Grey Wolf: The Escape of Adolf Hitler (52 page)

Yet, as the failed and faded Führer died in Argentina, tormented, demented, and betrayed, seventeen years after fleeing from the bunker in which the world believed he had committed suicide, the words that he and Joseph Goebbels had made famous had come true: “Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.” The world believes that Hitler died in Berlin.

Winston Churchill, Hitler’s British nemesis, once famously said, “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.” But his archenemy had foreseen that possibility, and before Churchill wrote his history, Adolf Hitler, one of the most evil men in civilized history, pre-empted him by saying, “The victor will never be asked if he told the truth.”

At the end of World War II the victors were never asked. We are asking them now.

A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS

To all the authorities and individuals in Argentina who gave their indispensable support in the realization of this project, we extend our heartfelt thanks. Their conviction that the truth should finally be told—now that Argentina has become a mature democracy—allowed us to unravel this extraordinary story.

May we also take this opportunity to thank the following people: Maria Eugenia Faveret, a translator par excellence and an organizer without peer: muchas gracias, amiga; historian and U-boat expert Innes McCartney for his extensive researches at The National Archives, Kew, London, and elsewhere; Nahuel Coca, Argentine researcher and journalist extraordinaire, for all his help in Buenos Aires; aviation and Luftwaffe expert Tony Holmes; Philip Brace and the staff of the Ministry of Defence main library for obtaining a host of obscure and esoteric books and documents from a variety of sources; the staff of The National Archives in Kew for their unfailing assistance; Carolina Varasavsky for all her invaluable support; Capt. Manuel Monasterio for his courage in publishing Dr. Otto Lehmann’s and Heinrich Bethe’s stories at his own expense even when his life was threatened; Jorge Elbaum of the Delegación de Asociaciones Israelitas Argentinas for opening the organization’s files and for its offers of security; noted Argentine television host Adrian Korol and his delightful life partner Silvina Shina for their help, introductions, and some of the best steaks we have ever eaten; and casting director, acting coach, and great friend Mariana “La China” Shina for everything.

Our thanks to the team at Greene Media, who had the vision to embrace this extraordinary story. At Sterling Publishing we would like to thank Marcus Leaver, president; Jason Prince, publisher; Michael Fragnito, editorial director; Elizabeth Mihaltse, art director, trade covers; and Blanca Oliviery, publicist. We would also like to acknowledge the packaging team at Buoy Point Media: Lary Rosenblatt, Fabia Wargin, and Laurie Lieb; and Amy King, for the striking cover design.

And finally, but not least, thanks to our brilliant editor at Sterling, Barbara Berger, who checked and re-checked our findings and made the whole thing readable.

—SIMON DUNSTAN
AND
GERRARD WILLIAMS

I am grateful to the Argentine cast and crew on the film
Grey Wolf
—too many to mention individually, but to all, my gratitude for your professionalism and friendship; Robert Stubbs and Ian Hall for all their help; Simon Goldberg, my lawyer in London, for his help and patience; Russell Tenzer for his long friendship, help, and advice; Eduardo Martín Boneo Villegas; Cuini Amelio Ortiz, filmmaker and chronicler of the Eichhorns’ activities; James Rainbird, assistant director, composer, and great friend; and the Norris family for such unfailing friendship and support.

Let me thank, too, my father, ex-Sgt. Maj. Len Williams, and my mother, Mary, who both fought fascism in World War II and who would be disgusted at the truth. To them and all the others who took up arms from around the world, we should all be grateful.

To the memory of three wonderful people who were there at the beginning but did not live to see it happen: Bill Stout, a great cameraman, brother, and companion on more adventures than I care to remember; J.J. Swart, another great cameraman, chef, and friend; and one of the best women in the world, Tina Murdoch. I miss them all.

Above all I wish to acknowledge the extraordinary fortitude of my beautiful wife, Ginny, and my children Nick and Bex. Without their faith and support, none of this could ever have happened. And to Magnus Peterson—my benefactor, supporter, and convivial companion throughout the trials and tribulations of this project—go my thanks, best wishes, and undying friendship.

