Nexus - 1206 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

action. Moreover, the Americans would have heard rumours about what the British had discovered. The first Antarctic summer after the completion of the Nuremberg Trials saw Operation Highjump launched; but it is quite possible that the Americans missed the boat because the then most well informed Nazi, Grand Admiral Karl Dénitz, had already been interrogated extensively by the British. Could a secret deal have been struck between Donitz and Britain? When we look at the facts, it is more than conceiv- able that a deal was indeed struck. action. Moreover, the Americans would have heard rumours D6nitz's promotion were known. However, his promotion also about what the British had discovered. meant that he was ideally placed to assist the Nazis in their The first Antarctic summer after the completion of the plans to escape Europe. Nuremberg Trials saw Operation Highjump launched; but it is Tried as a war criminal alongside the rest of the Nazi hierar- quite possible that the Americans missed the boat because the chy, Dénitz was given a reprieve from the death sentence and then most well informed Nazi, Grand Admiral Karl Donitz, instead was sentenced to serve 10 years in Spandau Prison in had already been interrogated extensively by the British. Berlin. Throughout his trial, Dénitz claimed that he had only Could a secret deal have been struck between Donitz and fought in a legal war and that he was ignorant of any Nazi Britain? When we look at the facts, it is more than conceiv- "atrocities" committed. He also claimed to have no knowledge able that a deal was indeed struck. of the "Final Solution". Albert Speer loathed Nazism and was comprehensively remorseful of his part in the Third Reich, yet Grand Admiral Donitz: Key to he received 20 years! Dénitz, on the the Antarctic Haven F aA other hand, wanted his navy to be I believe I fought for a just cause Those who committed suicide totally behind the Nazi movement, my responsibitities when the | Germany's final collapse Fs ebruary 1944, ordering Nazis, shortly after their final and those who stood at his naval officers not just to accept honed olnbmarin : "lo safe Nuremberg did sO knowing nthe whole officer corps must be refuge [emphasis added]. that if they had fled they so indoctrinated that it feels itself — Major Vidkun Quisling, i co-responsible for the Nationalist Nuremberg, 1945 would have compromised Socialist State in its entirety. The any secret bases or havens officer is the exponent of the State. Grand Admiral Donitz had taken The idle chatter that the officer is over the leadership of Nazi around the world. non-political is sheer nonsense Germany, and every U-boat, ship, [emphasis added]."'* boat and port still held by the Germans D6nitz's light prison sentence is after Hitler's death was under his command. He would have strange in view of his unbridled passion for Nazism, but his been the perfect successor to orchestrate a tactical escape—an directive also contravened virtually every rule amongst the escape that would ensure that the German deaths and the German armed forces. The army's leadership and, to an extent, research undertaken were not in vain and, in short, that would the Luftwaffe steered clear of politics and focused primarily on enable the seeds of a Fourth Reich to disperse. the war, but Donitz asserted that to be "non- political" is "sheer Many Nazis chose to stay and meet certain death, in spite of nonsense". His plea for loyalty could explain the unaccounted- the Kriegsmarine having the largest submarine fleet in the for U-boats and why so many were seen in the months and Atlantic and the navy's willingness to continue the fight from years after the war had ended—especially in light of what Norway; it was not that they had nowhere to flee, but many Albert Speer noted on 10 December 1947 in Spandau Prison: yearned for martyrdom and knew that a greater scheme was "For all his personal integrity and dependability on the being implemented: the emergence of a Fourth Reich. human plane, Dénitz has in no way revised his view of Hitler. Quisling wanted to die as a Nazi and showed no remorse, To this day, Hitler is still his commander-in-chief [emphasis just as those who were hung at Nuremberg had. Their assured- added]."” ness came from a warped view that they would be deemed In Hitler's final political statement, he called for all Nazis martyrs. Hitler, Himmler, Goebbels and numerous other high- "not to give up the struggle in any circumstances, but to carry ranking Nazis committed suicide—and taking one's own life it on wherever they may be against the enemies of the has been the norm throughout history when the battle is lost Fatherland". Hitler then named his successor after denouncing and only public humiliation and execution are certain. Gé6ring and Himmler as traitors: "I appoint Grand Admiral Those who committed suicide in Germany's final collapse Donitz as President of the Reich and Supreme Commander of and those who stood at Nuremberg did so knowing that if they the Wehrmacht."” had fled they would have compro- mised any secret bases or havens as i well as the expatriot communities Sa i hh, that flourished in South America and throughout the world. The MODERN ZoD IAC chances of a Fourth Reich mani- F festing with so many high-profile =) Nazis in hiding were minimal, and the Germans, meticulous and dili- gent as ever, knew that fact. Sacrifices had to be made. Grand Admiral Karl Dé6nitz, Second Fiihrer of Nazi Germany, CAMCER _— — and his government had been legit- fhe food additive Pijsiol ad TAUR us : imised by various countries around traders tee jeeine ligt the world when Hitler's death and in Germany's final collapse _ and those who stood at Nuremberg did so knowing that if they had fled they would have compromised Mopern ZODIAC cAeCcER the fond additive GEMIN | the wittder traders NEXUS * 13 Those who committed suicide any secret bases or havens " around the world. OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2005 www.nexusmagazine.com