Evening star., 1939-09-23
Won Fritsch
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Won ffltSCn
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sion Of Poland he had only a minor
part.
Berlin sources yesterday said that
he had volunteered for active service,
although his failure to keep in step
with the Fuehrer last year was
believed to have relegated him to
the sidelines. It was understood
he disagreed with the Nazi leader
ships plans for the absorption of
Austria, which came the month fol-
lowing his resignation.
The Fuehrer's headquarters gave
no further details of Won Fritschs
death. 1t was not mentioned in
the regular morning communique of
the Supreme High Command, and
the early afternoon Berlin newspa-
pers carried only notices on inside
pages.
Nachtausgabe said that he "fell
while with the troops in the FORE
most front" Other newspapers
merely printed short obituaries and
the oticial news agency COM
munique.
Opposed Annexation of Austria.
Idol of the German Army, COL
Gen. Won Fritsch was sent to the
eastern front in a comparatively
minor "doghouse" role.
Small, saber-backed, be-monocled
with a chestful of cleaning medals
and an ice-cold eye, Gen. Won Fritsch
appeared a Hollywood movie direc-
tors ideal of the Prussian officer
type.
As such. he scoffed at Hitler's
brown shirted amateurs" - some
times too openly for his own good
and the story goes that when Hitler
announced his intention of seizing
Austria, Won Fritsch told him
frigedly:
If you do, Britain and France
will march, and you'll get terrible
licking"
Germany's armed forces, he said,
were not then ready to face the
consequences of risking war; but
Hitler dismissed him and carried
through the bluff which brought
only diplomatic protests from Brit
ain and France.
Detested Politics.
A professional fighter with Al years
of service in the German Army, Won
Fritsch detested politics. His blunt,
contemptuous attitude toward Hit
lers beloved Brown Shirts was ana
thema to the Fuehrer, but he was
powerful enough, nevertheless, to
force the showdown which resulted
in the execution of Capt. Ernst Won
Roehm, Hitler's bosom friend, and
the exclusion of Brown Shirts from
the Officers Corps.
Roehm had insisted his UNFRAMED
amateurs" should be incorporated
wholesale into the proud old Oncers'
Corps.
why don't you want me as an
of1cer?" he repeatedly demanded of
Won Fritsch at reception.
The little general fixed him with
chill eye. Because" he said. you
are not a soldier'-and turned on
his heel.
Despite his iron severity, the rank
and file worshiped him. In barracks
countless German soldiers had q
photo of Won Fritsch over their beds
as their beau ideal" Of what q
good Prussian soldier should be.
Accusations Filed.
Gen. Won Fritsch resigned" in
February, 1888, in a shake-up which
followed the dismissal of Field Mar
shall Werner Won Blomberg.
Won Blomberg had married the
daughter of q carpenter, and Won
Fritsch, without hesitation, told Hit
Ter the union was social reflection
on the Prussian Office caste.
The Fuehrer accepted the resigna-
tions of both, along with those of 13
other high officers, and assumed per-
sonal command of all Germany's
armed forces. Shortly thereafter
accusations of an undivulged nature
were filed against Won Fritsch.
The fiery general demanded q
military trial to clear his name. The
charges were not substantiated at
the trial and it reputedly fell to
Field Marshal Hermann Wilhelm
Goering to inform the Fuehrer that
Won Fritsch had been unjustly &C
cuSed.
Publicly Congratulated.
In any event, on April 2, 1888,
Hitler publicly congratulated Won
Fritsch on the restoration Of his
health" and on August II named
him honorary chief Of the 18th Ar
tillery Regiments rare honor, ac-
corded only to men Of special dis
tinction.
The 59-year-old commander-in-
chief of the German army was
generally credited with having re-
stored Hitler's German Reich to the
military prowess 1t held In the days
Of the Kaiser and Ludendor1.
Just a year ago, following his
reinstatement, Hitler wrote him to
give my honest thanks for the
work you did in connection with
the reconstruction Of our defense
force" But when the current war
broke out, it was Won Fritsch's
one-time subaltern, Col. Gen. WAL
ther Won Brauchitsch, now COM
mander in chief of the German
army, who conducted the Fuehrer's
"blitzkreig" or lightning war" on
Poland, while Won Fritsch COM
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