The Last Prussian
Page 45
5.
Seaton The German Army 1933–45 p37.
6.
Annual Report dated 15 October 1933, Freiburg Pers 6/16.
7.
Interview with Freiherr Dr von Siegler, 26 November 1951, IZ 311/52.
8.
Goerlitz The German General Staff p282 and Craig The Politics of the Prussian Army p473.
9.
Von Rundstedt op cit p35.
10.
Quoted Wistrich Who’s Who in Nazi Germany p84.
11.
Liddell Hart interview, 3 January 1946, op cit.
12.
Interview Gerd von Rundstedt, 4 November 1989.
13.
Andreas Hillgruber in Carver The War Lords p190. Hillgruber also asserts that von Rundstedt went with von Witzleben to Hitler to plead for von Schleicher’s life. This makes no sense since it is most unlikely that he would have known that he was on the death list.
14.
Hart op cit p51 and Riess, Curt The Self-Betrayed: Glory and Doom of the German Generals p149 (New York, 1942).
15.
Klaus-Jürgen Müller in Barnett Hitler’s Generals p46.
16.
Hoffmann The History of the German Resistance p27 and Goerlitz op cit p289.
17.
IMT p88.
18.
IZ ZS 129.
19.
Typescript Affaire Blomberg-Fritsch 1938, England, 1946, IZ 311/52.
20.
Quoted Seaton op cit p52.
21.
My information on von Rundstedts’ life in Berlin is drawn from interview with Gerd and Eberhard von Rundstedt, 4 November 1989, and letter from Barbara Papanastassiou dated 3 January 1990.
22.
IZ ZS 129.
23.
Freiburg Pers 6/16.
24.
Taylor Sword and Swastika p 120.
25.
Seaton op cit pp79–80.
26.
Hart op cit p55.
27.
IMT pp100–101.
28.
IMT Commission interrogation, 19 June 1946, IZ ZS 129.
29.
Macksey Guderian: Panzer General p69.
30.
Muller, Albert Germany’s War Machine p30 (Dent, London, 1936).
31.
IMT 88–89.
32.
Schall-Riancour Leben und Wirken von Generaloberst Franz Halder p39.
33.
There is some confusion as to the date of Beck’s telephone call to von Rundstedt and those of von Rundstedt’s subsequent meetings with Hitler. Von Rundstedt himself in Affaire Blomberg-Fritsch op cit states that he was summoned back to Berlin on 3 February and saw Hitler on the 4th. This is supported by his daughter-in-law, letter to Barry Sullivan dated 26 March 1977. Reynolds Treason was no Crime p298 n32 states that von Rundstedt’s first meeting with Hitler was on 30 January, while Keegan Rundstedt p54 says that von Rundstedt saw Hitler on 29 and 31 January. Hillgruber in Carver The War Lords p 190 even mentions 21 January, but this may be a misprint. I have preferred to follow the chronology given in Deutsch The Hidden Crisis, which is by far the most detailed account.
34.
Affaire Blomberg-Fritsch op cit.
35.
Deutsch op cit p115.
36.
Letter to Sullivan op cit.
37.
The account of the whole conversation is taken from Affaire Blomberg-Fritsch op cit.
38.
Bond, Brian in Barnett Hitler’s Generals p77.
39.
Affaire Blomberg-Fritsch op cit.
40.
Seaton op cit p83 states that von Rundstedt was present as well, but von Rundstedt never mentioned this and neither does Deutsch op cit. Indeed, since von Rundstedt’s name came up it is most unlikely that he was present.
41.
Deutsch op cit pp261–2.
42.
This led a number of historians to conclude that he had retired at this time. See, for example, Craig op cit p495, Shirer Rise and Fall of the Third Reich pp318–9. Wheeler-Bennett Nemesis of Power p373.
43.
IMT p89.
44.
Affaire Blomberg-Fritsch op cit.
45.
Demeter op cit p331.
46.
Affair Blomberg-Fritsch op cit and John Twice Through the Lines p29.
47.
Memoirs, Bundesarchiv H 08-19/5, cited by O’Neill The German Army and the Nazi Party pp158–9.
