The Italian Crisis
July 26, 1943
[Fascist Italy was Hitler’s ally of choice, an alliance he advocated since 1928, before his ascent to power. On the night of July 25th the Grand Council of Fascism voted against Mussolini by a significant majority that included his son-in-law Galeazzo Ciano. Mussolini was then dismissed and arrested by King Victor Emmanuel III. The overthrow of Mussolini reflected on the Axis and the Nazi regime itself and the deep seated doubts expressed by many Nazis about the alliance with Italy surfaced suddenly within Hitler after July 25, 1943. Despite the innumerable Gestapo and Abwehr agents operating in Italy at the time, the Germans were caught by surprise by the Italian crisis and Hitler was about to react violently.]
THE FÜHRER: Have you received anything, Hewel?
HEWEL: Nothing concrete yet. Mackensen1 just sent a telegram. He said, shall we say, that the Reichsmarshal’s trip2 could possibly be jeopardized because of the incidents. But we’re still waiting for the details. So far he knows that the Duce was finally compelled by the Farinacci group to summon the Grand Council.3 That was planned for yesterday, but was put off until 10 p.m. because no agreement had been reached yet on the program. He has heard from various sides that the meeting was extraordinarily stormy. Because the participants are bound to secrecy, he hasn’t heard anything real yet—just rumors. One of the most persistent rumors he has heard says that they want to make the Duce appoint a head of government—a prime minister in the form of a politician: Orlando, who is 83 years old and already played a role in the Great War4—and then the Duce is supposed to become the president of the Fascist Grand Council. These are all just rumors; we’ll have to wait and see. Then it is to have been said that this morning at 10 o’clock the Duce went to see the king, together with a number of generals, and that he was still there, meeting a continuing stream of important personages.5 Buffarini, among others, is said to be with him currently.
THE FÜHRER: Who’s that?
HEWEL: Buffarini is a Fascist.6 [—] I’m still waiting for details from…that this crisis within the party spreads and becomes a crisis of the state. [—] It is also maintained that the Duce, especially as a result of the meeting in northern Italy,7 is steadfastly determined to continue the fight. [—] That’s all that’s come through so far. Glaise8 hopes to hear something concrete this afternoon from Buffarini, who’s with the Duce now. Then this afternoon … would—
THE FÜHRER: Good old Farinacci is lucky to have done this in Italy and not with me. If he had done that with me I would have had him hauled off by Himmler at once—immediately. [—] That’s the result of such actions. What can be expected from it anyway? [—] Idle talk!
HEWEL: But, as I already said, Mackensen emphasized that these are just rumors. In any case, there is a considerable crisis there, and Mackensen thinks—because the Duce always told him that he would prefer not to have his birthday mentioned at all, and that nothing at all should be done—that we should be very careful in this crisis. But he will inquire there anyway, to find out what they think about it. Having the Reichsmarshal appear down there just now, at this particular moment, would, of course, be—but I’m getting additional details.
THE FÜHRER: That’s one of those things. The Reichsmarshal and I have been through many crises together, and he is cold and calculating in crisis situations. In times of crisis one can have no better advisor than the Reichsmarshal. The Reichsmarshal is brutal and ice cold in times of crisis. I’ve always noticed that when it’s do or die, he is a ruthless and iron-hard man. So you won’t get a better one—you cannot have a better one at all. He got through all the crises with me—the hardest crises, then he’s ice cold. Whenever it got really terrible, he became cold as ice. [—] Well, we’ll see.
Distribution of forces (continuation)
JODL: No Italians are included here!
THE FÜHRER: That’s good, too.
JODL: But if we manage to do this, the southern European front will not be badly protected—(if) the East permits it.
THE FÜHRER: This must be given away. It’s absolutely clear: Here we’re dealing with critical decisions. If worse comes to worse, even more must be withdrawn from the East; that must be done. But, of course, I believe that if we do such a thing, a great deal will obviously have to be done by us. Out of all the liquidation materials from the Italian army, we will certainly get 10 or 12 or 15 divisions together quickly.9 [—] What does this story in Hungary actually mean?
KEITEL: I’m having it investigated.
HEWEL: I’ve also ordered that it be investigated.
KEITEL: Perhaps it’s the introduction of military jurisdiction and the installation of drumhead court-martials. I will have it investigated.
HEWEL: It may be the introduction of military jurisdiction for special offenses. I believe it’s the old Austrian procedure.
THE FÜHRER: I want to have a diagram for this matter as well, Jodl—a map. A map is fully adequate for me. So if this could be drawn one more time!
KEITEL: As for the reserve divisions, we must write below: 6 reserve divisions plus two! [—] So review it once again!
Occupied territories (Belgium)
One more report has come in, my Führer, from the area of the Military Commander of Belgium and Northern France. During the last few days, the SD [security service—Gestapo] has thoroughly cleaned out the Belgian Communist Party—the printing press, the national headquarters. By penetrating the matter, they arrested the office, 53 top functionaries and 22 leading men. And the materiel, weapons, ammunition, all the propaganda materials, files—all kinds of things were confiscated. So it was a significant undertaking. It could be called a major strike.10 The SD believes that in the Belgium-Northern France Command area—this works everywhere now—everything is in order, and that they have finally achieved something. Cooperation is good—very intensive and therefore also productive.
THE FÜHRER: You know, when we came to power, the police force was not up to the mark, of course, and it was for the following reason: pure ideological firmness is, of course, insufficient—although it is certainly very important. Criminal investigation skills are also needed. Criminal know-how and experience, and, unfortunately, part of the criminal know-how went with the former people. Now it was a difficult task to screen and check them to be sure—i.e., to find the decent people—and it was not entirely successful. They found out with this “Rote Kapelle” [Red Orchestra]11 that one rat had been in there since 1933 who had a permanent connection abroad. I have to say that our enemies succeeded in one thing: even with the dissolution of the control commissions12 they had already installed a control mechanism in all the state apparatus, the party apparatus, and everywhere in the public apparatus, economy, and administration.
KEITEL: It was already there.
THE FÜHRER: That’s why they could leave without trouble—the apparatus continued working, and was in contact with their embassies or consulate-general offices, attachés, etc. It worked splendidly. They didn’t need any control commissions any longer—it worked splendidly. These people were also in the police force. In 1933 the police suffered from the fact that they consisted primarily of National Socialists with good will but very minimal knowledge of criminal investigation. They had not been trained in criminal investigation. Now, ten years have passed since that time. Now these people have gradually acquired skills and knowledge, and have gradually reached the level that the state police always had in the Romance countries—also in old Austria or in Russia, France, etc., which always used to have a good state police. That has emerged now. Now successes can be seen as well. There’s hardly an issue on which the police are not totally informed. This is a very comprehensive apparatus, of course, which is necessary there and particularly great resources are needed.
HEWEL: Large resources and a lot of young people!
THE FÜHRER: Young people with the spirit of adventure, but also large resources. Paying bonuses of 100 or 200 marks will achieve nothing. To bribe a fellow like that, larger amounts must be spent.
KEITEL: … young people were in there.
