Archive/File: imt/nca/nca-06/nca-06-3786-ps.05
Last-Modified: 1999/11/26

                                           [Page 684]

The Fuehrer: Even the best division can get a shock.

Jodl:  Besides every new division will be regarded
suspiciously.

The Fuehrer: Especially if it arrives in good
condition; well-looking men with good boots, in good
shape, and the rifle not rusted. At once they say:
Where do they come from, are there still such things?

Jodl:  The 3rd panzer grenadier division has been
started moving. It comes to Erkelenz.

The Fuehrer: What dirty tricks are done there, I know
frorn my own experience. Once there arrived a brand
new division from home. One regiment came to the
place where we were. They passed through but rested
then and stacked rifles. Our men then really did a
nasty trick. Before they could blink an eye the nice
rifles were gone and the old completely dirty and
rusted ones were there. They had to go on. It was a
mess but nothing could be done. Immediately they say:
Where do they come from, do such things still run
around?

Jodl:  The Fuehrergrenadier and Fuehrerescort brigade
did not yet start moving, but are now assembled.

The Fuehrergrenadier brigade reports the following
strength: 4,229 men basic strength, 2 panzer IV, 3 in
repair, 8 panzer V, 10 in repair: 5 assault guns, 11
in repair, 27 in transit. That amounts to a total of
60 panzers.

The Fuebrer:And the Fuehrerescort brigade is slightly
stronger.

Jodl:  I do not have its report.

The Fuehrer: I believe it has 7,000 men.

Goering: Can not small groups of panzers-6 or 10-be
assigned which speed around in the foreground and put
the panzer advance guards out of action?

The Fuehrer: This is being done. They work in very
small groups of 10 to 14 assault guns with SPW.

Goering: They look for the panzers.

Keitel: Antitank reconnaissance patrols [Panzerjaeger-
spaehtrupps].

The Fuehrer: And antitank reconnaissance cars with
PAK which drive very fast. They will now be deployed
there for hunting.

                                           [Page 685]

Goering: Reconnaissance units can be very helptul.

Jodl:  At the thrust against the 6th parachute
division on the 26th, the enemy lost 25 killed, who
have been counted and 2 Flamepanzers (flamethrowing
tanks) which have been destroyed.

Stronger range finding fire by batteries southeast of
Nymwegen.

The Fuehrer: Until when, may we assume, can the 7th
parachute division be brought back from down there,
to its original unit?

Jodl: That will take long, at least 14 to 20 days.

The Fuehrer: Alright, but we have to bring it up
here; because here will be a critical point of the
first degree.
And the 5th parachute division?

Jodl:  There are no stronger forces yet but at least
the 5th and 3rd are here.

Goering: We have to combine them. The fighting
strength of 4 combined parachute divisions equals
that of five divisions.

Jodl:  Assembled reserves have been destroyed here
through artillery fire. The assault continues here
with the present forces. He penetrated in
Ottilienburg and was thrown out.

The Fuehrer: They moan terribly about the whole
situation on the Western front and cry.

Jodl:  The front has been pushed back there. There
are now two flat bridgeheads beyond the Roer.

It was quiet on the rest of the front, there was
movement. The attacks did not take place with the
same concentration as during the last days, but were
continued more weakly and sporadically. The enemy
penetrated south of Hevenbach. A counter-attack is
being made there. Farther south he was repelled
again. Northwest of St. Vith he was also repelled.

The Fuehrer: Here is the Schnee-Eifel.

Jodl:  No, the Schnee-Eifel is farther back. Here
runs the Westwall. This is the wooded ridge of hills,
which has to be held then. Well the line will be
running a little bit backwards. They are still
standing somewhat in front of it. This was the part,
which was in the hands of the enemy. Here is the
Westwall.

                                           [Page 686]

Farther south the attacks were sporadic and weaker.
Three strong attacks in the direction of the castle
Reyland were repulsed.

