HOW YON KLUGE DIED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 256, 27 September 1945, Page 6

HOW YON KLUGE DIED

SUICIDE IN FACE OF DEFEAT. (Rec. Noon) LONDON, Sept. 26. Von Kluge, who succeeded von Rundstedt as Commander-in-Chief of the German Armies in the West, committed suicide after the failure of an attempt to make contact with an Allied patrol with whom he intended to discuss the surrender of all the Western Armies. This is revealed in the charred fragments of transcripts and statements at meetings which Hitler held with Keitel (Chief of the General Staff) and others at Hitler’s secret headquarters, says the Associated Press correspondent in Berlin. Himmler, speaking to Keitel on August 31, 1944, said that von Kluge believed that the Germans, after their capitulation, would join the British against Russia. He added that this was totally idiotic. It was childish and naive to hope for a fav&urable political moment at the time of military defeat. Hitler, worried by von Kluge’s suicide, said: “Gabbling has started and things which are hair-raising are coming to light. The German people previously were silent. Now everyone is talking. I don’t want to spread it further. If it is known that von Kluge intended to lead the whole Western Army to capitulation, it would not perhaps lead to the mora collapse of the people but it would result in the hate of the army. I his war is no convenience for me. 1 have been shut off from the outside world for two years. I haven’t visited a theatre haven’t heard a concert'or seen a film. I live only for the single mission—to lead this battle—because L know that unless there is an iron will behind it the battle won’t be won. I blame the General Staff. They, instead of always displaying an iron will, have weakened the front-line officers. When General Staff officers go to the front they spread pessimism.”