Job von Witzleben (Historian)
Encyclopedia
Job Wilhelm Henning Dietrich von Witzleben (4 August 1916 - 1999) was a German army officer and a military historian.
to the old noble family of von Witzleben, he was a descendant of the Prussian general Job von Witzleben
(1783–1837) and grand-nephew to Erwin von Witzleben
. He graduated from Heidelberg University, where he was a member of the Saxo-Borussia fraternity, with a degree in history. He was also a member of the Hitlerjugend, holding the rank of Gefolgschaftsführer
. At 1 February 1935, he joined the Nazi Party (membership number: 3590830).
. After being commissioned as a Lieutenant, he was assigned to an anti-aircraft battery. Afterwards, while stationed in the 192. Grenadier
Regiment of the 56th Infantry Division
with the rank of Hauptmann
, Witzleben was awarded the German Cross in Gold at 24 April 1943. At autumn 1943, he returned from the Eastern Front to be trained for General Staff duty in the Prussian War Academy. Soon after his arrival, he visited his uncle, Field Marshal von Witzleben, who notified him of his intention to remove Adolf Hitler
by force. The younger Witzleben was promoted to the rank of major and posted in the General Staff.
Job von Witzleben claimed that he was not personally involved in the 20 July Plot and that he was not made privy to its planning. Yet, under the new Sippenhaft
laws and after his uncle was executed, he was interrogated by the Gestapo
. Though nothing came of the investigation, he was temporarily discharged from the Wehrmacht. He was then recalled and relegated back to the Eastern Front; Witzleben told an interviewer that he was expected to "prove himself once more." He was appointed as First Staff Officer, a role roughly equivalent to that of an operations officer, of the 69th Infantry Division at
26 February 1945. The division, with the rest of Army Group North, was already besieged by the Red Army in the city of Königsberg.
At early April, the corps' chief of staff informed Witzleben that he is to be flown out of the pocket and face court-martial in Vienna
, that would probably result in an execution. Witzleben ordered a radio operator to contact the Soviets. On 9 April, he met with a Soviet delegation who crossed the lines and defected to the Red Army. On the very same day, the remains of the division surrendered. He was held in relatively comfortable condition while in captivity.
. At June 1945, he witnessed the arrival of Field Marshal Ferdinand Schörner
in the camp, after he was handed over by the American authorities. A group of some 200 inmates attempted to lynch Schörner, but they were held at bay by the guards. While in the camp, Witzleben joined the League of German Officers, that was disbanded in November 1945.
In 1948, Witzleben was offered the chance to join the German Administration of the Interior that was created by the authorities in the Soviet occupation zone. He was assigned to the Main Directory of Training with the rank of a Colonel, and posted to the Köchstedt Academy as an instructor, where he trained recruits for what would become the Barracked People's Police
(KVP). Later, he became a member of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
.
After the KVP was formally established in July 1952, Witzleben joined it. On 15 September 1953 he became chief of staff for the newly formed Territorial Command North in Pasewalk
.
Witzleben was considered to be unreliable by the Stasi
, due to his 'bourgeois background' and aristocratic descent. Many other former Wehrmacht officers were purged from the East German armed services already in the late 1940s. In 12 December 1957 he was dismissed from MB V, and at 15 March 1958 he was reassigned to the Potsdam Military History Institute
as a fellow researcher. He was not dismissed from the army, and retained his rank as an Oberst.
One of his first actions as a military historian was to attack Adolf Heusinger
, claiming that he betrayed the 20 July plotters. He also worked as a military consultant for several films: his participation in the production of the documentary Himmelsstürmer won him the Heinrich Greif Prize
, 2nd degree, at 17 May 1966.
He served in the same position in the 1970 adventure film Meine Stunde Null and consulted director Yuri Ozerov
during the making of his World War II epic Liberation
. He continued to work with Ozerov in Soldiers of Freedom
, Battle of Moscow
and Stalingrad
.
Witzleben was married to Anka von Witzleben and resided in a villa in Potsdam that once belonged to Wilhelm Kempff
. At 1970, he received the Friedrich Engels Prize, 3rd degree. In 31 December 1972 he retired from the National People's Army without further promotions.
Early life
Born in SaxonySaxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
to the old noble family of von Witzleben, he was a descendant of the Prussian general Job von Witzleben
Job von Witzleben
Karl Ernst Job-Wilhelm von Witzleben was a Prussian Lieutenant General, Adjutant-General to the King and Minister of War....