This are will be retaken on this chord. The Roehr has
been already reached in one place. From there the
line bulges again. Only skirmishes took place today.
The following up of the enemy was prevented again and
again through counterattacks. The enemy is suffering
here considerable losses anyway.

The Fuehrer: You reported, that the Americans lost
85,000 men this month; that would mean 50% of their
total losses during the whole world war.

Jodl: Farther south all was quiet. The enemy advanced
again yesterday in the corner at Remich up to
Schlossburg and beyond. He was again repulsed there
by counter-attacks north of Tettingen. Additional
attacks were repulsed. The tanks withdrew after the
leading tank was destroyed.

Considerable movement was observed southeast of
Saarburg. Some replacements or reinforcements seem to
take place near Saargemine. There was a strong
concentration of rolling stock in the area around
Metz and a strong concentration of vehicles in the
area around Saverne and Saarbourg.

There was no fighting yesterday at the newly gained
Moder front, where the section of ModerRotbach was
reached everywhere. The bridge in the rear near
Merzviller has been completed in this section in
spite of the shelling by enemy artillery; it is a 40
ft bridge, which facilitates the supply.

Heavier fighting was raging down here, where the
enemy continued his attack from the area south of
Erstein and south of Colmar. We succeeded here,
however, to repel all attacks. One tank was
destroyed. These attacks were also repulsed at
Markolsheim and 8 tanks were destroyed here.

The Fuehrer: This matter here has to be straightened
out under any circumstances. The situation is Ruch.
that

                                           [Page 687]

we have to attempt to retake this segment. Does this
mean the recapture?

Jodl:  This is the recapturey which he ordered, on
the 27th this line, on the 28th this position.

The Fuehrer: But the most important thing is, that
this segment will be taken by us. He should carefully
consider, whether we should not pull out here the 6th
mountain division, relieve it by some other unit,
move this unit around and unite it with the 2nd
mountain division, so that we can manage. Only
mountain divisions can do the trick; the decisive
point is, that Breisach remains safely in our hands.
If that remains in a large bridgehead, the danger in
itself will be small. Maybe you can talk it over with
the Western High Command. An attempt has to be made,
to remove by any method the 6th SS mountain division
and transfer it to the 2nd mountain division, so that
both mountain divisions can jointly execute the
attack. This can be done in partial movements. The
enemy cannot achieve here very much with his tanks.
The attack has to be carried out here. That always
was also Himmler's idea, because he cannot achieve
very much with his tanks. On that sort of ground that
may result in a success. The distance is 30 to 50 km.
A mountain division can do that. Otherwise it cannot
be done. If his affair could be settled, it would fit
very well with that linking up here Schlettstadt
could be outflanked; that is not so necessary, that
can be smaller too, this does not make any
difference, the only thing is, we would have better
protection, because Colmar is very close.

Jodl: And the whole artillery is here.

The Fuehrer: The bridges have to be out of artillery
range. Planes are reported, when they approach, but
not artillery fire.

Up here the whole thing has been stopped.

Jodl: It has been stopped.

The Fuehrer: Discuss it with Western High Command,
whether the 6th SS mountain division cannot be pulled
out there. This line can also be held easier
defensively later on than the other one.

                                           [Page 688]

Jodl: Much easier.

The Fuehrer: If 2 mountain divisions are placed in
the frontline, the whole position could be held.

Jodel: This order was issued yesterday.

(Presentation)

The Fuehrer: Especially an elaborate defense line has
still to be built here.

Jodl: That's the old one, the new one is a little bit
farther in front.

The Fuehrer: This one has to be developed.

Jodl: The question of command in the West is still to
be discussed today.

The Fuehrer: Yes, Goering, I wanted to talk that over
with you.

Well, the people, who are speaking here today,
assume, that Student has become very tired.

Goering: He need not stay, you don't know him, you
don't know his terrible slow way of talking. You
don't understand that. But he is still -- if I don't
consider Model -- of all of them, as he was before,
the one of those with the greater standing power if
the going is tough, I am convinced of that. He is
terribly slow; you think he is nuts, because you
don't know him. But I take him gladly.

