GERMAN GENERALS IMPRISONED AS WAR CRIMINALS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02725183
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: July 13, 2023
• Document Release Date: November 15, 2022
• Case Number: F-2022-01257
• Publication Date: December 22, 1952

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CtASSIFICA11ON mu ofFir
INFORVOalee
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT NO.
1NFORMATiON REPORT CD NO.
COUNTRY West Germany
SUBJECT German Generals Imprisoned as War Criminals
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
ErE
DO NOT CIRCULATE
THIS DOLORES CAPTAINS INFORMATION EFFECTING TAU NtTIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES. WITNIN TER MEANIES OF TITLE TO, SECTIOFIS 793
ENE 796, OF MR O. S. COOL AR AMENDED ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVEL
ATIONO ITS CONTENTS TO OR RSCEIPT BT AM UNAUTT6ORIZEO PERSON
IS IIRONISITED SY LAO THE REPRODUCTION OF TINS FORA 19 FROXIIIITED.
SOURCE
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DATE DISTR. 22 December ..h95
NO. OF PAGES 2
' 0.CFENCLS,
ir
me BELOW,
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO..
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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1. Lt. teheral a.D. Adolf Heusinger (W( 1)
who repeatedly stressed the amnortan e of releasing former military (b)(3)
war eriminals. Heusineer stated that he yes probably instrumental in the
release of former Field Marshal Maakensen from the -ritish prism at
He reported that he had discussed Nackensends case with Lord Alexander
during the latter,s latest visit an Germany to witness the British field
maneuver "Holdfasto,, Lord Alexander, against whom Mackensen fought during
the Italian campaign, informed him that he would leok into the case. This
conversation was held amnroximately ten days before Nhckensen was released.
The British are holding now only General Manstein� and he is actually not
in confinement but furloughed for hosnitalization. The French have released
all of their General officer war criminals. That leaves the United States
as the onl'.y western nation which still holds German generals in conPinemento
2. Heusinger believes that the merioans should not watt for the establishment
of the Arbitratienal Tribunal to study the cases of the former general officers
in Landsberg. He has discussed the problem with General lidgway who informed
him that he should take the matter up with Generals Handy and 2ddy. He was
also of the opinion that lidTway nlanned to inform Handy. However, to date
he has beard from neither Handy nor Eddy.
3. General Hewineerls oninion on how to hanile the release or furlough of top
army generals in Landsberg is somewhat Presumptive but sinply stated is as
follows:
a. )f the ten ranking generals in Landsberg, three should
receive immediate consideration. They are Generals
List and num and Fiall Earshal Zuechler, all of Them
are seventy years of age. He feels that these three,on
the basis of ale alone, can be released, and that they
have in fact already served seven years, to which three
years can be added for good behavior, making a total of
ten years."
b. The remaining general officers in Landsberg are 'aenerals
Selmuth, lath, Handloser, Schroeder, Nilch, ?.einicke,and
aarlimont. Tieusinaer steted that oalv the last two,
ASS FICATION sEG . if
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Reinieke and Iarlimont, are sticky cases, ?or yhom we
probably cannot do anything. However, some of the
others could he foerlonehed no into their oen custody
but subject to eeriolie reporting. In such a eay the
15 rould be able to avoid the charge of releasine war
crieinels. Thcy eould have been nlaced merely on.
furlough pen in the final action of the 'rbitration
c. Ueusineer realizes that the -IS cennet reconsider these
cases from a juridical eeint of view. However, he
seerested that the US establish three catelories of
eenerale in confinement which eauld consider only the
number of years each !pers.= had been sentenced. For
examole, 7,ategory A could contain all those with
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sentences uo to ?ifteen years; Gateeory 2, all sen-
tences up to twenty-tive years; .Category C, all sen-
tences vn to and including life.
4. .Tt has recently 3ome to the attention of Heusiner end others that
an American on the staff of Ambassador .'Oonnellye has been a/Ped to
nrepare e brie on the status of the erionere in Landsberg. .ccording
to 7eusinger, his reeommendations were quite similar to those onur-erated
above - - the release or furloueh of the eight and the continued confine-
ment of Genera17 7einieke an' \;7arlimont.
o� dcnlorable that recently convicted 'Soviet esnienaee
agents are also conf'ned in Landsberg and that they live side by side
with -,erman "lad thrishals and Tnerals who fought agaenst the r:ele_et
Unien. 7e further stated that the esoionage agents receive relatively
minor sentences and are s)on out on narele, ie? not released outright.
6. aeneralRamckeesrecent diatrIbe against US nolicy towards mar criminals
is extreme and does net reflect the th2nkine of the averaee officer.
'Ice/ever, "!eus4nler and other members of the nlanning committee believe
that the "S must revise --ts noliey and �clorify Its nosition ,o the extent
that the generals be Tranted furloughs pending the .11.1dered oninion of
the erbitrational Tribunal. Such a move mould take the eind out of the
radical element of the officer corps.
SeGT/C11!T-111,- 75 1710T'Lq NILY
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Approved for for Release: 2022/09/29 CO2725183