'45 WAR FIGURE ENDS HIS LIFE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000100020072-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 6, 2000
• Sequence Number: 72
• Publication Date: January 22, 1971
• Content Type: NSPR

PIAStaz
Approved For Release 9NOI06 ! : CIA-RDP75-00001
Hourel
.45 War
CPYRGHT [
LUCERNE, Switzerland (AP)
-= Former Maj. Gen. Max Wai-
bel, 69, a key figure in arranging
the surrender of German forces
in Italy in 1945, committed sui-
cide Wednssday night,.apparent-
ly because the small private
bank of which he was board
chairman was in trouble, the
police announced today.
The brief announcement said
his "tragic death was apparent-
ly a result of his strong feeling
of responsibility."
The bank was found to be in
financial trouble after the death
of its sole owner last month.
During the war Waibel headed
the Swiss counterintelligence
section for Germany and ar-
ranged secret contacts in Swit-
zerland early in 1945 between
Allen Dulles and SS Gen. Karl
Wolff.
The talks resulted in the sur-
render of all. German forces in
Italy, saving thousands of lives
and preventing the scheduled de-
struction of the port of G0 110a
and other 'strategic points and
saving countless art treasures.
After the war, Waibel served
for two years as military at-
tache in Washington.
He retired in 1956 and later
became board chairman of the
Lucerne bank Ernst Brunner
and Co. A.G. The bank's foun-
der, Ernst Brunner? died in De-
cember, and a few days later
the bank suspended payments. It
is still under investigation.
Waibel left his house Wednes-
(lay night after a horseback ride.
A few hours later his body was
found in a nearby forest, his gun
nearby.
Approved For Release 2000/06/13 CIA-RDP75-0000,1 R000100020072-6