The Fuehrer: He had the same thing previously at the
operations in Italy.

Goering: He talked just as slowly. Everybody thought,
he was dumb. I take him gladly, because I knowand
you. gentlemen, are witnesses -- that he will be
called again in a critical hour. I am taking him with
the greatest pleasure; for I need him, because he
inspires again his parachute army. He says: "Yes, the
Fuehrer told me also...." I know him, the others
don't. I don't blame them, because they don't have
any other means to judge him. The other day somebody
asked me, whether I had a dumbbell up there. Then I
replied: No, he is not dumb, he talked so slowly
before. As he was wounded on the head, they think
that this is an effect of it. But he had it
previously. Nevertheless before every operation he
says: We better jump on the enemy.

The Fuehrer: He performed the most audacious
operations.

                                           [Page 689]

Goering: Well, I gladly take him, so that he won't be
judged wrongly. I know, he will be called in the
critical hour. He stands up well. He is not a great
genius in any other respect but he is sticking it out
in a good and straight fashion, who knows that he has
to hold his troops in line. But I take him gladly
away, that you can judge later on how the front is
held, after he is gone.

The Fuehrer: I would regret that very much, I really
don't know. Does Blaskowitz stick it out so well?

Goering: No, he is a smoothy. Student's little toe is
worth more than all of Blaskowitz.

The Fuehrer: That's just the question.

Goering: But I shall be delighted to take him because
I know at the critical moment you will get angry and
ask for Student again. I shall be looking forward to
that day.

The Fuehrer: I won't.

Goering: No, but you will give him back to me then.
Why should I expose an outstanding man to such
gossip. You know him he has always talked so slowly.

The Fuehrer: At the time I developed our plans for
the West he was just as slow. But at the end he
delivered the goods. The same goes for the operation
for the liberation of the Duce.

Goering: He did his other jobs in Italy well, too.

The Fuehrer: He absolutely cleared up everything in
Italy.

Goering: If he had stayed there, no bridgehead would
have been established there either. But I need him
urgently. He must reorganize the army of parachutists
and move the divisions there.

You got a man then whom you can transfer somewhere
else where the going is rough, in case the need
arises. He won't yield an inch. He probably will
speak tlnen still more slowly, that is possible, but
he will be slower in retreating, too.

The Fuehrer: He reminds me of Fehrs my new valet from
Holstein. When I tell him something it takes him
minutes to grasp it. He makes a very stupid
impression, but he does his job very well, only he is
terribly slow.

                                           [Page 690]

Goering: Student is a man with very clever ideas.
There is no doubt about it. He figures things out for
himself.

The Fuehrer: It was suggested however, to move
Blaskowitz up there and give his job to Hausser or
should we do it the other way around?

Jodl: To move up Hausser.

Goering: Hausser has now become familiar with things
here now.

Jodl: Here are essentially SS-formations.

The Fuehrer: I just want to say that's mere
improvising. In case I want to carry out that thing I
should like to have Hausser here too.

Fegelein: Especially since pressure always comes from
the Reichsfuehrer although he can no longer
interfere; he, nevertheless always presses him.

The Fuehrer: To carry out this operation. The
Reichsfuehrer is alI wrapped up in it. He says: "My
Fuehrer, if we have that piece here, then he has one
important supply line less, we have a beautiful new
position, and I can guarantee that nothing is going
to happen at Breisach." After all, the whole
bridgehead depends on it. Ferries this and ferries
that, a bridge is much better after all.

Jodl: In any case, the difficulties caused by the
severing jof the line] becomes already apparent.
Hausser has now pulled out all he could out of the
line and deployed them down below there, so that it
is impossible to figure out at the moment. how to get
out the fast moving formations.

For this reason also it will be necessary to
concentrate the control in one hand; too many high
headquarters only cause difficulties, there. Apart
from that he has no quartermaster staff.

I would suggest that Hausser is left here and that we
give him also the 1st army. That I believe would be
the right thing.

Home ·  Site Map ·  What's New? ·  Search Nizkor