48.
IMT commission interrogation, IZ ZS 129.
49.
Ibid.
50.
Memoirs p65.
51.
Seaton op cit p109.
52.
Letter to Sullivan op cit. Editha also said that another condition was that her father-in-law had found somewhere else to live, but this does not make much sense.
53.
Interview with von Rundstedt’s grandson, Gerd, 4 November 1989.
54.
Lamb, Richard The Ghosts of Peace 1935–1945 pp70–71. However, he confuses von Kleist with his cousin the General and later Field Marshal.
55.
Haider testimony in court, September 1948. Schall-Riancour op cit p244.
56.
Liddell Hart interview, 26 October 1945, LH 9/24/132.
57.
Schall-Riancour op cit p256.
58.
IMT Commission interrogation op cit.
59.
Hassell Diaries pp 19,22.
60.
Von Rundstedt op cit p38.
61.
Hillgruber in Carver The War Lords p 191.
CHAPTER FIVE
1.
Part II was issued on 3 April and the other two parts on 11 April. English translations of all three are in the Wheeler-Bennett Papers.
2.
Abwehr (Mittler & Sohn, Berlin, 1938) and published in English as Defense (Military Service Publishing Co, Harrisburg Penn, 1943).
3.
Brett-Smith Hitler’s Generals p53.
4.
Manstein Lost Victories p23.
5.
Blumentritt op cit p41.
6.
Manstein op cit p27. The von Manstein connection with 18th Division was not broken, however. One of his sons was killed while serving with it in October 1942.
7.
Ibid p47.
8.
Von Manstein stated, Ibid p28, that the conference took place on the 21st, but this is incorrect. See Burdick and Jacobsen The Haider War Diary 1939–1942 pp28–32, from which my account of what Hitler said is taken.
9.
Goerlitz The German General Staff p351.
10.
Interview Gerd and Eberhard von Rundstedt, 4 November 1989.
11.
Manstein op cit pp30–31.
12.
Interrogation of 19 June 1946, IZ ZS 129.
13.
p411 and cited by Seaton The German Army 1933–1945 p112n.
14.
Manstein op cit p31.
15.
War Diary Army Group South, Freiburg RH 19 I/5, and Kennedy The German Army in Poland p72, from which my account of the Polish campaign is largely drawn. Kennedy, however, implies that Army Group South was activated on 23 August.
16.
A full account of this incident is given by Charles Whiting in World War II Investigator April 1988.
17.
IZ ZS 129 and Manstein op cit p32.
18.
See Burdick & Jacobsen The Halder War Diary 1939–1942 pp33–42.
19.
Manstein op cit pp32–33.
20.
War Diary Army Group South op cit.
21.
Kennedy op cit p94.
22.
Quoted Cooper, Matthew The German Air Force 1933–1945: An Anatomy of Failure p100 (Jane’
s, London, 1981).
23.
Burdick & Jacobsen op cit pp54–55.
24.
Quoted Gilbert, Martin The Second World War p5 (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1989)
25.
A number of examples are cited by Datner, Szymon Crimes against POWs: Responsibility of the Wehrmacht pp22–33 (Warsaw, 1964).
26.
Burdick & Jacobsen op cit p69 (diary entry, 10 October 1939) and Lewis, S J Forgotten Legions: German Army Infantry Policy 1918–1941 p106 (Praeger, Westport Conn, 1985).
27.
Burdick & Jacobsen op cit pp52–3.
28.
Gilbert op cit p6.
29.
Army Group South War Diary op cit.
30.
Gilbert op cit p8.
31.
Ibid p12 and Mason To Kill Hitler pp206–7.
32.
Manstein op cit p61.
33.
US Military Intelligence Service Report B–826 dated 6 September 1945.
CHAPTER SIX
1.
Haider diary entry, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit pp69–71.
2.
Guderian Panzer Leader pp472–3, Taylor March of Conquest p50.
3.
Letter dated 21 October 1939 and referred to in the Taylor Memorandum p76, August 1947, PRO FO 371/64474.
4.
Manstein op cit p73.
5.
