Fritz Wiedemann Explained

Frederick (“Fritz”) Wiedemann (16 August 1891 in Augsburg – 17 January 1970 in Postmünster) was a German soldier and Nazi Party activist. He was for a time the personal adjutant to Adolf Hitler, having served with him in World War I.[1] [2] [3] The two men subsequently had a falling-out, and Wiedemann secretly repudiated his Nazi beliefs, warning American and British figures about Hitler's plans for Europe. On one occasion he actively intervened to help the Jewish-born widow of Willi Schmid, a wrongful victim of the Night of the Long Knives, escape Germany.[4]

War service

Wiedemann and Hitler first came into contact during the First World War when Hauptmann Wiedemann, as regimental adjutant, was Corporal Hitler's superior.[5] [6] Along with Max Amann he was one of Hitler's strongest supporters in the regiment, nominating him for the Iron Cross, First Class on a number of occasions before the medal was given in 1918.[7] Whilst giving evidence at the Nuremberg Trials, Wiedemann suggested that Hitler had failed to gain promotion in the regiment due to commanding officers viewing him as a 'Bohemian'.[8] [9]

Hitler's adjutant

After the war Wiedemann left the army and became a farmer, initially refusing an offer from Hitler at the regimental reunion in 1922 to help organise the Sturmabteilung (SA).[10] However, when Hitler came to power in 1933 Wiedemann accepted a new offer, initially in the offices of Rudolf Hess before taking up his post at Hitler's side, as well as Nazi Party membership, on 2 February 1934.[11] From then on Wiedemann remained at Hitler's side, accompanying him on state visits, facilitating meetings and dealing with Hitler's correspondence.[12] [13] He also attended a meeting with Lord Halifax in July 1938 in which Wiedemann gave reassurances that "no forcible action" was anticipated by Hitler over the Sudetenland unless there were some serious incident to provoke it.[14]

Diplomatic service

Not long after this Wiedemann fell out of favour[15] with Hitler as his rival Julius Schaub became the more important adjutant.[16] After trysting with Stephanie von Hohenlohe,[17] he was "exiled", in January 1939, to San Francisco as a Consul General to the United States.[18] [19] In public, Wiedemann continued to support Nazism and apparently led a playboy[20] lifestyle which included attendance at society parties, membership of the exclusive Olympic Club and regular appearances[21] [22] in the columns of Herb Caen.[23] [5]

Allegations leveled in a case[24] [25] [26] [27] filed at the city's Federal District Court in 1941 also suggested that he worked on pro-Nazi initiatives with Henry Ford.[28] In private, however, Wiedemann broke entirely with Nazism. He met with the British agent Sir William Wiseman, warning him of Hitler's unstable personality and urging Britain to attack Germany.[29] [30] [31] He also offered to publicly denounce the German regime, but the White House at that time had no interest in such an offer.[32] [33] [34]

Thomas Weber[35] has found the records of Wiedemann's talks with him in 1940 in which Wiedemann openly warned against Hitler and claimed Hitler had a "split personality and numbered among the most cruel people in the world, saw himself better than Napoleon and that peace with him was impossible." He told Wiseman of Hitler's plans to attack and conquer the UK and "recommended strongly" that the British themselves strike as quickly and as "hard as possible" against him.

He told Wiseman that the morale of the German population and the support of Hitler were lower than generally believed. Thomas Weber said if Hitler had known about Wiedemann's "treason," he would have given him the death penalty.[36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41]

China

Wiedemann was subsequently sent[42] to Tientsin where he was a central figure in German espionage in China,[43] apparently this time without betraying Hitler.[44] [45] [46]

Post-war

After the Second World War, Wiedemann was arrested in Tientsin, China, in September 1945, was brought to Manila and flown to the United States.[47] He gave evidence at Nuremberg[48] [49] [50] although charges made against him were dropped in 1948 and he subsequently returned to farming, disappearing from public life.[51]

Some 7,000 personal and semiofficial papers of Fritz Wiedemann have been acquired by the Library of Congress.[52]