—GERRARD WILLIAMS

N
OTES

Preface

xix     
“facilitated the flight of hundreds of erstwhile Nazis”:
The Office of Special Investigations: Striving for Accountability in the Aftermath of the Holocaust
, Department of Justice, Criminal Division, 2006. See
http://documents.nytimes.com/confidential-report-provides-new-evidence-of-notorious-nazi-cases?ref=us#p=1
; see also
http://www.archives.gov/iwg/declassified-records/rg-330-defense-secretary/
. See also Mark Aarons,
Sanctuary: Nazi Fugitives in Australia
(Melbourne: William Heinemann Australia, 1989), and Stephen Tyas, “British Intelligence and the Nazi Recruit,”
History Today
54, 2004,
http://www.historytoday.com/stephen-tyas/british-intelligence-and-nazi-recruit
.

xix     
John Demjanjuk:
New York Times
, “Demjanjuk Convicted for Role in Nazi Death Camp,” May 12, 2011,
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/13/world/europe/13nazi.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=Demjanjuk&st=cse
.

xxi     
“Hitler’s chauffeur, Erich Kempka”:
James P. O’Donnell,
The Bunker: The History of the Reich Chancellery Group
(Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1978).

xxii    
“We found no corpse that could be Hitler’s”:
Marshal Georgi Zhukov, quoted on June 6, 1945, by United Press Berlin,
Miami Daily News
, “Hitler May Have Fled with Bride Before Fall of Berlin,” June 10, 1945,
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qE8yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yecFAAAAIBAJ&
pg=2861,2346002&dq=hitler+fled+berlin+zhukov&hl=en
.

xxii    
“There is
every assumption
that Hitler is dead”:
Dwight D. Eisenhower, quoted on October 12, 1945, by The Associated Press,
Indian Express
, “Is Hitler Alive?,” October 14, 1945,
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=orI-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=SEwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4222,1007385&dq=eisenhower+hitler+alive&hl=en
.

xxv    
“Allied Powers employed numerous Nazi war criminals”:
New York Times
, “Nazis Were Given Safe Haven in U.S., Report Says,” November 13, 2010,
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/us/14nazis.html?scp=2&sq=nazis&st=cse
. See also
The Office of Special Investigations: Striving for Accountability in the Aftermath of the Holocaust
, Department of Justice, Criminal Division, 2006, Report: “Klaus Barbie: The Butcher of Lyon.”

xxv    
Israeli government and Nazi hunting:
Ian Black and Benny Morris,
Israel’s Secret Wars: A History of Israel’s Intelligence Services
(New York: Grove Press, 1991).

xxv    
Lothar Hermann:
http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/trials/eichmanntrialcapture.html
.

xxv    
“It has now been proved”:
Daily Telegraph
, “Germany and US ‘Knew Where Eichmann Was in 1952,’” January 9, 2011,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/8248965/Germany-and-US-knew-where-Eichmann-was-in-1952.html
.

xxvi   
Gehlen Organization and the BND:
Klaus Wiegrefe, “The Nazi Criminals Who Became German Spooks,”
Der Spiegel
, February 16, 2011,
www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,745640,00.html
.

Introduction

xxviii 
“When Adolf Hitler returned from the Western Front”:
Cris Whetton,
Hitler’s Fortune
(Barnsley, UK: Pen and Sword Books, 2004).

xxvii  
“Money does not bring happiness”:
Paul Manning,
Martin Bormann: Nazi in Exile
(Secaucus, NY: Lyle Stuart, 1981).

xxxi   
“Uncle Wolf”:
Guido Knopp,
Hitler’s Women
(New York: Routledge, 2003).

Chapter 1: F
UELING THE
B
EAST

    3    
“zenith of its success”:
There are innumerable general histories of World War II, but for a single-volume treatment including the aspects relevant to this book the authors can recommend Norman Davies,
Europe at War 1939–1945: No Simple Victory
(London: Macmillan, 2006).

    4    
“modification of the Enigma”:
Ronald Lewin,
Ultra Goes to War
(Barnsley, UK: Pen and Sword Books, 2008). The addition of a fourth rotor to the naval Enigma machines (Schlüssel M) virtually stopped British decryption of U-boat signals traffic for nine months.

    4    
convoy SC-107:
Wolf Packs
(The Third Reich series) (Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1989). See “Treatment of Military Ranks” on page xiv for translations of German ranks.

    5    
U-boats of Gruppe Veilchen:
Further details of this battle are to be found on
http://www.uboat.net
.

    5    
“730,000 tons of Allied shipping”:
Gordon Williamson,
Wolf Pack: The Story of the U-Boat in World War II
(Oxford: Osprey, 2005).

    5    
“from 91 to 212 boats”:
Gordon Williamson,
U-Boat Tactics in World War II
(Oxford: Osprey, 2010).

    5    
“only thing that ever really frightened me”:
Winston S. Churchill,
The Second World War
, vol. 2,
Their Finest Hour
(London: Cassell, 1949).