THE FÜHRER: We have to be very careful there. These people always have to be arrested and imprisoned as well, so that the others don’t notice what kind of people they are. They are also put on trial and sentenced. In reality they are all agents. The others must never have a clue as to who blew the whistle on them. [—] Do you have anything else?
PUTTKAMER: No.
End: 2:12 p.m.
Italy
THE FÜHRER: Have you already been informed about the developments in Italy?
KEITEL: I just heard the last words.
THE FÜHRER: The Duce has resigned. It is not yet confirmed: Badoglio took over the government and the Duce resigned.
KEITEL: By his own initiative, my Führer?
THE FÜHRER: Probably at the king’s wish, because of the royal court’s pressure. I already said yesterday what the king’s position is.
JODL: Badoglio took over the government.
THE FÜHRER: Badoglio took over the government—our harshest enemy. We must figure out at once how we’re going to find a way to bring these people here13 back to the mainland.
JODL: The decisive question is: will they fight or not?
THE FÜHRER: They say they will fight but it is betrayal! We must be clear among ourselves—it is betrayal, pure and simple! I’m just waiting for the news about what the Duce says. What’s-his-name wants to talk to the Duce now. Hopefully he will catch him. I want the Duce to come here immediately if he catches him. I want the Duce to come here to Germany at once.
JODL: If these things are in doubt, there’s only one course of action.
THE FÜHRER: I’ve already thought—my idea would be that the 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division14 would occupy Rome at once and clean out the whole government.
JODL: These troops here remain there until that is back. … this whole action here in motion, up here. … the fighting will cease, for this case … so that in the region of Rome we combine these forces that we are bringing out with these that are still there, while the other flows together here. [—] This matter here will be difficult.
THE FÜHRER: Here, there is only one thing—that we try to get the people on German ships, leaving the materiel behind. Materiel here or there—it makes no difference. The people are more important.15 [—] I’m still getting messages from Mackensen. Then we will give orders about the next steps. But this must be taken away immediately!
JODL: Yes, Sir.
CHRISTIAN: My Führer! May I remind you of the order that Colonel General Jeschonnek, who actually didn’t want to leave Berlin before tomorrow afternoon, is coming back tomorrow morning?
THE FÜHRER: He must come earlier—as soon as possible!16
(CHRISTIAN: Yes, my Führer.)
[—] The most critical thing is that we now safeguard the crossings in the Alps at once—that we are prepared to get in touch with the Fourth Italian Army17 immediately, and that we get the French passes under our control immediately. That’s the most important thing. To do that, we must send units down immediately, possibly including the 24th Panzer Division.
KEITEL: Out of all these things, the worst that could happen is that we don’t have the passes.
THE FÜHRER: Has Rommel left already?
JODL: Yes, Rommel has gone.
THE FÜHRER: Where is he now? Still in Wiener Neustadt?
KEITEL: We can find out.
THE FÜHRER: Find out right away where Rommel is!18 We have to make sure now that we [—] So in principle, one panzer division—that’s the 24th—is ready. The most important thing is that the 24th Panzer Division is brought down into this area at once so that the 34th Panzer Division19 can be pulled through here immediately on any of the railway lines. That way we can concentrate this here immediately and make sure that the infantry division Feldherrnhalle [Panzer Grenadier Division]—which must be ready—occupies the passes at least. Because we have only a single division here, which is near Rome. [—] Is the entire 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division there near Rome?
JODL: It’s there but not fully mobile—only partly mobile.
THE FÜHRER: What weapons and assault guns does it have?
BUHLE: The 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division has 42 assault guns.
JODL: But preparations for taking this sector over from the Fourth Italian Army are underway now.
THE FÜHRER: Thank God we still have the parachute division here.20 That’s why the people here must be saved at all costs. That’s of no use here; they must come over, especially the paratroops and also the people from the GÖRING [Parachute Panzer Division]. Their materiel is not important at all. They should blow it up or demolish it. But the people must come over. They are 70,000 men now. If it’s possible to fly, they can be over here soon. They must hold a screen here21 and then take everything back. Only small arms—everything else remains there. They don’t need any more than that. We can deal with the Italians even with small arms. It makes no sense to hold this here. If we want to hold something, we could hold it from here on at most, but not from here. We cannot take care of the matter from here, of course. Later we will certainly have to withdraw somewhere here—that’s quite obvious … The most important thing is that we get the units in here very soon, and that the Leibstandarte [SS Panzer Grenadier Division] comes out and is transported away!
ZEITZLER: Yes, Sir. I will give the order at once.
KEITEL: In the direction of the former …
ZEITZLER: We have to prepare first. I have to get the railway materials here. I can go at a tempo of 36 convoys, 36 trains; it will take 2 or 3 days before I get the railway materials here. I will do that now right away.
(General Zeitzler excuses himself.)
JODL: We should really wait for an accurate report to see what’s happening.
THE FÜHRER: Of course, but we have to start making deliberations now. There is no doubt about one thing—that they, of course, will declare in their betrayal that they will stick to their guns; that’s absolutely clear. But that is a betrayal—they won’t stick to their guns anyway.
KEITEL: Has anyone spoken with this Badoglio yet?
THE FÜHRER: Meanwhile we have received the following report: the Duce was in the Grand Council yesterday. There in the Grand Council were Grandi,22 whom I always called a “pig,” Bottai,23 and above all Ciano. They spoke against Germany in this Grand Council in the following way, “There is no sense anymore in continuing the war; we should try to get Italy out of it somehow.” Some of them opposed the idea. Farinacci, etc., seemed to have spoken against it but not as effectively as those who spoke in favor of this movement. The Duce sent word to Mackensen this evening that he will absolutely continue the fight and won’t surrender. Then I suddenly received word that Badoglio wanted to speak to Mackensen. Mackensen said he had nothing to discuss with him, but then he insisted even more and eventually Badoglio sent a man—
HEWEL: Mackensen sent one of his men to Badoglio.
THE FÜHRER: He said that the king had just asked him to form a government after the Duce’s resignation. [—] What does “resignation” mean? Probably this bum … I said that the statements of this Phillip …, one could gather it from that already.
KEITEL: The whole attitude of the royals! The Duce does not hold any means of power in his hands—nothing, no troops.
THE FÜHRER: Nothing! I told him that repeatedly—he has nothing! It is not true that he has nothing. They have also prevented him from obtaining any means of power. Now the minister has ordered Mackensen to go to the Foreign Office first. He will probably be notified of this there. I suppose it must be correct. Second, the minister asked whether I agree that he should go to the Duce at once. I told him that he should go to the Duce at once, and, if possible, prompt the Duce to come to Germany immediately. I would like to assume that he wants to speak with me. If the Duce comes it’s good; if he doesn’t, I don’t know. If the Duce comes to Germany and speaks with me, it’s good in principle. If he doesn’t come here or cannot leave or resigns because he doesn’t feel well again—and that would not be astonishing with such a treacherous rabble—then who knows? But what’s-his-name declared immediately that the war goes on; nothing will change in that respect. [—] These people have to do that, because it’s betrayal. But we’ll go on playing the same game on our side. Everything is prepared; we’re ready to catch this whole mob instantly—to clean out all this riffraff. I’ll send a man down there tomorrow who will give the order to the commander of the 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division to enter Rome immediately with a special group, and to arrest the entire government, the king, and this whole mob straight away, and especially to arrest the crown prince at once—to seize the riffraff, especially Badoglio and this whole rabble.24 Then you’ll see that they will weaken—down to their bones—and in 2 or 3 days there will be a coup again.