In 2012 it was claimed that Wiedemann had helped to save Hitler's Jewish commanding officer, Ernst Hess. Hess's daughter Ursula, by then 86 and still living in Germany, stated in an interview with the Jewish Voice that her father had, by chance, met Wiedemann, with whom he served in the First World War and that when he later became Hitler's adjutant, he secured concessions for Hess that were not otherwise open to Jews.[53] [54] [55]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Harold Charles Deutsch, Hitler and his Generals: The Hidden Crisis, January–June 1938, U of Minnesota Press, 1974, p. 41
  2. News: Fritz Wiedemann 30/1947. DER SPIEGEL. 25 July 1947. 29 August 2017.
  3. Web site: Current History. 29 August 2017. New York Times Company. 29 August 2017. Google Books.
  4. https://www.abdn.ac.uk/stories/steps-of-courage/ Steps of Courage: Exploring Resistance in Hitler's Germany
  5. Web site: LIFE. Time. Inc. 26 June 1939. Time Inc. 29 August 2017. Google Books.
  6. Thomas Weber, Hitler's First War: Adolf Hitler, the Men of the List Regiment, and the First World War, Oxford University Press, 2010, p. 96
  7. Thomas Weber, Hitler's First War, p. 215
  8. Otis C. Mitchell, Hitler's Stormtroopers and the Attack on the German Republic, 1919–1933, McFarland, 2008, p. 36
  9. Book: Fischer, Klaus P.. Nazi Germany: A New History. 29 August 1995. Continuum. 29 August 2017. Google Books. 978-0-8264-0797-9.
  10. Thomas Weber, Hitler's First War, pp. 260–1
  11. Thomas Weber, Hitler's First War, p. 293
  12. Book: Macklin, Graham. Chamberlain. 29 August 2017. Haus Publishing. 29 August 2017. Google Books. 978-1-904950-62-2.
  13. Thomas Weber, Hitler's First War, pp. 293-4
  14. Book: Bouverie . Tim . Appeasing Hitler : Chamberlain, Churchill and the road to war . 2019 . London . 9781473547759.
  15. Book: Billington, David P.. Lothian: Philip Kerr and the Quest for World Order. 1 January 2006. Praeger Security International. 29 August 2017. Google Books. 978-0-313-32179-5.
  16. Fabrice d'. Almeida, High Society in the Third Reich, Polity, 2008, p. 69
  17. http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/psf/box3/folo31.html "October 28, 1941 Memorandum on Stephanie von Hohenlohe for U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt" from ?
  18. W G Krivitsky, In Stalin's Secret Service, READ BOOKS, 2007, p. 20
  19. Web site: HD Stock Video Footage – German diplomats, Captain Fritz Wiedemann and Doctor Johannes Bacher arrive at La Guardia Airport in New York City.. www.criticalpast.com. 29 August 2017.
  20. Web site: SFlashback: The Nazi Princess of Pacific Heights – SFLUXE. sfluxe.net. 8 December 2010. 29 August 2017.
  21. Web site: 76 years ago, a Nazi flag flew in SF – and locals cheered the man who tore it down. sfgate.com. 27 August 2017. 29 August 2017.
  22. Web site: Nazi Consulate once called the Whittier Mansion in San Francisco home. sfgate.com. 24 January 2017. 29 August 2017.
  23. Book: Starr, Kevin. Embattled Dreams: California in War and Peace, 1940–1950. 23 May 2002. Oxford University Press, USA. 29 August 2017. Google Books. 978-0-19-512437-8.
  24. Book: Zacharias, Ellis. Secret Missions: The Story of an Intelligence Officer. 15 March 2014. Naval Institute Press. 29 August 2017. Google Books. 978-1-61251-769-8.
  25. Web site: 200: An unexpected error has occurred.
  26. Web site: Madera Tribune 20 February 1941 — California Digital Newspaper Collection. cdnc.ucr.edu. 29 August 2017.
  27. Web site: Political Affairs. 29 August 1968. New Century Publishers. 29 August 2017. Google Books.
  28. David L. Lewis, The Public Image of Henry Ford: An American Folk Hero and His Company, Wayne State University Press, 1976, p. 152
  29. https://www.abdn.ac.uk/sdhp/people/profiles/t.weber Thomas Weber
  30. Web site: Thomas Weber – Hitler's First War. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/ZkT6bs7KeMg . 2021-12-21 . live. oupblog. 2 February 2011. 29 August 2017. YouTube.
