Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven: Difference between revisions
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'''Bernd Baron Freytag von Loringhoven''' (born [[1914]] in [[Kuressaare|Arensburg/Kuressaare]], [[Estonia]]) is a [[Baltic-German]] former |
'''Bernd Baron Freytag von Loringhoven''' (born [[1914]] in [[Kuressaare|Arensburg/Kuressaare]], [[Estonia]]) is a [[Baltic-German]] former general and deputy head of the German [[Bundeswehr]]. In [[World War II]] he was a decorated tank commander and adjutant of [[general]]s [[Heinz Guderian]] and [[Hans Krebs]] from July [[1944]] till April [[1945]]. |
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== The |
== The last witness == |
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His last mission in [[World War II]] was to prepare reports for [[Adolf Hitler]], in whose company he spent many hours. After [[23 April]] 1945, when Hitler's communication battalion fled en masse, he had to improvise significantly and based intelligence reports on information gained from the Allied news agencies [[Reuters]] and the [[BBC]]. Hitler was not aware of this. Hitler allowed him to escape the bunker on [[29 April]] 1945 and even gave him advice how to get a motor boat and escape the [[Allies]]. Captured by the British, he spent two years as a [[prisoner of war]]. He was never found guilty of any [[war crimes]]. After being released, he moved to [[Munich]], where he was active in the publishing industry and was promoted to general in the [[German army]] in [[1956]]. |
His last mission in [[World War II]] was to prepare reports for [[Adolf Hitler]], in whose company he spent many hours. After [[23 April]] 1945, when Hitler's communication battalion fled en masse, he had to improvise significantly and based intelligence reports on information gained from the Allied news agencies [[Reuters]] and the [[BBC]]. Hitler was not aware of this. Hitler allowed him to escape the bunker on [[29 April]] 1945 and even gave him advice how to get a motor boat and escape the [[Allies]]. Captured by the British, he spent two years as a [[prisoner of war]]. He was never found guilty of any [[war crimes]]. After being released, he moved to [[Munich]], where he was active in the publishing industry and was promoted to general in the [[German army]] in [[1956]]. |
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Revision as of 12:17, 9 October 2006
Bernd Baron Freytag von Loringhoven (born 1914 in Arensburg/Kuressaare, Estonia) is a Baltic-German former general and deputy head of the German Bundeswehr. In World War II he was a decorated tank commander and adjutant of generals Heinz Guderian and Hans Krebs from July 1944 till April 1945.
The last witness
His last mission in World War II was to prepare reports for Adolf Hitler, in whose company he spent many hours. After 23 April 1945, when Hitler's communication battalion fled en masse, he had to improvise significantly and based intelligence reports on information gained from the Allied news agencies Reuters and the BBC. Hitler was not aware of this. Hitler allowed him to escape the bunker on 29 April 1945 and even gave him advice how to get a motor boat and escape the Allies. Captured by the British, he spent two years as a prisoner of war. He was never found guilty of any war crimes. After being released, he moved to Munich, where he was active in the publishing industry and was promoted to general in the German army in 1956.
His cousin Wessel Freiherr Freytag von Loringhoven, who provided the detonator charge and explosives for the assassination attempt against Hitler on July 20th, 1944 was a friend of Freytag-Loringhoven but did not involve him in the plot. Only with the backing of General Heinz Guderian did Freytag-Loringhoven not get arrested after the failed July 20 plot.
He is one of the last two known living witnesses (along with Rochus Misch) to the events in the Führerbunker at the end of World War II, although he had left the bunker by the time of Hitler's suicide. He was often called to testify and to co-operate in script writing, for example for the movie Der Untergang (Downfall). Now 91, he has recently published his memoirs of the time he spent in the bunker, with the title In the Bunker with Hitler: The Last Witness Speaks.
Sources
- Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven and François d' Alançon:
Dans le bunker de Hitler : 23 juillet 1944 - 29 avril 1945 , Paris 2005, ISBN 2-262-02285-2
- Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven and François d' Alançon:
In the Bunker with Hitler : The Last Witness Speaks, London 2006, ISBN 0-297-84555-1