(1783–1837) and grand-nephew to Erwin von Witzleben
Erwin von Witzleben
Job-Wilhelm Georg Erdmann Erwin von Witzleben was a German army officer and in the Second World War an Army commander and a conspirator in the July 20 Plot.-Early years:...
. He graduated from Heidelberg University, where he was a member of the Saxo-Borussia fraternity, with a degree in history. He was also a member of the Hitlerjugend, holding the rank of Gefolgschaftsführer
Ranks and insignia of the Hitler Youth
The Ranks and insignia of the Hitler Youth were a Nazi Party paramilitary rank system that existed from 1932 to 1945. The Hitler Youth had existed for nearly a decade before, but the organization did not maintain any particular system of ranks. Such ranks were introduced in the early 1930s and...
. At 1 February 1935, he joined the Nazi Party (membership number: 3590830).
World War II
During the Second World War, Witzleben served in the WehrmachtWehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. After being commissioned as a Lieutenant, he was assigned to an anti-aircraft battery. Afterwards, while stationed in the 192. Grenadier
Grenadier (soldier)
A grenadier was originally a specialized soldier, first established as a distinct role in the mid-to-late 17th century, for the throwing of grenades and sometimes assault operations. At this time grenadiers were chosen from the strongest and largest soldiers...
Regiment of the 56th Infantry Division
56th Infantry Division (Germany)
-History and Organisation:The division was formed in 1939 in Dresden, in the second wave of mobilisation . After taking part in the Invasion of France in 1940, it spent the remainder of its existence on the Eastern Front, mostly with Army Group Centre...
with the rank of Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
, Witzleben was awarded the German Cross in Gold at 24 April 1943. At autumn 1943, he returned from the Eastern Front to be trained for General Staff duty in the Prussian War Academy. Soon after his arrival, he visited his uncle, Field Marshal von Witzleben, who notified him of his intention to remove Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
by force. The younger Witzleben was promoted to the rank of major and posted in the General Staff.
Job von Witzleben claimed that he was not personally involved in the 20 July Plot and that he was not made privy to its planning. Yet, under the new Sippenhaft
Sippenhaft
Sippenhaft or Sippenhaftung was a form of collective punishment practised in Nazi Germany towards the end of the Second World War. It was a legalized practice in which relatives of persons accused of crimes against the state were held to share the responsibility for those crimes and subject to...
laws and after his uncle was executed, he was interrogated by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
. Though nothing came of the investigation, he was temporarily discharged from the Wehrmacht. He was then recalled and relegated back to the Eastern Front; Witzleben told an interviewer that he was expected to "prove himself once more." He was appointed as First Staff Officer, a role roughly equivalent to that of an operations officer, of the 69th Infantry Division at
26 February 1945. The division, with the rest of Army Group North, was already besieged by the Red Army in the city of Königsberg.
At early April, the corps' chief of staff informed Witzleben that he is to be flown out of the pocket and face court-martial in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, that would probably result in an execution. Witzleben ordered a radio operator to contact the Soviets. On 9 April, he met with a Soviet delegation who crossed the lines and defected to the Red Army. On the very same day, the remains of the division surrendered. He was held in relatively comfortable condition while in captivity.
Barracked People's Police
Witzleben spent three years in the POW Camp no. 27 near KrasnogorskKrasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast
Krasnogorsk is a city and the administrative center of Krasnogorsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, adjacent to the northwestern boundary of Moscow, on the Moskva River...
. At June 1945, he witnessed the arrival of Field Marshal Ferdinand Schörner
Ferdinand Schörner
Ferdinand Schörner was a General and later Field Marshal in the German Army during World War II.-Early life:Schörner was born in Munich, Bavaria...
in the camp, after he was handed over by the American authorities. A group of some 200 inmates attempted to lynch Schörner, but they were held at bay by the guards. While in the camp, Witzleben joined the League of German Officers, that was disbanded in November 1945.
In 1948, Witzleben was offered the chance to join the German Administration of the Interior that was created by the authorities in the Soviet occupation zone. He was assigned to the Main Directory of Training with the rank of a Colonel, and posted to the Köchstedt Academy as an instructor, where he trained recruits for what would become the Barracked People's Police
Kasernierte Volkspolizei
Kasernierte Volkspolizei were the military units of the Volkspolizei in the German Democratic Republic...
(KVP). Later, he became a member of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
.
After the KVP was formally established in July 1952, Witzleben joined it. On 15 September 1953 he became chief of staff for the newly formed Territorial Command North in Pasewalk
Pasewalk
Pasewalk is a town in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany. Located on the Uecker river, it is the capital of the former Uecker-Randow district, and the seat of the Uecker-Randow-Tal Amt of which it is not part.Pasewalk became a town during the 12th...
