Constantly praised by his superiors as an above-average officer. Last assessment of 1.3.1943 judged him to be: ‘Decent, open and upright character, good National Socialist attitude, proven in battle, forward-looking determined troop leader with good tactical feel, mentally and physically lively. Proved himself again in the fighting in the the central Tunisian mountains.’
CSDIC (UK) opinion: ‘This jolly ex-cavalry man has a twinkle in his eye. He is not particularly intelligent, but is always most amusing and charming. He has travelled around Europe fairly extensively and, as a result, has a broader outlook then most of the other Generals.’ A monarchist who advocated the territorial division of the Reich as it existed in Imperial times, ‘he is anti-Nazi, defeatist and monarchist. He has a horror of Communism equalled only by his horror of Nazism. He writes very anti-Nazi letters to his wife, so much so that she is constantly appealing to him to be more careful, as she has had trouble with the Gestapo about it.’
8. GENERALMAJOR JOHANNES BRUHN
Born Neumünster, 10.7.1898. Prot. WWI: Entered Army 21.6.1915; as NCO wounded at front four times; 1918 Leutnant (Reserve); 1.4.1920 joined police; 1.4.1935 re-entered Army in rank of Hauptmann. WWII: At outbreak of war, CO, (heavy) Art.Abt.602; 28.7.1941 CO, artillery regiments; 1.3.1942 Oberst; 15.10.1942 CO, Art.Reg.113 and 149; 20.12.1943 awarded Knight’s Cross; 30.9.1944 CO, 553.Volks-grenadierdivision; 1.11.1944 Generalmajor; 22.11.1944 PoW Saverne (France); 28.12.1944 Trent Park; May 1945 transferred USA. Repatriated 26.6.1947. 1951–54 CO, Grenzschutzkommando Mitte (frontier police). Died Lübeck, 20.11.1954.
Bruhn was always appraised as above average, in his last assessment on 1 March 1944 by the Commanding General V.Armeekorps he was considered ‘outstanding; an especially valuable leader-type personality by character and as a soldier, never loses faith even in the most difficult situations. Outstandingly brave, wounded on six occasions. National Socialist. The best artillery commander I have come across in this war.’
CSDIC (UK) opinion: By far the most intelligent of the generals captured in the second part of 1944. A man who combined great personal charm with an air of integrity. Considered ‘anti-Nazi’, he became more interested in politics during captivity. In his opinion a Communist Germany was to be prevented at all costs.
9. GENERALMAJOR WALTER BRUNS
Born Kirberg/Limburg, 15.9.1891. RC. Entered Army 10.2.1910. WWI: Service with pioneer units, finally Hauptmann and comp. cdr. Reichswehr: Staff appointments in Ordnance and Fortifications; 1.4.1938 Oberst. WWII: Chief of Construction Staff, Landau; 1.4.1940 Cdr, Rhine crossings; 1.5.1941–1.5.1942 CO, Bridge Staff Bruns, Army Group North; December 1941 eye-witness to mass executions at Riga; 1.6.1942 Army Ordnance Warrant Officer Training School I; 20.7.1944 complicity in assassination plot, with his troop occupied the Berlin City Fort but Gestapo never discovered his involvement; 24.1.1945 FührerReserve; 8.4.1945 PoW Göttingen, to Trent Park; 21.2.1948 freed, gave evidence at OKW war crimes trials. Died Göttingen, 15.4.1957.
Assessed on 5 March 1944 as: ‘Of unobjectionable character. Not very attractive but of passable military appearance. Highly esteemed technically and very interested. No doubts as to his National Socialist convictions.’
10. OBERST RUDOLF GUSTAV BUHSE
Born Graudenz, 10.4.1905. Prot. Reichswehr: Entered Army 1.4.1924; from 1937 Inf.Reg.47, 22.Luftlande.Div. WWII: Fought in France and Russia; stationed in Crete; 17.8.1942 awarded Knight’s Cross; October 1942 transferred from Crete to North Africa 21.Pz.Div.; 9.5.1943 PoW Tunisia; end May 1943 Trent Park. 1956–62 Bundeswehr, Brigadegeneral. Died Tutzing, 26.11.1997.
CSDIC (UK) opinion: ‘He is a Nazi but has the good taste (or the good sense) not to make this obvious to the British.’ Considered a hero by the younger Trent Park inmates, in his spare time studied architecture.