KEITEL: The only formation from the Alarik that’s still on the march is the 715th.25
THE FÜHRER: Does it have all the assault guns at least? Forty-two?
BUHLE: He must have 42 assault guns; the assault guns were complete when they went.
JODL: Here’s the organization. (Presentation.)
THE FÜHRER: How far are they from Rome?
JODL: About 100 km.
THE FÜHRER: 100? 60 km! More will not be necessary. If he starts with motorized troops he can enter and arrest the whole mob immediately.
KEITEL: Two hours!
JODL: 50 to 60 km.
THE FÜHRER: That’s no distance at all.
WAIZENEGGER: Forty-two assault guns with the division.
THE FÜHRER: They are down there with the division?
(WAIZENEGGER: Yes, with the division.)
Jodl, draw it up now!
JODL: Six battalions.
KEITEL: Unconditionally ready for action. Conditionally ready for action:five complete ones.
THE FÜHRER: Jodl, draw up the order for the 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division to be sent down right away. An order—without talking to anyone—to enter Rome with assault guns … and to arrest the government,the king and that whole group.
BUHLE: Perhaps all of the fast-moving units, the two reconnaissance detachments—
THE FÜHRER: Yes, so we have something there, too!
KEITEL: Are they there?
BUHLE: They’re there—at least one from the 16th.
JODL: From the 16th.
THE FÜHRER: I want the crown prince in particular.
KEITEL: He’s more important than the old man.
BODENSCHATZ: It must be organized in such a way that they are immediately loaded onto the plane and taken away.
THE FÜHRER: Onto the plane and immediately away—away instantly!
BODENSCHATZ: So we don’t lose the bambino [baby] on the airfield!
THE FÜHRER: In eight days there will be another collapse here. You will see!
CHRISTIAN: Colonel General Jeschonnek had actually started when he got the call there. He had not intended to come before tomorrow noon, but he has already landed tonight. I haven’t been able to speak with him yet. He just landed 10 minutes ago.
THE FÜHRER: How long will it take him to come over here?
BODENSCHATZ: It will take him an hour and a half by car.
THE FÜHRER: When he comes, he should come over here immediately. Tell him that! [—] And then I would really like to speak with the Reichsmarshal!
BODENSCHATZ: I will inform him at once.
THE FÜHRER: Of course, we will have to initiate it when we are ready enough with our forces that they can go over immediately and disarm that whole rabble. The watchword for the whole story must be that the traitorous generals at the top—Ciano is hated anyway—are striking a blow against Fascism.
(Telephone conversation between the Führer and Reichsmarshal GÖRING. The Reichsmarshal’s questions and answers were not heard by the stenographers.)
THE FÜHRER: Hello, Göring. I don’t know: do you have news yet? [—] So, it’s not yet a direct confirmation, but it can hardly be doubted anymore that the Duce has resigned and Badoglio has taken his place. [—] Now, it’s not a question of possibilities in Rome but of facts! [—] That’s the reality, Göring. There’s no doubt about it! [—] What? [—] I don’t know; we want to make sure first. [—] That’s nonsense, of course. It’s carrying on as well,and how! They’ll see how we will carry on! [—] So I just wanted to tell you this. Under these circumstances, I believe it would be good for you to come here as soon as possible.26 [—] What? [—] I don’t know! I will inform you about it then. But in any case, be prepared for the possibility that it’s correct! (End of telephone call.) We’ve experienced a mess like this already: that was on the day when the government was overthrown.27 (KEITEL: At 10 in the morning in the Great Hall.)
But that turned different then, too. I just hope they haven’t detained the Duce! But if they have detained him, it’s all the more important that we go there.
JODL: That, of course, would be a different situation. Then we would have to go over at once. Because otherwise the essential thing would be that we can still get units over the passes. Otherwise the traitors could set up elements here, and we wouldn’t be able to bring anything over anymore. The most important thing now is that the transports that are stacked up here come over. It was already ordered yesterday that everything should go over there—even if it’s only to northern Italy and doesn’t go any further from there—so that we still bring forces here to northern Italy. Because in this case—
BUHLE: These here will also be available again for that.
THE FÜHRER: Send those immediately! Just in case, of course, those should go at once!
KEITEL: That’s the only reason we didn’t pull them in there.
THE FÜHRER: We can do that at once—that’s perfectly clear.
KEITEL: The next infantry division.
THE FÜHRER: Wonderful. They should expect something! If they are not deployed there, they would probably—because the betrayal changes everything, of course. I have the feeling that these people28 here are already aware of the whole thing—this betrayal—and that’s why they introduced martial law.
KEITEL: I clarified that. They have the following reason for it: so far, they’ve had martial law only for looting and robbery after air raids, should they occur. When asked for the date, they said they had already done it during the earlier raid on Budapest,29 and had now expanded it for daylight raids: anyone who loots or robs during air raids, etc. It’s a fine statement. This afternoon they sent me this back.
THE FÜHRER: We must be clear about this: This Badoglio pig was working against us all the time, here in North Africa and here—everywhere. Has Rommel left already?
( … ?): He’s being held right now, my Führer.
THE FÜHRER: If he hasn’t left yet, we should call him back immediately,of course.
KEITEL: It’s possibly that he will still be in Wiener Neustadt tomorrow morning. He wanted to collect his belongings.
THE FÜHRER: Then have him brought here early tomorrow morning in a Condor, and then I’ll give him instructions. Once the situation is ripe,everything will be put under the command of Field Marshal Rommel, ofcourse—everyone will accept orders only from him.
JODL: So we have to send Weichs30 the (order31) down there at once.
KEITEL: We can do that.
THE FÜHRER: Make sure Weichs is ready for anything that may happen!
BODENSCHATZ: Will the Commander-in-Chief South be informed?
(KEITEL: Yes.)
THE FÜHRER: Is the Reichsführer here?
DARGES: No, he’s out at the moment; he had planned to come back tomorrow.
THE FÜHRER: Find out!
(DARGES: Yes, Sir.)
We have to draw up a list at once. It will, of course, include this Ciano, and Badoglio, and many others. First of all, the whole rabble—and Badoglio, of course, dead or alive!
(HEWEL: Yes, Sir.)
The first measures to be taken: First, we dispatch the units here to the border immediately, so that whatever can come over comes over. But these units here must immediately—Jodl, these units down here must be informed at once about their tasks, so they know that they absolutely must take control of these passes here immediately!
KEITEL: This battalion here in Innsbruck is informed about the secret instructions.
THE FÜHRER: Is it still there?