Taylor March of Conquest p51.
6.
Ibid pp 164–5, Manstein op cit pp97–105, Ellis The War in France and Flanders p336.
7.
Quoted Taylor p165 and Burdick & Jacobsen op cit p76.
8.
March of Conquest p 165.
9.
Haider diary entry, 3 November 1939, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit pp75–6.
10.
Schall-Riancour Aufstand und Gehorsam und Generalstab im Umbruch: Leben und Wirken von genraloberst Franz Halder, Generalstabchef 1938–1942 p267. Höhne Canaris p392 phrases the quotation a little differently: ‘You can order me for all I care, but my instrument of authority would fall to pieces in my hand if I tried to use if for that purpose.’
11.
Goerlitz The German General Staff p366, Erfurth Die Geschichte des deutschen Generalstabes p236.
12.
27 January 1940, Hassell op cit p104.
13.
Halder diary entry 5 November 1939, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit p78.
14.
Macksey Guderian: Panzer General p98.
15.
Panzer Leader pp85–87.
16.
Taylor op cit p169, Ellis op cit p339.
17.
Manstein op cit p69.
18.
IZ ZS 129.
19.
Manstein op cit p70.
20.
Ellis op cit pp339-340, Taylor op cit p170, Taylor Memorandum op cit p77.
21.
Diary entry 14 January 1940, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit p87.
22.
Manstein op cit pp94–5.
23.
Macksey op cit p95.
24.
Diary entry 7 February 1940, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit pp94– 96.
25.
Macksey op cit p95.
26.
Manstein op cit p120.
27.
Panzer Leader p90.
28.
Blumentritt op cit p64.
29.
Diary entry 14 February 1940, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit pp98–99.
30.
Haider diary entry 24 February 1940, ibid p103.
31.
Taylor op cit pp 173–4.
32.
Ibid p175.
33.
Halder diary entry 17 March 1940, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit p106.
34.
10 March 1940. Von Brauchitsch’s article appeared on 24 January.
35.
Letter Hans Gerd to Bila, 13 April 1940, Freiburg MSg 1/1893.
36.
US Military Intelligence Service Report B-826 op cit.
37.
Diary entry 12 May, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit p138. At this stage in the war the Panzer division was built round a Panzer brigade and infantry brigade. The former consisted of two regiments each of two battalions, with a total tank establishment of 562, although the actual figure was some way below this, especially following the conversion of the four light divisions to Panzer divisions after the Polish campaign. The infantry brigade was much smaller, with one motor cycle battalion and a regiment of two motorised battalions mounted in lorries, although a few fortunates did have SdKfz 251 armoured personnel carriers.
38.
Panzer Leader p105.
39.
Haider diary entries 14, 15 May 1940, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit pp 142–5.
40.
Quoted Ellis op cit pp61–2.
41.
Interview with Liddell Hart, 26 October 1945, LH 9/24/132.
42.
Guderian op cit pp109–110.
43.
Haider diary entry 17 May, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit p148.
44.
Quoted Ansel Hitler Confronts England p70. See also Warlimont Inside Hitler’s Headquarters p95, and Burdick & Jacobsen op cit p148.
45.
Burdick & Jacobsen op cit p149.
46.
Ibid.
47.
Keitel Memoirs p111.
48.
Burdick & Jacobsen op cit pp 150–1.
49.
Liddell Hart The Rommel Papers p29.
50.
Macksey op cit p115.
51.
Liddell Hart op cit p30.
52.
Liddell Hart interview, 26 October 1945, LH 9/24/132.
53.
Army Group A War Diary, quoted Ellis op cit p397.
54.
Diary entries 23 May 1940, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit ppl61–2.
55.
Ibid p163.
56.
Fourth Army War Diary, quoted Ellis op cit p348.
57.
Burdick & Jacobsen op cit ppl63–4.
58.
Army Group A War Diary, quoted Ansel op cit p78fn.
59.
Tloke Heeres Adjutant bei Hitler 1939–1943 p80.
60.