11. MAJOR WALTER BURCKHARDT
Born Strasbourg, 19.2.1908. Prot. Studied law at Breslau. Reichswehr: 9.4.1930 entered Landespolizei; 15.10.1935 transferred into Army; 16.8.1937–15.1.1939 Oberleutnant, with von Thoma in Spanish Civil War. WWII: 1939 Hauptmann and Comp. Cdr, 12.Inf.Reg.458 in Poland; 1.8.1940 transferred to Luftwaffe (paratroops); May 1941 CO, II./Fallschirmjäger-Reg.1, Crete. 1.1.1942 Major, Battalion Cdr, Fallschirmjägerbrigade Ramcke; 5.11.1942 PoW El Alamein. 23.12.1942–2.43 Trent Park. For other details of his career, see TNA WO208/4182.
Assessed on 28 January 1942 as: ‘Pronounced soldierly appearance, emphatically correct military behaviour. Of unobjectionable character, ambitious, an exemplary officer, impassioned, full of verve and ideas. Excellent instructor. Leader type. Brave and hard on himself and his subordinates. Proven in the field as battalion commander in Crete. Convinced National Socialist.’
12. GENERAL DER INFANTERIE DIETRICH VON CHOLTITZ
Born Wiesegräflich/Upper Silesia, 9.11.1894. RC. Entered Army 6.2.1914. WWI: Leutnant, Inf.Reg.107. Reichswehr: Infantry and cavalry units, from 1.2.1937 Battalion Cdr, Inf.Reg.16; 1.4.1938 Oberstleutnant. WWII: 1.4.1941 Oberst; 18.5.1940 awarded Knight’s Cross; 10.9.1940–27.8.1942 CO, Inf.Reg.16; 1.9.1942 Generalmajor; 27.8.1942–12.10.1942 CO, 260.Inf.Div.; 7.2.1943–5.3.1943 CO, XVII.Armeekorps; 1.3.1943 Generalleutnant; 5.3.1943–1.10.1943 CO, 11.Pz.Div.; 1.10.1943–15.11.1943 CO, XXXXVIII.Pz.Korps; 1.3.1944–16.4.1944 CO, LXXVI.Pz.Korps (Italy); 13.6.1944 Cmmdg Gen., LXXXIV.Armeekorps (Normandy); 1.8.1944 General der Infanterie; from 7.8.1944 Wehrmacht Commander, Greater Paris; 25.8.1944 PoW; 29.8.1944–10.4.1945 Trent Park. Repatriated April 1947. Died Baden-Baden, 5.11.1966.
Assessment on 1 April 1942 by CO, 22.Inf.Div.: ‘By disposition and ability an able soldier and officer. Has a good tactical grasp and can make rapid decisions. Gets to the heart of a problem with few words. In battle leads his regiment with prudence and a strong, sure hand. When he puts his mind to it can be a personal example. Many successes are to be credited to his personal initiative. Adept at socialising. Unfortunately owing to the war suffers from stomach complaint. The increased nervousness makes him very irritable at times and he then becomes very excitable as a consequence.’
CSDIC (UK) opinion: ‘PoW is a cinema-type of a German officer, fat, coarse, bemonocled and inflated with a tremendous sense of his own importance.’ His fickle nature did not endear him to his colleagues who spoke of him unflatteringly, see e.g. GRGG 183, 29.8.1944 and GRGG 184, 30.8.1944, TNA WO208/4363.
13. GENERAL DER PANZERTRUPPE HANS CRAMER
Born Minden, 13.7.1896. Prot. WWI: 10.8.1914 entered Army, Leutnant, mostly Comp. Cdr with Inf.Reg.15. Reichswehr: Staff cavalry units; 1.2.1939 Oberstleutnant. WWII: From 22.3.1941 CO, Pz.Reg.8 in North Africa; 27.6.1941 awarded Knight’s Cross; 1.10.1941 Oberst; 1.4.1942 Chief of Staff, General der Schnellen Truppen; 1.9.1942–22.1.1943 General der Schnellen Truppen; 1.11.1942 Generalmajor; 20.11.1942–10.12.1942, acting CO, XXXXVIII.Armeekorps; 22.1.1943–10.2.1943 CO, General-Kommando zbV (special purposes) Cramer; 22.1.1943 Generalleutnant; from 13.3.1943 Head of German Afrika Korps; 1.5.1943 General der Panzertruppen; 12.5.1943 PoW Tunisia; 16.5.1943–22.2.1944 Trent Park. Repatriated (severe asthma) arrived Germany 12.5.1944. Involved in 20 July 1944 plot; from 26.7.1944–5.8.1944 held by Gestapo, Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse prison in Berlin; transferred to satellite camp of Ravensbrück, transferred at end of September to Berlin Charité hospital; from 24.12.1944 placed under house arrest at home; 14.8.1944 discharged from Wehrmacht. From May 1945 appointed by British as C-in-C of all German PoWs in Holstein (Wehrmachtstab Nord); 15.2.1946 discharged again. Died Hausberge, 28.10.1968.