Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven

Bernd Freiherr Freytag von Loringhoven (born 24 Januarjul / February 6 1914greg in Kuressaare / Kuressaare, Oesel / Saaremaa, Estonia, .. † February 27, 2007 in Munich) was a German officer, last lieutenant general of the Army of the Bundeswehr as Deputy Inspector General.

Life

The the Baltic nobility Freytag von Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven Loringhoven that were found in 1944 /45, most recently as a major, adjutant at the Chiefs of Staff of the Army Heinz Guderian and Hans Krebs. In 1943, he was flown out by one of the last planes out of the Stalingrad pocket. He was awarded the German Cross in Gold, on 23 January 1943 as lieutenant colonel and chief 2./Panzerregiment 2 After the assassination attempt of July 20, 1944, he was suspected of participation. A relative, Colonel Wessel Freytag von Loringhoven, had the explosives concerned for the attack and committed suicide shortly after the failure itself.

From July 1944 to April 30, 1945, he prepared as an aide before the daily military briefing in the Führer's bunker in Berlin. His escape plans were approved by Adolf Hitler. From Loringhoven sat down with Captain Gerhard Boldt over the Havel to the west, passed into British captivity. Investigations of the armed forces of the United Kingdom presented no tangle firmly in war crimes. In 1948, he was released from captivity.

In 1956, he joined the Army, was from April 1963 to July 30, 1964 with the rank of brigadier general commander of Panzergrenadier Brigade 19 in Ahlen. From 1 October 1967 to 30 April 1969, he was commander of the 5th Panzer Division and later became Deputy Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, to the rank of lieutenant-general in 1973 he retired from the service.

Freytag von Loringhoven was married in first marriage with Renate von Arnim. From second marriage with Ilse Verna crawl went in 1956 his son Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven forth, until August 2010 Vice President of the Federal Intelligence Service.

Contemporary witness

From Loringhoven was repeatedly asked to share his experience in the Führer bunker. In captivity he was questioned by the historian Hugh Trevor - Roper, who later wrote a book about Hitler's last days. From Loringhoven advised Downfall in the preparation of the film. His biography with Hitler in the bunker first appeared in French, was translated into German and other languages ​​later.

Honors

Publication

• With François d' Alançon: Dans le bunker de Hitler. juillet 23 1944-29 avril 1945 Éditions Perrin, Paris 2005, ISBN 2-262-02478-2. dt: . With Hitler in the bunker - Records from the Fuehrer's headquarters in July 1944 - April 1945 Berlin 2006, ISBN 3-937989-14-5.
• Engl:. In the Bunker with Hitler. The Last Witness Speaks. London 2006, ISBN 0-297-84555-1.

• [Ed ] In the service of peacekeeping: General Ulrich de Maizière. Contributions to its adoption as Inspector General of the Bundeswehr (1966-1972), Frankfurt am Main, 1972.
• Together with Karl Wilhelm, Prince of Prussia: St. John and July 20, 1944 2nd edition, Nieder-Weisel, 1989 ( No. 14 of the series of the Hessian Cooperative of St John ). .