Ellis op cit p349, Taylor op cit p259, Ansel op cit pp80–81, citing Blumentritt letter to him dated January 1955, and Meier-Wolcker, Hans der Enschluss zum Anhalten der deutschen Panzertruppen im Flandern 1940 (Vierteljahreschrift für Zeitgeschichte, July 1954).
61.
Meier-Wolcker op cit.
62.
Macksey op cit p118.
63.
Quoted Meier-Wolcker op cit.
64.
Quoted Ellis op cit p151.
65.
Interview with Liddell Hart, 26 October 1945, LH 9/24/132.
66.
Burdick & Jacobsen op cit p165.
67.
Ibid.
68.
Diary entry, quoted Taylor op cit p260fn.
69.
Ellis op cit p150, Taylor op cit pp260–1.
70.
Meier-Wolcker op cit citing letter to him from von Sodenstern dated 1 May 1954.
71.
Quoted Taylor op cit p261.
72.
Meier-Wolcker op cit quoting letters to him from Brennecke (14 April 1954) and Engel (21 May 1954).
73.
Quoted ibid.
74.
Engel diary entry, Tloke op cit.
75.
Diary entry 26 May 1940, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit p167.
76.
Meier-Wolcker op cit quoting Engel statement to him dated 21 May 1954.
77.
See, for example the description of the battle for Wormhoudt given in my biography of Sepp Dietrich, Hitler’s Gladiator pp82–8
6.
78.
Engel diary entry, 27 May 1940, Tloke op cit.
79.
PRO WO 205/1020.
80.
IWM AL 1325.
81.
Blumentritt op cit pp74–78.
82.
Letter dated December 1954, Ansel op cit pp108fn, 176.
83.
Interview, 26 October 1945, LH 9/24/132.
84.
Diary entry, 9 June 1940, Burdick & Jacobsen op cit p189.
85.
Blumentritt op cit p80.
86.
Diary entry, 20 June 1940, quoted Taylor op cit pp306–7.
CHAPTER SEVEN
1.
Freiburg MSg 1/1893.
2.
The full list, in order of seniority, was von Brauchitsch, Keitel, von Rundstedt, von Bock, von Leeb, List, von Kluge, von Witzleben, von Reichenau. Three Luftwaffe generals, Milch, Sperrle and Kesselring, were likewise promoted. In addition, a further 14 generals, including Hoth, Guderian and von Rundstedt’s other army commander, Busch, were promoted Colonel General on the same day.
3.
Diary entry 30 June 1940, Burdick and Jacobsen op cit p219.
4.
Shirer The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich p751.
5.
Burdick and Jacobsen op cit p219 and Taylor The Breaking Wave p216.
6.
Foreign Office Research Department GER/96/49 20th July (1944) Plot Personalities, January 1949. Wheeler-Bennett Papers.
7.
Blumentritt op cit p89.
8.
Interview, 26 October 1945, LH 9/24/132.
9.
Shulman Defeat in the West p59. Von Rundstedt made the same comment during one of his interrogations shortly after arriving in England in July 1945 (US Dept of the Army G-2 Report B-826 dated 8 September 1945, von Rundstedt Archive).
10.
Blumentritt op cit p87.
11.
Ansel op cit pp217,256.
12.
Blumentritt op cit p88.
13.
Quoted SHAEF Psychological Warfare Intelligence Section Background Information Report DE416/D15202 dated 31 May 1945, Freiburg MSg 1/1893.
14.
Quoted Taylor The Breaking Wave p230.
15.
Earl F Ziemke in Barnett ed Hitler’s Generals p192 quoting Wilhelm von Leeb Tagebuch aufzeichnungen und Lagebeurteilungen aus zwei Weltkriegan (Stuttgart, 1976).
16.
Smith, Howard K Last Train from Berlin pp221–2 (Cresset Press, London, 1942).
17.
Letter 2 September 1940, Freiburg HSg 1/1893.
18.
Quoted SHAEF PWD report dated 31 May 1945, op cit.
19.
Interview Gerd and Eberhard von Rundstedt, 4 November 1989.
20.
Letters to the Author from Gerd von Rundstedt, 14 November 1989, and Barbara Papanastassiou, 14 February 1990.