KEITEL: It’s still there. The mountain school, relieved, … the staff or a group of the Feldherrnhalle [Panzer Grenadier Division] has been instructed, the 715th [Security Division] has also been instructed, and the 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division. These three have been instructed; they received secret instructions at that time from the Commander-in-Chief West regarding the implementation of Alarik. Investigations and such like were forbidden, in order not to draw attention to these things. These three should do this. We had hoped to do it together with the …
THE FÜHRER: They aren’t there?
KEITEL: No, they’re not.
V. PUTTKAMER: We should inform the Navy because of the transports. They are spread out everywhere in the ports, among the Italians.
THE FÜHRER: Certainly! But the crossing must still be made here, as far as possible.
GÜNSCHE: Field Marshal Rommel left for Salonika this morning and has arrived there.
THE FÜHRER: Then he can fly back tomorrow—he has his airplane there anyway.
CHRISTIAN: His old 111 crew.
THE FÜHRER: How long will it take him to come from Salonika?
CHRISTIAN: He can be here after 3 or 4 p.m., with one stopover.
THE FÜHRER: So 6 to 7 hours?
BUHLE: Six hours!
JODL: We flew from … to Salonika in two and a half hours in the Heinkel.
SPEER: But he doesn’t have my “lame duck”! That is something else!
THE FÜHRER: Your “lame duck”! As if! If good old Mackensen hadn’t had it recently, he wouldn’t have been able to land. As I heard it, our good man Hewel phoned Mackensen’s wife directly and said, “Mackensen’s plane is overdue.” That’s also very “diplomatic”! For that one must be promoted to the position of an ambassador first! [—] All the other things will go forward. So, Jodl, I repeat: First, an order to the 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division, and, if necessary, to these units here in order to support Rome; analogous orders to the Luftwaffe deployed around Rome—whatever is there: anti-aircraft, etc.—so they know right away. That’s the one complex. Then immediately moving the other units in. This, of course, must be done in connection with that! The third is immediate preparation for the evacuation of all these areas by German units, which should be brought over here—while retaining the screen in front, of course. All units in the rear are to be removed immediately and brought over here. It doesn’t matter at all: Small arms and machine guns should be taken with them, but nothing else—everything else we can let go. We have 70,000 men down there, including the absolute best men there are. We must do it in such a way that the last ones go back in the motor vehicles and embark here. We have enough German ships anyway. There is a great deal of German ship capacity.32
JODL: Almost exclusively.
THE FÜHRER: The anti-aircraft artillery will remain here and provide uninterrupted protection. The anti-aircraft artillery that’s over there will be the last to go. They will blow up everything and come over last.
CHRISTIAN: But no Italians will come over with the German troops?
THE FÜHRER: It must be done so quickly that they cross over during one night, if possible. If they transport only men, and don’t take any equipment or anything with them, they will finish within two days—in one day.
JODL: The normal capacity under normal conditions is 17,00033 men anyway. That’s the standard capacity.
THE FÜHRER: Imagine all of this densely packed. It must be done like it was at Dunkirk back then. It would be ridiculous if they couldn’t get the whole company across this narrow strait34 under the protection of a Luftwaffe like this. What’s critical is that they take the guns and machine guns with them. Trench mortars—all the light stuff.
JODL: They should be handed over to the two divisions that are there.
THE FÜHRER: They will immediately come here, to these two divisions.In any case, they will first get normal infantry reinforcements, and we must give them the weapons.
BUHLE: Also here, my Führer, the order ought to be given to the general staff today or tomorrow that from now on the focus in terms of motor vehicles should be shifted to here—meaning everything that is currently being built up and going to the East. Otherwise these units won’t get there.
THE FÜHRER: We can still do that tomorrow. Then I have to take precautions about something else. We have to be careful with the Hungarian situation.
JODL: Then the Commander-in-Chief South must get a guard at once.
THE FÜHRER: Yes.
JODL: The 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division must provide a strong guard for the whole headquarters.
THE FÜHRER: Yes.
JODL: Otherwise they will round up the leadership!
THE FÜHRER: Yes, we can do that right away. I’ll round up their [the Italian] leadership! They’ll get the shock of their lives!
JODL: We should think it over carefully for half an hour first.
BODENSCHATZ: The Italian workforce?!
THE FÜHRER: They haven’t arrived yet.
SPEER: We need personnel.
JODL: Don’t let any more Italians cross the border—those who are still here in Germany!35
SPEER: They work very diligently. We could put them to good use for the OT [Todt Organization], etc.
THE FÜHRER: When this thing blows up, I don’t need to be concerned about the Belgian any longer either. Then I can lead this fellow away and lock all the relatives up together.36
SPEER: The Croatians could become very decent.
THE FÜHRER: Now, but—
SPEER: Better allies than all those Italians. If we could take this opportunity to recruit them, we would have 100,000 men. One day it will happen anyway!
THE FÜHRER: There is a possibility here after all.If they could have the chance to get Fiume on this occasion, it would be a chance to betray the Italians—a chance they would not pass up. They tried it earlier.37 [—] Has anything else come in?
JODL: The day was relatively quiet. An assembly is reported south of Rivalcuto.38 Minor attacks against the 15th Panzer Grenadier Division; the attacks were driven back here. And then since this morning an attack—still in progress—along the north coast. [—] Nothing else has been reported yet.
THE FÜHRER: Here, if it becomes necessary, they must retreat quickly and go back here on the roads. The vehicles must be emptied of everything else. All other things must be removed from the vehicles. All tractors, guns, etc., must be blown up! The critical thing is that the people get away.
JODL: A report from informers regarding a secret meeting at the headquarters in Cairo on June 20: the king of England39 and General Wilson,40 Commander-in-Chief of the Twelfth Army, which is intended for Greece.
THE FÜHRER: In connection with these people here, with the betrayal!
JODL: Then this message, which might also be connected to that. A controversial person from Switzerland—who, however, has often provided good, sound information—reports, “After stabilizing the situation of the Allies in Sicily … attack from North Africa against the mainland, in the direction of Rome—with fresh troops—is intended. The occupation of Rome should be regarded as the most important action from a psychological standpoint. They intend to establish a provisional national government in Rome immediately. The Fascist Party would be dissolved, and Italy and Albania liberated from the Fascist dictatorship. Major new contingents of troops and weapons are said to have arrived in Africa from America and Canada.”
THE FÜHRER: That’s all certainly related to it.
JODL: That takes care of everything else that has been submitted.
THE FÜHRER: What else do you have?
JODL: This was for the Commander-in-Chief West.
KEITEL: The information about the issue you asked about today. The distribution of forces—the overview you asked for. [—] The Palermo port … already as a motor torpedo boat base by the enemy …
THE FÜHRER: “Reinforcement for Sardinia”—also outdated.
JODL: According to an aerial photo, the enemy is already using the Palermo port as a motor torpedo base. On the afternoon of the 24th, there were eight motor torpedo boats there.
THE FÜHRER: Shouldn’t we prepare the 2nd Parachute Division41 so they can be put on alert immediately?
JODL: Yes, they might possibly come into consideration as reinforcements in Rome.
THE FÜHRER: Yes, so we throw them in to Rome at once.
