Georg Freiherr von Boeselager

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Georg Freiherr von Boeselager (born August 25, 1915 in Kassel , † August 27, 1944 near Łomża am Narew ) was a German cavalry officer , most recently a colonel ( posthumously ). He was involved in the military resistance against National Socialism .

Early years (1915-1939)

Georg Freiherr von Boeselager von was born as the son of Freiherr Albert von Boeselager (1883–1956) and his wife Baroness Maria-Theresia von Salis-Soglio (1890–1968). His great-great-grandfather Maximilian Anton (1775–1821) was a Maire in Münster. Relatives included the diplomat and opponent of National Socialism, Wilhelm Freiherr von Ketteler , and his great-uncle Clemens August Graf von Galen . His parents' house was shaped by Rhenish Catholicism. Georg was raised to be a cavalry officer from a young age. He also made a name for himself as a tournament rider.

Boeselager completed his Abitur at the Aloisiuskolleg , a Jesuit school in Bonn-Bad Godesberg. On April 1, 1934, he joined the 15 Cavalry Regiment in Paderborn . After his training, he was in 1936 for lieutenant and on March 1, 1939 Lieutenant promoted.

Officer in World War II

Attack on Poland and campaign in the west (1939–1941)

For his achievements in the attack on Poland in 1939, Boeselager received the Iron Cross 2nd class. In the western campaign in 1940 he was able to distinguish himself again. For the formation of a bridgehead over the Seine , he received the Iron Cross 1st Class on June 13, 1940 and was also awarded the Iron Cross Knight's Cross on January 18, 1941 for bravery in battle . The promotion to Rittmeister took place on July 1, 1941.

Assault on the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa)

In the war against the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1945 , Boeselager again proved his military skills. On December 31, 1941, he received the Knight's Cross Oak Leaves for his achievements.

During this period there was a shooting of Jews similar to a hunt, reported by Boeselager Friedrich August von der Heydte . He later told the story while in captivity to a cell inmate whose name was unknown:

“This is a true story that Boeselager told me, who at least got to the swords before he fell. Lieutenant Colonel [Georg] Freiherr von Boeselager was a regimental comrade of mine. He experienced the following, that with an SS leader - but that was already '42 or '41 or when, so at the very beginning of the matter - in Poland, I think it was, he got there as civil commissioner. [Unknown person asks: Who?] The SS leader. I think Boeselager just got the oak leaves back then. So he's at dinner, after dinner he says: "Now let's have a look at a little ............" They drove out in cars and - it sounds like a fairy tale, that is but like this - and there were shotguns, normal rifles, and 30 Polish Jews stood there. Then the guests were given a rifle each, and then the Jews were driven past, and then each was allowed to shoot a Jew to death with shot. Then they got a coup de grace. "

It has not yet been possible to determine whether von Boeselager himself took part in this shooting. Its presence can neither be ruled out nor reliably proven on the basis of this source. The secretly recorded conversations of German prisoners repeatedly show inaccuracies and errors, which is due to the nature of the informal conversation among soldiers. However, the source proves that v. Boeselager had early knowledge of the murder of Polish Jews.

After his detachment from the front in 1942 he was a tactics teacher at the "School for Rapid Troops" in Krampnitz for a while . During this time he made contacts with the military resistance, which he did not tear off during his later missions at the front. He then became a trainer for Romanian cavalry officers.

Unsuccessful Assassination Attempt on Hitler (March 13, 1943)

After an interview with General Field Marshal Günther von Kluge , Commander in Chief of Army Group Center , in December 1942 he was commissioned to set up the "Cavalry Regiment Center", an independent cavalry association. When, on March 13, 1943, when Hitler visited the front in Smolensk, the possibility of an assassination attempt arose, Georg and his brother Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager volunteered for the execution. Hitler was supposed to be shot, but Generalfeldmarschall von Kluge forbade that because Hitler was not accompanied by Heinrich Himmler and he could not be killed as well. Otherwise, Kluge feared a civil war between the army and the SS. Afterwards, a bomb was smuggled into the plane, which was supposed to detonate during Hitler's flight home. The attack failed, however, because the detonators in the unheated luggage compartment of the aircraft froze.

War of extermination against the Soviet Union

On June 1, 1943 Boeselager was appointed major . On June 23, 1943, Boeselager, as commander of the middle cavalry regiment, sent Henning von Tresckow from the high command of the middle army group a "report on the combat tactics of the partisans and our possibilities to limit the danger of gangs". As a measure, Boeselager suggested:

“It is impossible for the German soldier to distinguish the partisan from the non-partisan. […] In the opinion of Rgts. the area must be divided into a) pacified area, b) area at risk of gangs, c) area contaminated with gangs. [...] In the area at risk of gangs the men are only allowed to leave the place closed and work closed. [...] All men walking around in this area individually or in small groups must be shot or captured immediately. [...] All men must be removed from the gang-contaminated area. Up to a certain point in time, men up to the age of 50 will be picked up by the troops and given to the economic inspection as workers. After this time, the men in this area will be shot. "

Von Tresckow was taken with the proposals and on June 27, 1943 personally sent copies of Boeselager's letters to all armies of Army Group Center, the Army High Command and the General of the Eastern Troops.

