Artur Phleps

[Ivan Ž.]

Thank you very much, Thierry! So he was awarded with it for Operation "Weiss".

Cheers,
Ivan

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a complement....................................

Arthur Phleps, from K.u.K. to the Waffen SS!

Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom ... 1_0035.pdf
https://handzar.jimdo.com/drugi-svjetsk ... ur-phleps/

Cheers. Raúl M .

FELICES PASCUAS - HAPPY EASTER - FROHE OSTERN - JOYEUSES PÂQUES - FELIZ PÁSCOA - BUONA PASQUA!

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a complement: Artur Phleps, from K.u.K. to the Waffen-SS!
Source: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bd/43/ee ... d9cada.jpg
Cheers. Raúl M .

[Dene]

IMG-20220809-WA0005.jpg

IMG-20220809-WA0004.jpg

[Ivan Ž.]

Hello, Dene, and thanks for sharing.

It is the V. SS-Geb.-Korps staff (formed in Milovice) visit to SS-Panzergrenadierschule Kienschlag (Prosečnice, about 60 km away from Milovice), 1943. The officer standing next to Phleps is SS-Stubaf. Erich Eberhardt and the one with his back turned is SS-Staf. Otto Kumm, who is facing SS-Stubaf. Hans Kempin (school commandant). More photos from the series: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=75416&start=675#p2312623

Cheers,
Ivan

[steve248]

DNB report, picked up by BBC monitoring, on Phleps' death:

IMG_0960a.png

[VanillaNuns]

Photograph below is from the Armed Conflicts website which also has a detailed list of his military awards and important dates, also a short biography.

https://www.armedconflicts.com/Phleps-A ... tin-t27309

Interestingly, there is some speculation that Phelps was sent to his death deliberately by officers who already knew the area around Arad where Phelps was heading had been captured by the Red Army.

Hans Bergel wrote in his 1972 book "The Dice of Life: Four portraits of Important Transylvanians, Conrad Haas, Johann Martin Honigberger, Paul Richter, Artur Phleps" that he suspected that Phleps had been set up by Hungarian army officers who had found out that he knew of plans for Hungary to switch sides as Romania had done shortly before.

The second version is that, like Ferdinand Schörner, he was despised by many of his own officers, and someone with prior intelligence of the Red Army's advances, took the opportunity to knowingly encourage him to visit Simand, with the likelihood that he was unlikely to return.

[Ivan Ž.]

Some people really like to theorise, which I find pointless and simply wrong, when it comes to history. Given the time, region and circumstances, both scenarios seem far-fetched. Theorising of that kind is a waste of time, and can be more hurtful to history than helpful.

The photo was copied on that website from this forum.

Cheers,
Ivan

[VanillaNuns]

Hello Ivan,

I agree with you on the second scenario mentioned above. I was initially reluctant to even mention it because it does sound rather far fetched. Any SS officer deliberately and knowingly allowing their commanding officer to venture into enemy territory would need to be absolutely sure he wouldn't return. Or else the consequences would be a certain death sentence.

The claims made by Hans Bergel, I only repeat what he wrote in his book. I have no idea what his sources were to make such allegations.

One thing is certain though. Phelps was warned en-route to Simand that he was driving into captured Red Army territory and it was incredibly stupid of him not to heed the advice and turn around until it was already too late.

[Ivan Ž.]

Well there you go, that is the main problem with that type of theorising: the lack of supporting sources. And the history needs rock-solid sources. Without them, it's not even theorising, it's fantasising. And therefore, it's all just a waste of time, with the risk of distorting the history.

Steve, I forgot to comment: the document you posted is unreadable due to the low resolution. Please try to re-upload it, in higher res.

By the way, for those who missed it, here's a document showing the correct date of Phleps' death (20 Sept. 1944) and circumstances:
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=143576&p=2187721&h ... t#p2187721

Cheers,
Ivan

[steve248]

let's see if this is more readable without exceeding what can be downloaded:

IMG_0960b.png

[steve248]

looks OK

[Ivan Ž.]

Thanks, it is better.

With some contrast adjustment:

IMG_0960b.png