BODENSCHATZ: One of the Commander-in-Chief South’s companies?!
THE FÜHRER: This is one of the most important things: to be strong here.
JODL: Otherwise, we won’t yet be able to tell him anything.
THE FÜHRER: No, nothing else. He should prepare a strong guard. He must not go in person anywhere, either—not to any meetings. He must receive only in his headquarters. The best thing would be to say that he’s sick. Or we could also say that he was summoned here to report.
JODL: He must stay there.
KEITEL: I would let him stay there. He is one who can lead and give orders immediately. He holds the apparatus in his hands. He absolutely should not leave his headquarters, and anyone who goes to see him there must have a military escort. He won’t receive anyone else or leave his headquarters for any meetings, of course.42
THE FÜHRER: …
HEWEL: No, I only spoke with the minister.
THE FÜHRER: Do you have anything else?
Italy
THE FÜHRER: So, Jodl, take care of the matter now!
JODL: These orders, yes.
THE FÜHRER: We have to go on with this game, of course, as if we believe they will continue!
JODL: We must do that.
THE FÜHRER: We have to do it like [—]
V. PUTTKAMER: The Grand Admiral will be here at the situation conference tomorrow.
End: 10:13 p. m.
Second Evening Situation Report
July 25, 1943
Beginning: 12:25 a.m. (July 26)
Italy
(Presentation of an order43 by General Jodl.)
THE FÜHRER (after inspection): I don’t know if this is possible, Jodl— this item here?
KEITEL: “Withdrawing anti-aircraft equipment”?
THE FÜHRER: Yes. I don’t know whether this is feasible. We have to wait until—
JODL: It’s just preparation, my Führer.
CHRISTIAN: That won’t be possible in all cases because it mostly—
JODL: Just preparation!
THE FÜHRER: “ … telephoning strictly forbidden … no order, all these instructions must be given only verbally by couriers or enciphered by telex or code. Telephone conversations—even in a disguised form—about these things is also prohibited, of course.”
JODL: Yes, indeed. [—] So this is the border, and that’s the border with Croatia. I had this idea in particular because I got hold of the message from the Tarvisio railway command today. For 10 to 14 days the Italians have been running … ammunition transports by … supplied with ammunition of all calibers.
THE FÜHRER: This is a bad story, of course—it’s certainly connected to that.
JODL: “ … increased alert stand-by.” These measures were presumably taken in case of the appearance of airborne troops or partisans.
THE FÜHRER: Then it’s connected to that. The betrayal was systematically prepared by these people.
JODL: I think so, too. In addition there is a message from the Commander-in-Chief South: the communication from General Roatta indicates that the Duce, after hearing the report—this was certainly a while ago—renounced his plan to transfer the 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division into the vicinity of Rome as he had wished to do. [—] “Communication from General Roatta”! We have no idea whether all this is true.
THE FÜHRER: I don’t believe Roatta is in cahoots with the others.44 They hate each other, Roatta and Badoglio.
JODL: There are still a number of questions, my Führer. The Commander-in-Chief Southeast is asked to report immediately on how he can carry out Operation Konstantin with his forces in the current situation, and the Commander-in-Chief West Operation Alarik. Everything has changed now. But in any case, they have to make suggestions themselves concerning how they can carry this out under the changed conditions, now that some divisions have been taken away. That should come by telex tonight. They knew about the news itself. Nothing further was said. What about the issue of the coal trains to Italy? So far we’ve left them running.
THE FÜHRER: We will do everything we can to give the impression [—]
JODL: Now there is also the question: shouldn’t at least trips to Italy, and private communications, be stopped?
THE FÜHRER: I wouldn’t do that yet either.
KEITEL: No, not yet!
THE FÜHRER: All important persons have to give notice of departure anyway; they won’t receive permission any longer.
JODL: Then I talked to Kesselring. Now that he has heard the appeal, he wants—he was not contacted, but there is in fact a new supreme commander and a new head of government—to take up contact with the king or Badoglio, which he must indeed do.
THE FÜHRER: Should he? Yes, he must!
JODL: He should do it tomorrow morning, at least to explore the situation.
THE FÜHRER: Good old Hube with his opinion, “Everything is tight here!”45
KEITEL: Hube didn’t know anything. He only passed on what the—
THE FÜHRER: You see how dangerous it is for “nonpolitical generals” when they get into such a political atmosphere.
JODL: Then the order went out to alert the 2nd Parachute Division immediately, and to prepare for airborne transport, as far as capacity is available.
CHRISTIAN: We are still waiting for the report on what is available. But now another question, my Führer: Second Air Fleet, Field Marshal v. Richthofen, has been using 100 Ju 52 transport planes to supply the 1st Parachute Division in Sicily … ten shot down again today. Consequently he wanted to withdraw them. The Commander-in-Chief South wanted to confiscate these planes at once, and he apparently also wanted to draw troops from northern Italy to central Italy, according to the developments of this situation. The Second Air Fleet then asked the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. Then I said to the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, “Any further telephone conversations on this matter are prohibited; from now on they go through the Commander-in-Chief South.”
THE FÜHRER: The Commander-in-Chief South has to do all that, to pull everything together. I’ve just told the Reichsmarshal as well that no telephone calls are allowed.
CHRISTIAN: That came from below, my Führer. It didn’t come from the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe; it came from the Second Air Fleet. [—] But now there is the question whether the 2nd Paratroop Division should have access to these planes?
THE FÜHRER: First the 2nd Paratroop Division. That’s the most important—it’s absolutely clear …
KEITEL: The order reads, “If necessary without the heaviest materiel, which is to be destroyed if required. No transmission of orders by phone,not even in disguised form.”
THE FÜHRER: No, I would write, “all the heavy materiel.”
KEITEL: So, “If necessary without all the heavy materiel, which is to be destroyed if required!”46 [—] Then here, “No transmission of orders by phone, not even in disguised form; instructions only by courier.”
THE FÜHRER: By couriers whose letters must also be enciphered!
HEWEL: My Führer! There’s a question of whether we shouldn’t perhaps block the telephone connection from the postal service entirely. The postal service just called. That would let them get rid of the press calls. They’re probably suggesting that now—that we should just block everything except the military lines.
THE FÜHRER: One could say that it’s needed for military purposes, for government calls.
HEWEL: Above all the journalists, who now, of course—
THE FÜHRER: Only for government calls!
HEWEL: Only for ministries?!
THE FÜHRER: Only for ministerial and military government calls!
KEITEL: “ … whose written instructions must be enciphered.” [—] So that there’s nothing in anything they have with them.
CHRISTIAN: Encoded telex and radio?
THE FÜHRER: Encoded telex and enciphered radio. But this cannot be deciphered?
KEITEL: No, it’s done by the Navy as well.
THE FÜHRER: Encoded telex or enciphered radio!
KEITEL: “ … or encoded radio.”
THE FÜHRER: Like that!
Sicily
JODL: Then the afternoon reconnaissance identified transport movement today along the northern Sicilian coast from Palermo to the east, consisting of about 50 vessels, including eight large, the rest smaller, probably landing boats. The course was not exactly established—probably eastward.47 So it may have to do with a landing attempt at the rear of our right wing.