In October 1943, Boeselager was wounded in further fighting. On December 1, 1943, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel .

Assassination attempt on July 20, 1944

After being wounded again in February 1944, Georg Freiherr von Boeselager returned to the troops in June, not yet fully recovered. There he found out about the planned assassination attempt on Hitler. In support of the resistance, he moved large parts of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade , of which he was in command, to the hinterland so that he could advance on Berlin if ordered. The order did not materialize. Before he could make up his mind, Major General Henning von Tresckow informed him that the action of July 20, 1944 had failed . He then led his troops back to the front. Neither he nor his brother Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager were associated with the attack.

During an attack on a Russian rifle division, Boeselager fell on August 27, 1944. Posthumously , the swords were awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and the promotion to colonel .

Military awards and honors

Honors

In honor of Georg Freiherr von Boeselager, the Bundeswehr named the "Freiherr-von-Boeselager-Kaserne" in Munster (Örtze) as well as an international military event of the tank reconnaissance troops ( Boeselager competition ) after him. In Bonn a street was named after him in 1966, in Freyung (Bavaria) the street leading to the barracks “Am Goldenen Steig” ( reconnaissance battalion 8 ), in Roding (formerly Pz AufklBtl 4) the street to the Arnulf barracks. In 1993, in Swisttal- Heimerzheim , his last place of residence (Heimerzheim Castle), the Swisttal community secondary school was named after von Boeselager. The Georg-von-Boeselager-Schule is today a composite school with secondary and secondary schools.

Gravestone in the cemetery of Heimerzheim Castle (2012)

Military awards

See also

literature

  • Heinz Doepgen: Georg von Boeselager - cavalry officer in the military opposition to Hitler. Herford and Bonn 1986.
  • Heinz Doepgen: Georg Freiherr von Boeselager (1915–1944). In: Wilhelm Janssen (Ed.): Rheinische Lebensbilder. Volume 11, Rheinland Verlag, Cologne 1988, pp. 343-377.
  • Cord von Hobe and Walter Görlitz: Georg von Boeselager. An equestrian life. Publishing house Sankt Georg, Düsseldorf 1957 and 1960.
  • Georg Freiherr von Boeselager in the Munzinger archive ( beginning of article freely available)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Special Report Army 1163, January 5, 1945, The National Archives, Kew, London, WO 208/4140, quoted from: Sönke Neitzel and Harald Welzer : Soldiers. Logs of Fighting, Killing and Dying. Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2012, p. 190.
  2. ↑ Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager: The resistance in the Army Group Center. In: Contributions to the resistance 1933–1945. No. 40, 1990, pp. 16-17.
  3. ↑ Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager: The resistance in the Army Group Center. In: Contributions to the resistance 1933–1945. No. 40, 1990, p. 18.
  4. ^ Fabian von Schlabrendorff: The bomb attack on Hitler on March 13, 1943. Online edition Mythos Elser, In: Fabian von Schlabrendorff: Officers against Hitler. Zurich 1946, p. 73 ff.
  5. ↑ quoted from: Christian Gerlach : "Men of the Resistance" and the mass murder. A supplement to the 50th anniversary of July 20, 1944 based on new sources. In: Friday . No. 30 of July 22, 1994, p. 13.
  6. ↑ BA-MA RH 19 II / 172, Bl. 11 and 33-60, quotations Bl. 45 and 57, or MZAP WF-03/5367, cf. WF-03/7422, Bl. 1195–1199., Quoted from: Christian Gerlach: “Men of Resistance” and the mass murder. A supplement to the 50th anniversary of July 20, 1944 based on new sources. In: Friday . No. 30 of July 22, 1994, p. 13.
  7. ↑ Veit Scherzer : Knight's Cross bearers 1939-1945. The holders of the Iron Cross of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and armed forces allied with Germany according to the documents of the Federal Archives. 2nd Edition. Scherzers Militaer-Verlag, Ranis / Jena 2007, ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2 , p. 231.
personal data
SURNAME Boeselager, Georg Freiherr von
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German cavalry officer, most recently colonel (posthumously)
DATE OF BIRTH August 25, 1915
PLACE OF BIRTH kassel
DATE OF DEATH August 27, 1944
Place of death near Łomża on the Narew