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the one person who would have known where the to suspect that a whole chapter from World War II has been Neuschwabenland base was and what had been transported purposely suppressed. In 1944, Dénitz announced: there and elsewhere. And with information so vital not just to "The German Navy will have to accomplish a great task in national security but world security, Donitz could have chosen the future. The German Navy knows all hiding places in the to divulge as little or as much as he wished; no matter how oceans and therefore it will be very easy to bring the Fiihrer to minimal or sketchy his intelligence, its value was priceless. a safe place, should the necessity arise, and in which he will Donitz was an impressive character and in the early stages of have the opportunity to work out his final plans."* the war had impressed Hitler with his loyalty and vision. The Kriegsmarine was much travelled, loyal to its cause and D6nitz duly received his reward on 31 January 1943 when he daring in its exploits. German U-boats were frequent visitors was promoted to the position of Supreme Commander of the to the East Coast of America and they travelled under the Navy. In one of his inaugural speeches to a select officer elite, Arctic ice and even up the River Mersey into the Mersey D6nitz claimed that "the German submarine fleet is proud of Estuary in England. But their most interesting exploit was dis- having built for the Fihrer, in another part of the world, a covering an underwater trench that went straight through Shangri-La land, an impregnable fortress".** This was an Antarctica by way of a connection of subterranean lakes, impressive statement and one that inspired allegiance in his caves, crevasses and ancient ice tunnels. officers and pride in Hitler and the The Allies took Donitz's statement seri- Kriegsmarine. D6nitz's statement spread ously, especially after Hitler's mysterious around the Kriegsmarine with gusto, for all suicide; they were aware that Antarctica who heard it believed in the possibility. " could have been the "safe place" that Dénitz Whilst researching Third Reich mysteries, ‘Most of those had spoken of. The British were already percountere re German source who with any intimate ono i put the Americans were only com ad served in the Kriegsmarine and has first- pelled into action after Dénitz made a state- hand accounts about Neuschwabenland. He knowledge of ment in 1946, supposedly during his trial at claimed: Neuschwabenland Nuremberg, boasting of an "invulnerable "Neuschwabenland, after Europe, was in did not see the end fortress, a paradise-like oasis in the middle ruins and Norway, completely in German of eternal ice".*! ations. When it was decided that forthe | OFtMe Wat, aNd Of | a vincrable fortress assisted the United German nation surrender was best, those who did, States by covertly supplying maps of tow go gute et andcok sei the majority were MM dasresca whit ove slong wi "Antarctica was a secret but rumours executed, committed countries, expressing grievances about persisted, and only for the most dedi- suicide or were the intended Operation Highjump. sent to the Russian gulags..." cated was it a haven. Most of those Britain's assistance in supplying these with any intimate knowledge of maps—similar to the Norwegian maps Neuschwabenland did not see the end utilised by the 1938 Deutsche of the war, and of those who did, the Antarktische Expedition—did not paint majority were executed, committed sui- the full picture. cide or were sent to the Russian D6nitz's information supplied to the gulags... Only those captured by the British and the likely destruction under- British forces fared better, but after taken by British forces of the interrogation were forbidden to men- Neuschwabenland base meant that tion their wartime exploits again. The threat of having damag- Queen Maud Land (Neuschwabenland) was not reconnoitred ing wartime links brought up kept the Germans silent and meticulously by the Americans. There is no answer to explain helped the Allies suppress the truth."” this omission, though many have speculated. More than likely The German naval officer who gave the account was cap- it was because the area had been explored so profoundly earlier tured by the USSR and sent to the Siberia for 15 years; when in the century, but one can't help but wonder whether it was he returned, it was to a communist East Germany. In contrast, because Britain had been there first, leaving nothing for the D6nitz served only 10 years and lived in a free West Germany. Americans to find. However, Operation Highjump still sup- This has caused the officer bitterness, especially as mainstream posedly recovered evidence of other bases—though, similarly istorians dare not even write about a Nazi Antarctic haven or to British expeditions on Antarctica, Highjump's true findings D6nitz's passion for National Socialism. have also been suppressed? When Donitz spoke of a "Shangri-La land" in 1943, was he Do6nitz had a unique knowledge of Antarctica, but it was his telling the truth? With Kerguelen being used as a German U- knowledge of German U-boat ports in Norway and U-boats oat base and Neuschwabenland still in German plans, Donitz stationed there, as well as the nexus between Norway and new that his statement would impress Hitler. Unfortunately Antarctica, that shed further light on the forgotten Antarctic though, with most of the documents—including speech notes, front. But, whilst the importance of Norway to Dénitz, Hitler memoirs and diaries—relating to Nazi plans for and the Kriegsmarine was well known, some of the real Neuschwabenland destroyed, disappeared or archived firmly reasons for the initial invasion of Norway are less so and add away, any suggestion of Antarctica being a Nazi haven was even more of a mystery to the history of World War II and the aughed off by nervous governments. It meant that to raise the Antarctic front. subject was to open oneself up to ridicule. . Renan Continued on page 74 However, Donitz's speeches leave enough clues to cause one with any intimate knowledge of Neuschwabenland of the war, and of those who did, the majority were executed, committed suicide or were gulags..." NEXUS + 15 "Most of those did not see the end sent to the Russian Continued on page 74 OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2005 www.nexusmagazine.com