THE FÜHRER: Has all this been planned by the Luftwaffe?
JODL: The Luftwaffe is informed.
CHRISTIAN: Yes, indeed. It comes from the Commander-in-Chief South.
THE FÜHRER: Nevertheless, I think we must send another officer down there at once.
JODL: The aircraft is ready; we should just wait until tomorrow.
THE FÜHRER: An officer must come here, who can tell Hube how to do it: that they transport the rear people back at first, so that they come over, and that those in front have to keep holding and then rush back in one night. They must be pulled out in one night, with just the personnel. The last ones must shoot continually and make a spectacle.
Italy
JODL: This must be communicated verbally in any case—the fall of Rome.
THE FÜHRER: That must happen under all circumstances. That’s absolutely clear. We cannot get around it. It must be beaten back, and we must be sure to capture the entire government. The paratrooper division must plan it so that they jump around Rome. Then Rome must be occupied. No one can be allowed to leave Rome, then the 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division must go in.
JODL: And the troops that are on the way—those from the 26th [Panzer Division]
THE FÜHRER: That’s not clear in the order in the words: “those being unloaded.” It should be worded that they have to be unloaded there.
KEITEL: So let’s add: “the troops to be unloaded,” i.e., aside from the unloaded ones. I read it twice. I also thought, “Shouldn’t we write instead, ‘the troops of the 26th Panzer Division that have to be unloaded’”?
JODL: Some of them were unloaded because they couldn’t get any further, and were supposed to—marching on land—
THE FÜHRER: That must be added: the unloaded troops and the troops that have to be unloaded. So: “Aside from the already unloaded troops, the rest of the 26th Panzer Division must be unloaded and placed under the command of the 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division.”
HEWEL: Shouldn’t we say that the Vatican exits must be occupied?
THE FÜHRER: That doesn’t matter. I will go into the Vatican immediately. Do you think the Vatican troubles me? It will be seized immediately.48 First of all, the entire diplomatic corps is in there. I don’t care. The rabble is there. We’ll take out all the whole herd of swine. … What is already … Then we apologize afterward; that doesn’t matter to us. We are waging a war there …
BODENSCHATZ: Most of them are sitting there…believing they are safe.
HEWEL: We will get documents there!
THE FÜHRER: There? [—] Yes, we will get documents; we will bring out something about the betrayal! How long will it take the Foreign Minister—what a pity he isn’t here!—to draw up the instructions for Mackensen?
HEWEL: It’s probably been sent out.
THE FÜHRER: So there!!
HEWEL: I will find out right away.
THE FÜHRER: Will it be a journalist’s work of 12 pages? That’s what I’m most afraid of with you; it can be done in two or three lines. [—] Now I have one more idea, Jodl. If he wants to attack tomorrow or the day after tomorrow49—I don’t know whether the units are already together—I would have them attack in the East once more. Then the Leibstandarte [Panzer Grenadier Division] can strike together with them one more time, because if the materiel is just coming anyway—
KEITEL: The railway materiel!
JODL: They can do that, of course, because it’s better if they leave a more consolidated position behind.
THE FÜHRER: That would be good, of course. Then the one division, the Leibstandarte, can be transferred out. That one should go first and can leave its things there. They can leave a lot of materiel over there; they don’t need to take the tanks with them. They can leave them over there and bring them in again from here. So they remain over there for now. They will also get the Panthers here, so they’re well equipped. It’s ridiculous. Until this division gets there, they will have these tanks available as well.
HEWEL: I would like to ask about the Prince of Hesse, who is hanging around all the time. Do you want me to say that we don’t need him?50
THE FÜHRER: Let him come, and I will say a few words to him.
HEWEL: He goes around asking everyone, of course, and wants to know everything.
THE FÜHRER: That is actually a very good disguise—an iron wall. It’s very good. In the past we often had people around us when we were planning something, but they had no clue, and the others were convinced that as long as those people were there, everything was in order. I’m afraid that Göring is overstepping his bounds.
BODENSCHATZ: I told him that very clearly beforehand.
THE FÜHRER: One has to be extremely polite. I would give him all those appeals—they are public anyway—that we’ve collected. He can read them, this Phillip—that would be totally harmless. But tell them that he’s not to be given anything incorrect! I don’t know where they are. Take care that they don’t take anything incorrect! [—] And the outbound transport? When can it begin, the first one? All at once would be best!
JODL: We haven’t received that yet. It’s the 305th [Infantry Division] that’s standing by.
THE FÜHRER: And the 44th [Infantry Division]?
JODL: It’s ready; that depends on the shortages [in materiel]. The 44th will not be released until tomorrow; that depends on the shortage [in materiel]. But I assume that it will begin during the day tomorrow.
THE FÜHRER: Is the 44th motorized?
(JODL: No.)
But it’s a triangular division?
KEITEL: A triangular and completely serviceable division. We wanted to bring it down there four weeks ago. Rommel wanted it because it was ready. You refused at the time, so we deployed the Brandenburg there because we didn’t want it to become conspicuous.
THE FÜHRER: The Brandenburg is not there either.
KEITEL: It left again as well. It was in Innsbruck; things have gradually changed.
THE FÜHRER: Shouldn’t we give these units—which might have to crack open these few bunkers51—some things? Either Tigers or something else, if there are difficulties somewhere? [—] Of course, a Tiger like that would shoot these few bunkers to pieces at once—the embrasures?
(KEITEL: No doubt!)
Perhaps we can find out from Buhle what there are in the way of Tigers in the schools, etc.
JODL: Whatever is available should be taken to Innsbruck.
THE FÜHRER: They only need a few to crack these few things open and… down to Krain, … these few things will be cracked open soon. If a couple of Tigers come and shoot into them, they will go out at once. The concrete they have can be penetrated by the Tiger anyway. We might be able to take Panthers as well. Maybe we can see if it’s possible to take something from the schools for this purpose—assault tanks as well, for example.
KEITEL: I will speak with Buhle.
THE FÜHRER: Tell Guderian to come here as well!
End: 12:45 a.m.
Midday Situation Report
July 26, 194352
Beginning: 11:46 a.m.
Italy
THE FÜHRER: Jodl, have any new reports come in?
JODL: No, so far only one meeting with Badoglio has been set down there, at 6 p.m. There was no time before that because he’s overloaded … some shout, “Pace, pace!” [Peace, peace!] while others are hunting Fascists.
THE FÜHRER: That’s good.
JODL: But so far it’s like the childishness before Ash Wednesday.
THE FÜHRER: But it will in fact become an Ash Wednesday. We’ve experienced this before …
JODL: The supreme command has secured itself completely. A discussion took place some minutes ago regarding the fact that because of the danger he … has secured … an airfield totally in German hands …
THE FÜHRER: And another question. Do you have any news yet about when the paratrooper division will be ready to jump?
JODL: It’s on alert but there’s no news yet about when the additional troops will arrive.
THE FÜHRER: Jeschonnek must know.
JODL: They should come any time.
THE FÜHRER: Has this here been launched?53 … Wouldn’t it be possible to take the tanks over here at least?
