07.44 american crew captured by Germans

[byron-]

09.07.44 american crew captured by Germans

Wardiary Hgr. E, roll 255

maybe some american friends could be interested

[Larry deZeng]

Byron -

Im Stab/Heeresgruppe was Oblt. Kurt Waldheim as an Ic Ordonnanz-Offizier. His job included the interrogation of Allied personnel and air crew who arrived in Greece by parachute and by boat. He worked hand-in-hand with the HGr. E Abwehroffizier (A.O.) and the SD. After the war, Waldheim became the Secretary General of the United Nations and then president of Austria. He was charged with war crimes in the 1980s that included the turning over to the SD/Gestapo Allied prisoners captured in Greece during the summer of 1944, some of whom were later executed after being falsely charged with aiding the Greek resistance. It is entirely possible that this interrogation summary was put together by Kurt Waldheim.

L.

[byron-]

Hello Larry,

I know a lot about the guy, i visited the facility (it was bevore the war and still now the famous american school) he was working, it is near the school of my children.
This was his staff:

Abtl.03, Sachbearbeiter für Bandenangelegenheiten und alliierte Kriegsgefangene:


Bearbeiter : 03.1943 Oblt. Merrem
Bearbeiter : Oblt. Krohne
Bearbeiter : 10.43-10.44 Oblt. Kurt Waldheim (ja, jener Waldheim!)
Feindlage Alliierte: 12.1943 Oblt. Poliza
Standort in der amerikanischen Schule von Arsakli, heute Panorama. Waldheim führte vorher das Kriegstagebuch des dtsch. Generalstabes beim ital. 11. A.K. in Athen. Er wurde untertützt durch die Bearbeiter:
Gefr. Hans Wende, Fw. Markus Hartner, Gefr. Pimiskern und U.Offz. Hans Wollschläger

Sachbearb. AO : 12.1943 Sdf. Schlenker
Ic./L : Oblt. Biendl, Ofw. Bunz
NSFO : ab 17.09.43 Hptm. Pfitzer, Vertreter Hptm. Hüning, Ltn. Groth
bei NSFO : bis 12.07.44 Sdf. Richard Wagner
Prop.Kp. 690 : 12.1943 Chef, Hptm. Dr. Karl Janetschek


The incident with the captured crew occured in Serbia (Eisernes Tor), not in Greece.

[Larry deZeng]

Yes, the 9 July 1944 interrogation you posted is for an air crew captured in the Iron Gate or Turnu Severin (today: Drobeta - Turnu Severin) area. But Waldheim did a number of other interrogations, too.

I guess we share a common interest in him. I was hired by his U.S. attorneys in Washington in 1988 and worked on his case off and on for 6 or 7 months. I spoke with Waldheim on the telephone for 15 minutes or so and corresponded back and forth with him. I received a lot of information from W as I attempted to determine his level of culpability, if any, in the charges against him. Interesting case.

L.

[byron-]

Ho Larry,

Than i can`t add anything.
The attached Photo is the only one i know (from bajurtov.wordpress.com)
Very good the cartoon as well

[Larry deZeng]

Yes, that photo was the one that brought an end to his evasiveness. The cartoon sums up W's nature quite well. Like many back then, he was definitely an opportunist. Most young men in their twenties from certain backgrounds are ambitious and opportunistic, so I can't fault him too much for that.

L.