Looking for a copy of a Heeresgruppe document März 1945

[CRAIG CARR]

Can anyone direct me to a copy of the two following Heeresgruppe edicts issued by GFM Keitel and GenObst Blaskowitz? I am computerless and running into brick walls.I am seeking a copy IN German of these orders that my late uncle sent my mother. These are english translations of the two orders used in March of 1945 to sentence her to death by hanging. Feb.12.
1945: "In the name of the Führer...ANY soldier who illegally obtains "leave papers" or who travels with false papers, will be punished by death. GFM Wilhelm Keitel. The second order was by Heeresgruppe Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz, OB Heeresgruppe H on März 5.1945 ~ "All soldiers encountered away from their units,stating they were stragglers looking for their units,will be tried and shot".I am trying to complete a Geburstagalbum for her as she will be 88 in November and a remarkable survivor. Anyone have an idea of where I can locate a copy of these two orders? Did the orders carry an eagle holding a swastika in a wreath "seal"? This is what I have assembled so far of her life growing up as a Berliner. http://picasaweb.google.com/anne.loftin/SiegHell#
Vielen Dank for any help. CRAIG

[Tom Peters]

There is virtually nothing left of HGr H records (16 pages) but I can look. The Keitel order might be in a T78 roll, but I would not know where to begin.

Mad Dog

[John R]

I quoted the Blaskowitz edict in my book No Triumphant Procession which was published by Arms and Armour Press in 1994. I see from my footnotes that I sourced it from Milton Shulman's book Defeat in the West. This does not help you much! However, I have just finished reading Professor Ian Kershaw's excellent book The End and remembered seeing the quote there. I have checked his notes and they say the following against the quote:

Zimmermann, Pflicht,, p.338; Christopher Clark, 'Johannes Blaskowitz - der christliche General', in Ronald Smelser and Enrico Syring (eds.), Die militaerelite des Dritten Reiches, Berlin, 1995, pp 35,43.

Hopefully there may be something in those notes to help you in your quest, even if it is only to provide you with the German words used.

regards

John R

[CRAIG CARR]

Thanks John! I have been trying to locate a copy of the book you mentioned , so far with little success, except for a reply from a publisher in NY I tried to write Giziowski care of, to ask if he still had a resource copy I could buy a copy of. The respondent proved to be a bit of a dumkopf and said they had no copies left to purchase as it was out of print, and had no idea of how to contact the author of the book they were the sole publisher of... her response made me think HA! ...and they call ME a dumb blond! I think she is challenging me for the title. I got a lead to an author who also quoted it in your reference in England.. and shall pursue that door to Kershaw. Vielen dank for your kindness and good source suggestion. In ten weeks.. 70 yrs ago... my mother was sentenced to detah by hanging as a result.. so I would like to add a copy of the original German decrees into her birthday album. She just turned 90 in November. Ich wünsche Ihnen einen guten Tag! CRAIG

[GregSingh]

It seems that story about Johannes Blaskowitz order from the 5th of March 1945 originated in Christopher Clark's "Johannes Blaskowitz - Der christliche General".
It does not seem to be published as a separate book, but rather as a chapter in the already mentioned Ronald Smelser and Enrico Syring "Die Militärelite des Dritten Reiches. 27 biographische Skizzen".

Smelser and Syring book costs less then $10 USD at Amazon. But Christopher Clark is the person you want to talk to. Australian historian working in England. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Clar ... storian%29

[CRAIG CARR]

THANKS GREG, G'Day! I shall pursue it asap. I did try to locate Ronald Smelser and found he was a professor at a university in Utah... and got help from a faculty advisor there to email him.. but never got a reply back. I tried writing overseas to Germany, but I regret meine deutsch is sehr shreklish and not good enough to illicit a responce. Thankyou very much for your help! CRAIG

[GregSingh]

Contents of Smelser and Syring book can be searched using Google books:
http://books.google.com.au/books/about/ ... edir_esc=y
But all I could find about that order was German fragment "summarisch abgeurteilt und erschossen".

[CRAIG CARR]

G'day Greg! I am unable to open the Smelser and Syring book as I am computerless and can't google.NO word yet from Professor Clark, but thankyou for your kind replial as I try to push forward. AHF member Gorke, alerted me that his father was also sentenced to death under the same orders and hidden by a farmer for several months after the war, with a few of his Kriegsmarine shipmates and refugees from the east as the Soviets advanced. It is a terrifying thought and blessing that one's life is spared because of the kindness of a stranger.May we all receive such a kindness in times of life threatening peril.

[JDKR]

Craig - I have just happened across the quote in Milton Shulman's 'Defeat in the West' and he references the quote to a British XXX Corps Intsum in March 1945. Sadly he doesn't give a more precise date to the Intsum. When I'm next at the National Archives (not for a few months I'm afraid) I will try to track it down.

All the best

John

[Tom Peters]

Craig, PM me.

Mad Dog

[CRAIG CARR]

Thanks John very much! I am techless,and yeah a blond, and appreciate the help.Vielen Dank AHF members for your kind suggestions as I try to find missing parts of my mother's WW2 experience. You are a wonderful bunch of people, I
am most grateful for your help. My Austrian neighbor was 9 yrs old when she saw the summary execution of 5 German boys by SS members while walking home from school with her classmates under those terrible laws.A sight she will never forget and a factual reality she still shakes her head in disbelief of, now 70 years later. Thanks for your post. craig



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