JODL: … We especially have to take away the most valuable equipment,of course, during the time when no men can be brought back.
THE FÜHRER: Tanks above all! There are 160 tanks there … according to yesterday’s description.
JODL: The new ones have not yet …
THE FÜHRER: No, they haven’t been brought over yet.
JODL: What I received this afternoon is how all the trains are lying on the rails. (Presentation.) They’re lying on all the tracks up to the Brenner [Pass]. From the Brenner to the southern wing it’s not quite clear yet. But most of what was in last night’s telex had already been launched by Kesselring.
THE FÜHRER: We just have to make sure that nothing nasty happens here with the Hungarians.54 Which tank units can we send in there on short notice if necessary? … Panther detachments. Is it possible to improvise anything there? If something were to happen there … Now, I don’t know where they are deployed. Where are they? In Döllersheim? That would be lower Austria.
JODL: Döllersheim, yes.
THE FÜHRER: Up here?
JODL: Between Vienna and Brno, to the northwest. The closest place for Hungary is Bruck.
HIMMLER:55 Bruck on the Mur [River], not Bruck on the Leitha [River].
THE FÜHRER: Here, Untersteinfeld near … ?
HIMMLER: ... I still don’t have a thing ... on the whole, if they haven’t closed a lot before … everything that’s sitting inside. There these fellows are sitting directly …
THE FÜHRER: With the Hungarians it’s complicated because we have Hungarian security divisions in the East. They are out of the picture at the moment.
HIMMLER: I have two with me; they participated in the fighting decently this time.
JODL: They have a good commander.
HIMMLER: … we could really consider how we can manage it.
THE FÜHRER: It would in fact be possible—
HIMMLER: I think it’s possible that …
THE FÜHRER: No, they won’t do that.
HIMMLER: My Führer, …
THE FÜHRER: No, they won’t do that. But it would be possible for them to declare—because they know— …
HIMMLER: But it could … economically …
THE FÜHRER: Very much!
HIMMLER: That they stop this with the divisions. I wouldn’t put any cowardly stunt beyond them.
(GÖRING: Yes.)
THE FÜHRER: And what can we do with this one here now?56 How can we get this one out—the people, in particular?
JODL: Yes, I would propose to take them … to Corsica, if possible, and pull them together there.
GÖRING: That’s my opinion as well. Make Corsica as strong as possible.
JODL: The troops would have to give everything away, though, if they’re to go to Corsica.
THE FÜHRER: Then we must discuss today how they would get over to Corsica.
JODL: Yes, indeed. Especially if I don’t have enough capacity available to get them here. I can take them over here, of course. But there’s still something there.
THE FÜHRER: Of course, we’ll have to give this up here as well … bring over here. [—] How is this here, Jodl, with the paratroopers? [—] This here will be given up now!
GÖRING: Why will it be given up if we’re holding this?
THE FÜHRER: … up there the ports, and you cannot occupy everything with two divisions.
JODL: … the three divisions on the coastal front and the Feldherrnhalle [Panzer Grenadier Division]. But then the unit will come down which is intended for57—
THE FÜHRER: Which one is it?
JODL: The 715th [Security Division].
THE FÜHRER: It has arrived?
JODL: It’s there.
THE FÜHRER: It’s there, but not mobile.
JODL: It’s partly motorized, with buses.
THE FÜHRER: We could put them in here.
JODL: Their task is to safeguard Mussolini anyway.
THE FÜHRER: And then perhaps to go on to Turin.
JODL: The next to come now are the 305th [Infantry Division] and the 44th [Infantry Division] by two routes, beginning tomorrow—the 44th into this area and the 305th into this area.
THE FÜHRER: And the 24th Panzer [Division]? When does it arrive?
JODL: It’s not in yet.
THE FÜHRER: I believe the 24th Panzer is the most important one. That’s the panzer division …
JODL: It is, of course, the only panzer division that …
THE FÜHRER: Granted.
JODL: It’s just a question of whether we … in the northern part. [—] He’s closer to Italy now, of course. It’s just that he has that huge flank. If the Italians … to here, here from Trieste downward.
GÖRING: As I said outside beforehand, “If we don’t get the weapons, the rebels will get them.”
THE FÜHRER: Where is the 10th SS [Panzer Grenadier Division]? Is it here?
HIMMLER: It’s here.58 It came down there first.
JODL: It’s not quite ready yet, but almost.
THE FÜHRER: I heard a very good evaluation of the GÖRING [Parachute Panzer Division]… actually a characteristic, because it’s a general evaluation of our youth.
JODL: I read it.
THE FÜHRER: The young people fight fanatically, the ones from the Hitler Youth, … young German boys, some of them 16 years old.59 These Hitler Youth usually fight more fanatically then their older comrades. … report over there that they didn’t get them until all of them had fallen—down to the last man. So, if these divisions all fight like these two SS divisions fight—
HIMMLER: They are good divisions now, my Führer.
THE FÜHRER: … that’s how the Hitlerjugend [Hitler Youth] [Panzer Grenadier] Division will fight, and the youth in general. They have already been uniformly trained. They will get the shock of their lives there. These are young boys but they are now … trained for a long time.
HIMMLER: These two divisions will have been trained from February 15 to August 15.
GÖRING: Fourteen … were army officers.
HIMMLER: But now they are in very good condition. They were also inspected by Dollmann,60 Blaskowitz61 and Rundstedt,62 and they said they were very satisfied.
THE FÜHRER: Each division has how many men on average? And what’s the average age?
HIMMLER: They have 400 officers on average and about 3,000 to 4,000 older non-commissioned officers—“older” meaning also between the ages of 20 and 30. The two divisions have an average age of 18½ years for the whole division, i.e., from the commander to the recruits.
THE FÜHRER: So it can be said that the majority of them are 18?
HIMMLER: Yes, 18 years.
GÖRING: Recently it was said that people between 26 and 30 have proven to be the best fighters.
HIMMLER: On average—purely physically.
THE FÜHRER: If they are trained so long … earlier the young people were mostly God knows what … But they are all boys who enlisted already at the age of 17—many of them even earlier … so that they come in … But they certainly did fight with unparalleled bravery … The others were poorly trained— two months’ training … some before April, some after April, some during April, and from the remaining months we have about 14 days … those were all “wonderful” exercises—meaning exercises on the training grounds in Oberwiesenfeld … They are certainly better.
HIMMLER: They are well trained, all in all.
THE FÜHRER: So these first five divisions are there now. But then you have the 24th Panzer [Division] ready as well?
JODL: Then the 24th Panzer is also ready.
THE FÜHRER: We must put them in here—that’s quite certain. We have to make sure that we get a division down here from the East quickly, and that we pull this in behind.
JODL: Then, my Führer, Field Marshal v. Rundstedt is arriving at the Fourth Italian Army headquarters today. GÖRING: For a visit.
JODL: Within the framework of these ongoing visits. The relationship has always been very good so far. I think it’s quite a good—
GÖRING: Perfect!
