Werner von Haeften

[stvictoria]

Hi,
as I've recently read Bernhard R. Kroener's opus magnum on Fromm, it seems to me that von Haeften is mostly regarded (in Germany at least) as von Stauffenbergs truthful knave. He is part of the hagiography of the resistance of course, but as a knave. Maybe he was more important than that (he was an Olt. d.R. with an degree in law) but who knows?

All the best,

Frank

Hi!
I mean, what does the word 'knave' mean here? I think Haeften was quite an important role in the July 20th Plot because it was him that accompanied Stauffenberg to Wolf's Liar... And as he has a family tradition of supporting the Germany resistance (with father and brother as members of the association?..), he himself was apparently not compelled to join the plot...
Well...I dunno= =....Just my oppinion...

Victoria.

[valkyrie]

Perhaps knave does not translate well. I think of v. Haeften as Stauffenberg's equerry or page. Knave implies poor character. I have nver seen v. Haeften depicted in this way.

Colin

[stvictoria]

Perhaps knave does not translate well. I think of v. Haeften as Stauffenberg's equerry or page. Knave implies poor character. I have nver seen v. Haeften depicted in this way.

Colin

Yeah, I quite agree with your explanation of Haeften's character.

Victoria.

[Melissamo]

What exactly happened to Werner von Haeften? I know he was wounded on the eastern front but what kind of wound was it?

He was wounded on Feb. 2, 1942 in the vicinity of the Ilmensee (Novgorod): shot through the pelvis/buttocks. This is per his sister-in-law, Barbara von Haeften, in her book "Nichts Schriftliches von Politik'. Hans Bernd von Haeften. Ein Lebensbericht ."

[vanhaften]

Hi, my dad told me we are related to Werner. His grandfather told him a long time ago. Our last name is Van Haften, he thinks it changed a long time ago when some of our family came to the US. I am trying to find out some more about our geneaology, anyone know about this name change?

[Alecci]

If I'm not mistaken there's a Dutch branch of the family which spells it "van Haeften" rather than "von Haeften", and most probably my guess would be that you're closer related to the Dutch branch than the German one.

[Moltke d. J.]

I mean, what does the word 'knave' mean here?

Please blame my poor English. I thought 'Knappe' would easily translate to 'knave' (see http://dict.leo.org/ende?lang=de&lp=ende&search=Knappe or http://www.dict.cc/?s=Knappe. It's not always that easy if you're not a native speaker.

My apologies

Frank

[valkyrie]

Frank

No need to apologize. Your English is certainly better than my German. You have nothing to apologize for.

Regards

Colin

[InSearchofNora]

Hello all,
I'm jumping in this thread pretty late in the game and I appreciate all the information listed previoulsy. I believe that Werner von Haeften may have been the German soldier who repeatedly assisted my grandfather and his family. My mom I just D'ed a picture of Werner von Haeften as a person she knew as 'Nora'. Nora was the code name for the man who helped my grandfather. This Nora was handsome, spoke Russian and recruited my grandfather from a Gestapo prision in Kiev. He provided travel orders (using military vehicles) and food rations for my grandfather's family as they left Kiev and headed west. The last time the family saw Nora was in Poznan, where my grandfather waited on the train station platform for days to have Nora write orders for his family to travel east to avoid extermination. Nora told my grandfather that they would not meet again as Nora would likley be killed. My family was in Warsaw when they heard that a plot to kill Hilter had been foiled. They knew Nora had been killled in this attempt.
Is there any documentation that Werner von Haeften spoke Russian? That he worked with Ukrainians to flush out Soviet spys in the German army? Could these descriptions fit anyone else? Many thanks all, Lena

[gkinkead]

I am actually looking for information on his brother, Hans-Bernd von Haeften.
I'm wondering if his children may still be alive.
My mother worked in their home in 1940 as a governess, servant.
I would very much like to get in touch with anyone left in the family,
as she remembers the children and the family very well.
I am in the process of writing a book about her life during WWII in Berlin and other areas.
Have tried finding them on the internet and have been unable to get information on those still alive.
H.

Hi Hilde : did you finish your book on your mother's life in Berlin? I am interested in learning more about the von Haeftens household and would like to read your book
Thanks, GKinkead