.
National People's Army
On 1 March 1956, the National People's Army was officially created, and the command was renamed 'Military Area V' (Militärbezirk V). Witzleben remained in his office, with the same rank (although now as a member of the NVA).Witzleben was considered to be unreliable by the Stasi
Stasi
The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
, due to his 'bourgeois background' and aristocratic descent. Many other former Wehrmacht officers were purged from the East German armed services already in the late 1940s. In 12 December 1957 he was dismissed from MB V, and at 15 March 1958 he was reassigned to the Potsdam Military History Institute
German Armed Forces Military History Research Office
The German Armed Forces Military History Research Office is located at Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg, Germany.-Mission:...
as a fellow researcher. He was not dismissed from the army, and retained his rank as an Oberst.
One of his first actions as a military historian was to attack Adolf Heusinger
Adolf Heusinger
Adolf Heusinger was a German General. He briefly served as Chief of the General Staff of the Army during World War II and served as the first Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, the West German armed forces, from 1957 to 1961...
, claiming that he betrayed the 20 July plotters. He also worked as a military consultant for several films: his participation in the production of the documentary Himmelsstürmer won him the Heinrich Greif Prize
Heinrich Greif Prize
The Heinrich Greif Prize was an East German state award bestowed on individuals for contribution to the state's cinema and television industry.-History:...
, 2nd degree, at 17 May 1966.
He served in the same position in the 1970 adventure film Meine Stunde Null and consulted director Yuri Ozerov
Yuri Ozerov (director)
Yuri Ozerov was a Soviet film director and screenwriter. He directed 20 films between 1950 and 1995.-Early life:...
during the making of his World War II epic Liberation
Liberation (film series)
Liberation is an epic five-part film series considered the most large-scale World War II film ever made in the Soviet Union. Filmed from 1967 to 1971, the first part was released during 1970 for the 25th anniversary of Victory Day...
. He continued to work with Ozerov in Soldiers of Freedom
Soldiers of Freedom
Soldiers of Freedom is a 1977 film directed by Yuri Ozerov and starring Mikhail Ulyanov, Yevgeny Matveyev, Vasily Lanovoy. Soldiers of Freedom is the World War II historical drama.-Plot:...
, Battle of Moscow
Battle of Moscow (film)
The Battle of Moscow is a 1985 Soviet two-part film, presenting a dramatized account of the 1941 Battle of Moscow and the events preceding it. The films were a Soviet-East German-Czechoslovak-Vietnamese co-production directed by Yuri Ozerov who also wrote the script...
and Stalingrad
Stalingrad (1989 film)
Stalingrad is a 1989 two-part Soviet-East German-Czechoslovak-American co-production directed by Yuri Ozerov, who also wrote the script. The film revolves around the Battle of Stalingrad.-Film I:...
.
Witzleben was married to Anka von Witzleben and resided in a villa in Potsdam that once belonged to Wilhelm Kempff
Wilhelm Kempff
Wilhelm Walter Friedrich Kempff was a German pianist and composer. Although his repertory included Bach, Liszt, Chopin, Schumann, and Brahms, Kempff was particularly well-known for his interpretations of the music of Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert, both of whose complete sonatas he also...
. At 1970, he received the Friedrich Engels Prize, 3rd degree. In 31 December 1972 he retired from the National People's Army without further promotions.
Selected works
- Die Bundeswehr - ein gefährliches, aber perspektivloses Instrument des westdeutschen Imperialismus und Militarismus. Institut für deutsche Militärgeschichte (1965). ASIN B003TVXQ7G.
- Bundeswehr Armee der Revanche: Probleme der Entwicklung der Bundeswehr. Deutscher Militärverlag (1965). ASIN B000Z3SKOK. [Written in collective, with Witzleben as director and chief editor].
- Der Einsatz der HVA-Kräfte zur Sicherung der III. Weltfestspiele der Jugend und Studenten im Sommer 1951 in Berlin. Institut für deutsche Militärgeschichte (1970).
- Die Verschwörung vom 20. Juli 1944 — keine nationale Alternative für das deutsches Volk. Published in Das Nationalkomitee "Freies Deutschland" und seine militärpolitische Bedeutung. Institut für deutsche Militärgeschichte (1963).
- Stauffenberg und das Nationalkomitee Freies Deutschland. Ein verdrängtes Kapitel deutschen Widerstandes. Dokumentation Berlin (1990).