eugen: The History of the 7. SS-Mountain Division “Prinz Eugen” (Winnipeg: J. J. Fedorowicz, 1995), 117–48.
82. Ibid, 117–21.
83. S. Kunzmann-Milius, Fallschirmjäger der Waffen-SS (Osnabrück: Munin Verlag, 1986), 77.
84. Kumm, Prinz Eugen, 123–7.
85. Maclean, Eastern Approaches, 450–1.
86. McConville, “Knight’s Move in Bosnia,” 61–9.
87. Kumm, Prinz Eugen, 129–38.
88. NCA, document 2610-PS, sworn testimony of US army Major Frederick W. Roche judge advocate in the case against General Dostler. Karel Margry, “The Dostler Case,” After the Battle Magazine, no. 94 (1996), 1–19; see also NARA, RG-319, German General Staff vol. IV, boxes 13 and 14.
89. Eric Hosbawm, On History (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1997), 267.
90. PRO, WO32–12206, Crimes by German Forces Against Italian Partisans. NCA, document UK-66, Report of British War Crimes Section of Allied Force Headquarters on German Reprisals for Partisan Activities in Italy, undated (probably 1945).
91. PRO, WO208-4295, Interrogation of Luftwaffe Gefreiter Mattias Kerschgens, from Aachen, October 25, 1944.
92. Michael Geyer, “Civitella Della Chiana on June 29, 1944,” in Heer and Naumann, War of Extermination, 175–216.
93. Roger James Bender and Hugh Page Taylor, Uniforms, Organization and History of the Waffen-SS, vol. 3 (San Jose, Calif.: Bender Publishing, 1975), 105–26.
94. Stein, Waffen-SS, 298 and PRO, WO208-4359, History of the Waffen-SS division: MI.14 notes on the composition and history of the SS divisions.
95. NARA, RG238, IMT, T1270/23/0367-0386, Heinrich Blaser, interrogation (27 February 1946), case S0799.
96. PRO, HW16/6, MSGP57, June 5, 1944.
97. NARA, IMT, T1270, roll 23, interrogation Friedrich Dupont, August 24, 1945.
98. PRO, WO311/359. Voluntary statement by PWD LD 1573 Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring, The Partisan War in Italy from 1943 to 1945.
99. PRO WO 208-3648, PWIS(H)/LF/429, PWIS Interrogations, Lingfield Park, August 1944. Report written on August 4, and signed by Major MacCloud.
100. Wolfgang Vopersal, “Die SS-Ersatzbataillone in Breslau und das SS-Ersatzbataillon “Ost”,” in Der Freiwillige, April 1973, issue 5, vol. 19, 18–19. This is the in-house journal of the association of former SS (HIAG).
101. PRO WO 208–3634, PWIS(H)/LF/440, PWIS Interrogations, Lingfield Park, August 1944. Report written on August 5, and signed by Major MacCloud.
102. PRO WO 208–3647, PWIS(H)/LDC/429, PWIS Interrogations, London District Cage, August 1944. Report written on August 5, and signed by Captain G.C. Sinclair.
103. Sarah Farmer, Martyred Village: Commemorating the 1944 Massacre of Oradour-sur-Glane (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999); Robert Hebras, Understand Oradour-sur-Glane drama (Editions C.M.D. site pamphlet).
104. Richard Marillier, Vercors 1943–1944: Le malentendu permanent (Clamecy: Armançon, 2003), 114-5.
105. Michael Pearson, Tears of Glory (London: Macmillan, 1978), 89.
106. E. H. Cookridge, They Came from the Sky (London: Corgi, 1976), 156–62.
107. Pearson, Tears of Glory, 90.
108. Ibid, 91.
109. Sydnor, Soldiers of Destruction, 320.
110. Otto Weidinger, Comrades to the End: The 4th SS Panzer-Grenadier Regiment “Der Führer” 1938–1945 (Atglen, Pa.: Schiffer Pub., 1998).
111. PRO WO 208–3624, PWIS(H)/KP/95, PWIS Interrog
ations, Kempton Park, July 1944. Report written on July 3, and signed Captain T.X.H. Pantcheff.
112. PRO WO 208–3647, PWIS(H)/LDC/294, PWIS Interrogations, London District Cage, August 1944. Report written on August 28, and signed by Captain H.K. Kettler.