At Hitler's Side

by Below, Nicholas

• ISBN13: 9781853676000
• ISBN10: 1853676004
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-06-01
• Publisher: Greenhill Books/Lionel Leventhal

Summary

This is the personal account of a Luftwaffe aide always at Hitler's side from 1937 until the last days in Berlin, now published for the first time in English. Nicolaus von Below was a 29-year-old pilot when Goering selected him for the position of Hitler's Luftwaffe adjutant. He was with Hitler at every stage as World War II was planned, started and unfolded, and his observations tell of Hitler's responses to momentous events as well as military decisions and policy-making at Fnhrer Headquarters. His account is a superb source describing life in Hitler's inner circle, relied on by Gitta Sereny in her biography of Albert Speer. He provides fascinating insight into how Hitler planned the invasions of Poland and Russia, what he thought of Britain and America, why he placed his faith in the V-1 and V-2 projects, how others dealt with him, and much more. Von Below was present at the assassination attempt in July 1944, and records the effect on Hitler and his followers. He portrays the hopeless mood caused by Germany's losses in 1944 and the collapse of German fronts in 1945, leading to Hitler's final days as the war in Europe came to an end. Von Below was the last of Hitler's close military entourage to emerge from the bunker alive.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	7	(2)
List of Abbreviations	9	(2)
Introduction	11	(24)
My Career Prior to Appointment
The Daily Routine of the Luftwaffe Adjutant
Hitler's Staff
The Führer's Residences
Hitler and the Luftwaffe
The Polish Question and the Path to War
Chapter One: 1939	35	(14)
The FHQ
The Polish Campaign
The Battle for Warsaw
Hitler's Style of Leadership
Hitler, Halder and Brauchitsch
Decision for a Campaign in the West
Assassination at the Bürgerbräukeller
Hitler's Thought on the Operational Plan
Developments at the End of the Year
Chapter Two: 1940	49	(34)
Preparing for 'Weserübung'
Discussing the Operational Plan
Fritz Todt
The Visit of Sumner Welles
'Weserübung'
Attack in the West
Dunkirk
Victory and Armistice
Continuation of the War Against Britain
Planning 'Seelöwe'
Promotions
Reichstag Sitting, 19 July
Air War over Britain
The Question of 'Seelöwe'
Domestic Dramas
Meetings with Pétain, Laval, Franco
Russia, Britain, the Balkans, Gibraltar
Molotov in Berlin
'Barbarossa'
Priorities in Armaments
Critical Voices
Chapter Three: 1941	83	(41)
Decisions
The Mediterranean and North Africa
Planning for 'Barbarossa'
Before the Balkan Campaign
Operation 'Marita'
Matsuoka
Hitler's Attitude to the Russian Enemy
The Balkan Campaign
The Flight of Rudolf Hess
Crete
Battleship Bismarck
Final Preparations for 22 June
Wolfschanze
First Successes
Mölders and Galland
Discussions Concerning the Attack
Mussolini and Horthy at the Front
Private Arguments
The 'Final Solution'
Autumn 1941: Russia, Bohemia and Moravia, and North Africa
Equipping the Luftwaffe
Cure at Constance
At War with the United States
Winter Crisis
A Separate Peace with Russia?
Stresses and Strains
Hitler and the Army Generals
Udet and Mitch
Chapter Four: 1942	124	(38)
Malta
The 'Channel Dash'
Höpner Relieved of Duty
Speer Succeeds Todt
Stabilisation in Spring
The Air War Intensifies
Planning the Summer Offensive
Reichstag Session, 26 April
Conquest of the Crimea
Flying to See Kesselring and Rommel
Göring's Star Wanes
Summer Offensive
Holder Dismissed
My 35th Birthday
Towns Bombed and Industry Destroyed
Threatening Developments in the East
British Offensive in North Africa
Stalingrad
Chapter Five: 1943	162	(28)
Raeder Steps Down
Casablanca, North Africa
Manstein and Hitler
Manstein's Offensive
Accusations Against the Luftwaffe
Planning for 'Zitadelle'
Tunis
Visits by Allies
Hitler Demands Stronger AA Defences
Holiday in Prague and Vienna
Hitler Criticises the Luftwaffe
'Zitadelle'
Sperrle's Forty Years
Break with the Italians
The Suffering of Hamburg
Jeschonnek's Suicide
Pressure on the Eastern Front
Code-word 'Achse'
A Separate Peace?
Exit Engel
Landings in Italy
Further Intensification of the Air War
Hitler's Intransigence
Getting Ready for the Invasion
Firmness in Defence
The Me 262 Displayed
Teheran
Situation at the End of 1943
Chapter Six: 1944	190	(35)
Armaments Conference
The Crimea Lost
Manstein and Kleist Relieved
War in Italy
Air Attacks on Armaments Plants
Rumours of Assassination
Hanna Reitsch
Führerbefehl 11
My Uncle's Funeral
Hungary Occupied
New Moves in Armaments Production
A New FHQ?
The Death of Hube
Speer's Return
Hitler and Göring
Peaceful Days at the Berghof
Anger Over the Me 262
Attacks on Our Hydrogen Works
A New job
Invasion
The V-1
Allied Advances in the West
The Death of Dietl
A Second Landing?
Army Group Centre Shattered
Final Days at Obersalzberg
The 20 July Bomb Plot
Retribution
My Health Deteriorates
Convalescence and Recovery
Szymonski's Visits
Return to Wolfschanze
Intentions, Reflections, Illusions
The 'Areopag'
A Hopeless Situation
The Ardennes Offensive
No Way Out
Chapter Seven: 1945	225	(18)
Military Command in Crisis
Dresden
Last Speech to the Gauleiters
Hopes for the Me 262
The Noose Tightens
Farewell to My Wife
Last Days in the Bunker
Göring Dismissed, Greim Appointed
The Last Days
Flight from Berlin
Notes	243	(4)
Index	247