Wilhelm Burgdorf
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| Wilhelm Burgdorf | |
|---|---|
| 15 February 1895 — 2 May 1945 (aged 50) | |
| Place of birth | Fürstenwalde |
| Place of death | Berlin |
| Allegiance |  German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch | Heer |
| Rank | General der Infanterie |
| Commands held | Infanterie-Regimentt 529 |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Wilhelm Burgdorf (14 February 1895 – 2 May 1945) was a German officer. Born in Fürstenwalde, Burgdorf served as a commander and staff officer in the German Army during World War II.
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[edit] Military career
Burgdorf served as the commander of the 529th Infantry Regiment from May 1940 to April 1942. In May 1942 he became Deputy Chief of the personnel department of the German Army and was promoted to Chief of the Department in October 1944. He held this position until his death.
[edit] Erwin Rommel
From October 1944, Burgdorf also served as German dictator Adolf Hitler's Chief Adjutant. As part of this function, he played a key role in the death of General Field Marshal (Generalfeldmarschall) Erwin Rommel. Rommel had been implicated as having a peripheral role in the bomb plot of 20 July 1944, in which an attempt was made to assassinate Hitler. Hitler recognised that to haul the most popular general in Germany before a People's Court would cause a scandal throughout Germany [1] and accordingly arranged a face-saving manoevre.
On 14 October 1944, Burgdorf, with General Ernst Maisel, arrived at the Rommel home. Burgdorf had been instructed by General Field Marshal (Generalfeldmarschall) Wilhelm Keitel to offer Rommel a choice - take poison, receive a state funeral, and obtain immunity for his family - or face a treason trial. [2] Rommel drove away with Burgdorf and Maisel. Rommel's family received a telephone call some fifteen minutes later saying that he had died.
[edit] Berlin
Burgdorf remained loyal to Hitler to the end. He joined Hitler in the Führerbunker in 1945 during the Battle for Berlin. Many of Burgdorf's activities in Berlin at this time were documented by the writings of Gerhardt Boldt, a German soldier who wrote about his observations and experiences in the Führerbunker.
On 28 April, when it was discovered that Heinrich Himmler was trying to negotiate a backdoor surrender to the Allies via Count Folke Bernadotte, Burgdorf became part of a tribunal set up by Hitler to court-martial associates of Himmler who could be rounded up in Berlin. One person to face this tribunal was Hermann Fegelein, Eva Braun's brother-in-law. General Wilhelm Mohnke presided over the tribunal which, in addition to Burgdorf and Mohnke, included General Hans Krebs and General Johann Rattenhuber.
On 29 April 1945, Burgdorf, Joseph Goebbels, Hans Krebs, and Martin Bormann witnessed and signed Hitler's last will and testament. On 1 May or 2 May, following the suicides of Hitler and Goebbels, Burgdorf and his colleague Chief of Staff Hans Krebs also committed suicide.
[edit] Portrayal in the media
Wilhelm Burgdorf has been portrayed by the following actors in film and television productions.[3]
- Everett Sloane in the 1951 United States drama The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel.
- Erik Frey in the 1955 West German film Der Letzte Akt (Hitler: The Last Ten Days).
- Peter Jacob in the 1966 French/U.S. film Paris brûle-t-il? (Is Paris Burning?).
- Hector Ross in the 1973 British television production The Death of Adolf Hitler.
- Joss Ackland in the 1973 British film Hitler: The Last Ten Days.
- Justus von Dohnányi in the 2004 German film Downfall (Der Untergang).
- Paul Gustavson in the 2006 United States documentary Rommel and the Plot Against Hitler.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
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