THE FÜHRER: But he shouldn’t stay there for long. He should leave again as soon as possible. The thing must be done quickly. We must look as quickly as possible—he must get an accurate picture of the situation today already.
GÖRING: What Italian formations are deployed in Rome?
HIMMLER: My Führer! We could try to get this division from the Duce. We gave them 12 assault guns, 12 Panzer IVs and 12 Panzer IIIs. That’s 36—
THE FÜHRER: … division, as much as they get.
JODL: There are people there anyway.
HIMMLER: Obersturmbannführer (Leinert)63 from my staff is still there.
THE FÜHRER: He ought to make sure that we get the whole division—that it joins us.
GÖRING: At least the guns …
HIMMLER: Then the training commands are also down there.
JODL: When may I send this order down?
THE FÜHRER: … can give …
JODL: I’ve just transmitted an order to Kesselring.
GÖRING: Are we really giving these orders?
THE FÜHRER: They all come by encoded telex.
JODL: It’s perfect.
THE FÜHRER: By encoded telex? What do you want? Otherwise we can’t give anything—no orders at all anymore. Otherwise he won’t know what we want.
GÖRING: I thought that in this case it could be done with special secret couriers.
THE FÜHRER: Couriers are even more dangerous, if they have anything on them. This must be enciphered again.
GÖRING: Memorized!
THE FÜHRER: But they can’t memorize too many things. Besides, they memorize it anyway because … was also here; that’s essentially how it was down there as well.
SCHERFF: Probably here … in the event of a coup.
HIMMLER: I can send something down to his people by radio.
GÖRING: It would certainly be most disastrous if they gave this here to the English. That would be disastrous, of course. That would be just fantastic. [—] They have the task of disarming them?
SCHERFF: Only very generally: to act if necessary. Then they usually lead them to the possibility—
THE FÜHRER: They are informed about the possibility of a coup, both of them, since in that case—
GÖRING: …
THE FÜHRER: No, they should get a signal. If we communicate it to them, it would cause difficulties. With them we can … radio …
HIMMLER: I can also radio to my division in Rome.
THE FÜHRER: Enciphered?
HIMMLER: Yes, indeed. Enciphered.
THE FÜHRER: And is that completely secure?
HIMMLER: Completely secure. We’ve agreed on a brand new key.Yesterday we made the last key. I can give them the order that they … with their …
GÖRING: … it must be secure.
JODL: That can only go to Kesselring, because otherwise he won’t know what the further intentions are. The news that he then receives … a totally different situation again …
THE FÜHRER: Jodl, so for the march in here … pull in to get in here first or to get across the Brenner?
JODL: I don’t see any difficulties in getting across the Brenner [Pass]. The trains simply run through there.
THE FÜHRER: Yes, but if they suddenly occupy this?
JODL: Then there’s the other point of view—
HIMMLER: And South Tyrol rebels!64
THE FÜHRER: But there are no South Tyrolese. They’ve all been called up!
HIMMLER: There are still men there. The Italians are … if we seize them … They have to enter their bunkers anyway. I’m quite sure of that.
THE FÜHRER: … Innsbruck garrison … and makes his Tigers available for this purpose ... have you already spoken with Thomale about the affair?
(JODL: Yes.)
Also about that?
SCHERFF: Thomale was here anyway.
JODL: We spoke with him already. At least over there in the east we have—the next closest regiment is there in Tarvisio.
HIMMLER: That’s what I was going to say. This regiment came there …this is now undamaged here … this mountain regiment. We can bring it up easily.
THE FÜHRER: What kind of police regiment is this here?
HIMMLER: That’s the police regiment that’s in Marseilles. My Führer, we could … this with Laibach and Trieste …
JODL: The crossing points that we … from Agram to …
HIMMLER: It is important to me that we hold this in Laibach.
THE FÜHRER: But this we could bring over here.
HIMMLER: I can do that easily.
THE FÜHRER: Shouldn’t we do that right away?
JODL: I suppose they will do this anyway because they have the order to safeguard … —we will find that out today—to use increased security. We won’t have anything else.
HIMMLER: Here I would get over much easier; we’re located here already. So I would reach it more easily if I were to take Tarvisio from here. If I go in there, … and then I have to say, of course: how far should we go up to this point we can … go up.
THE FÜHRER: Well, if the tanks come the whole rabble will run away immediately like cowards. It’s just good that I—
HIMMLER: Are our panzer units going down there as well?
GÖRING: They won’t fight!
HIMMLER: Where are they going?
THE FÜHRER: Here, but we’ll have to see. The Leibstandarte [Panzer Grenadier Division] will leave its tanks behind and get them back here.
GÖRING: I’m not concerned. That these cripples will oppose us at the Brenner [Pass]—that’s totally impossible.
THE FÜHRER: If our Panthers come—
GÖRING: I think it’s very good, the paratroopers jumping. Himmler’s people can do it better than mine. Immediately!
THE FÜHRER: They can’t jump. They have to land!
GÖRING: Some of them will land, yes.
KEITEL: … Six o’clock in the morning goes up to …
THE FÜHRER: He should come here!
KEITEL: He will come here at once.Yes, Sir.
THE FÜHRER: …
GÖRING: Yes, that’s my opinion as well.
THE FÜHRER: … the Italians mad.
GÖRING: I mean that he did write the letter there!
LINGE: My Führer, Field Marshal Kluge and General Zeitzler have arrived. Would you like the gentlemen to come right away?
THE FÜHRER: Yes.
(Meeting is interrupted by a discussion with Field Marshal v. Kluge.65)
Italian fleet
DÖNITZ: My Führer! … came back. It’s just that there is a constant connection … that 90% of his officers would come with us. I don’t know.
THE FÜHRER: That couldn’t be right.
DÖNITZ: That’s too much. I cannot do anything to prevent … submarines … were in La Spezia and Toulon and that 5 or 6 of them anchor near La Spezia. The right thing would be—if the propaganda did not work—to seize the ships as soon as possible.
THE FÜHRER: They will be … in Toulon …
DÖNITZ: Yes, perhaps they can be seized before. I myself have submarine crews in La Spezia, too.66 But they have nothing but shotguns or pistols, and they are not equipped with anything else. So if you want to seize the ships, the troops have to be equipped with the appropriate weapons. But I actually believe the Italians will let us seize them.
THE FÜHRER: Do you have any idea [—]?
GÖRING: We have people in there.
DÖNITZ: But they are not mobile—perhaps 300 men. We have 2 submarines in there. With 300 men you cannot do much in the way of propaganda. Obviously, they are not trained for this—they are sailors. I think, my Führer, we should try to prevent these people from putting to sea.
THE FÜHRER: I have said before that a special squadron or troop should be made available for this purpose.
DÖNITZ: Let’s wait and see. You never know.
GÖRING: But you are there in front with submarines?
DÖNITZ: I will immediately be there with submarines if they put to sea.We have to wait and see how it develops. It’s also possible that there will be a split within the fleet—that the young officers will arrest the old ones.67
GÖRING: But keep the group prepared for action!
JUNGE: You can let them know that there are submarines there.
FÜHRER: No, for God’s sake, no!
DÖNITZ: That is still premature…