  31. Web site: Intelligence papers reveal Hitler's close ally sought help from British to conspire against him – News – The College of Arts and Social Sciences – The University of Aberdeen. old.ausa.org.uk. 29 August 2017.
  32. Web site: FRITZ WIEDEMANN QUITS ARGENTINE FOR JAPAN TODAY (September 17, 1941). chicagotribune.com. 29 August 2017.
  33. Web site: Time. Briton. Hadden. 29 August 2017. Time Incorporated. 29 August 2017. Google Books.
  34. Book: Lewis, David Lanier. The Public Image of Henry Ford: An American Folk Hero and His Company. 29 August 1976. Wayne State University Press. 29 August 2017. Google Books. 978-0-8143-1553-8.
  35. Web site: Professor THOMAS WEBER – Staff Profile – The School of Divinity, History and Philosophy – The University of Aberdeen. www.abdn.ac.uk. 29 August 2017.
  36. Web site: Hitler's chief aide urged British to topple him or peace would be impossible. yahoo.com. 29 August 2017.
  37. Web site: Hitler's chief aide urged British to topple him or peace would be impossible – Indian Express. archive.indianexpress.com. 29 August 2017. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160311152503/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/hitler-s-chief-aide-urged-british-to-topple-him-or-peace-would-be-impossible/990696/. 11 March 2016.
  38. News: Nazi aide warned Britain about "mad" Hitler. The Hindu. 21 August 2012. 29 August 2017.
  39. News: Dokumentenfund: Hitlers Front-Vorgesetzter konspirierte mit Briten – SPIEGEL ONLINE – Panorama. SPIEGEL ONLINE, Hamburg. Germany. Der Spiegel. 17 August 2012. 29 August 2017.
  40. Web site: Intelligence papers reveal how Hitler's close ally sought the help of the British to conspire against – News – The University of Aberdeen. www.abdn.ac.uk. 29 August 2017.
  41. Web site: Hitler aide urged allies to help. 2012-08-18. PressReader : The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition). 29 August 2017. bot: unknown. https://web.archive.org/web/20170829100138/https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-courier-advertiser-perth-and-perthshire-edition/20120818/281844345792890. 29 August 2017.
  42. Web site: The China Monthly Review. 1 September 1941. J.W. Powell. 29 August 2017. Google Books.
  43. [Ellis M. Zacharias]
  44. Web site: Secret Sources: The Story Behind Some Famous Scoops. Wythe. Williams. William Van. Narvig. 29 August 2017. Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. 29 August 2017. Google Books.
  45. Web site: Translations of text selections and exercises in Newspaper Chinese by the inductive method. Ssu-yü. Teng. Nianci. Zhou. September 11, 1943. The University of Chicago Press. Google Books.
  46. Web site: The South American Journal. Charles. Dunlop. January 11, 1941. Latin American Trade. Google Books.
  47. United Press, "Fritz Wiedemann Rates Plane as Sailors Barred", The San Bernardino Daily Sun, San Bernardino, California, Friday 28 September 1945, Volume 52, page 1.
  48. Web site: Memorandum for Justice Jackson / Subject: Captain Fritz Wiedemann, German Consul General. lawcollections.library.cornell.edu. 29 August 2017.
  49. Web site: The Testimony of Fritz Wiedemann / Headquarters / Office of Strategic Services / China Theater / TOP SECRET. lawcollections.library.cornell.edu. 29 August 2017.
  50. Web site: The Testimony of Fritz Wiedemann / Headquarters / Office of Strategic Services / China Theater / TOP SECRET. lawcollections.library.cornell.edu. 29 August 2017.
  51. [Ernst Klee]
  52. Web site: Quarterly Journal of Current Acquisitions. Library of. Congress. 29 August 2017. 29 August 2017. Google Books.
  53. News: Hitler protected Jewish World War One veteran: letter. 6 July 2012. 29 August 2017. Reuters.
  54. Web site: Katalog der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek. portal.dnb.de. 29 August 2017.
  55. Web site: Verhandlungen des Deutschen Reichstags. www.reichstag-abgeordnetendatenbank.de. 29 August 2017.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Fritz Wiedemann".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.