The Wilmington morning star., 1944-07-23
SEVERAL LEADERS
REPORTED MISSING
Some Junker Generals
Rumored To Have Set
Up Rival Regime
BY ALEX SINGLETON

.LO1NDO1N, Juiy AA-H
Adolf Hitler issued an appeal
today for loyalty from the
revolt-ridden German army,
many of whose top leaders
remained ominously missing
from those publicly profess
ing allegiance to the Nazi die
tator and his shaken regime.
A tight official control
was maintained over all in
formation out of Germany,
and virtually nothing was
known beyond the Nazi ver-
sion of events within the
country, but in the Nazis'
own picture evidence mounted
that the army revolt was deep
and perhaps far from being
quelled.
Among rumors springing up
from all over Europe was a Sec
ond-hand underground report say
ing that Junker generals out Of
Hitler's favor had set up a rival
regime and called upon the Ger
man people for support, claiming
the participation of generals COM
handing various army groups and
a number of garrisons in towns Of
Germany"
Headed BY Keitel
This report, broadcast by the
Moscow radio and quoting the mys.
FERROUS anti-Nazi radio Atlantic
said the new regime was headed
by Field Marshal General wilhelm
Keitel, chief of the high command,
Field Marshal General Walther
Won Brauchitsch, former command
er-in-chief of the German army,
Gen. Franz Halder, former chief
of the general staff, and Field Mar
shall Fedor Won Book, commander
of the first army group.
On the other hand, unconfirmed
reports in neutral capitals have
named some of these, notably Won
Brauchitsch and Halder, as among
those already liquidated by the
Nazi purge.
Two full days after he first an.
nounced the army revolt, Hitler adj
dressed an order of the day to the
army telling of the attempt on his
life and the abortive coup d'etat,
closing with this pointed sentence:
II know that as hitherto you will
fight with exemplary obedience
and loyalty until victory is ours in
spite of ALL
Other Appeals
There was no official explanat ton
of the delay in the word to the ar
my, although Marshal Goering and
Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz had
addressed similar messages to the
air force and navy Thursday night.
Axeman Heinrich Himmler, Ges.
tapo chief, given sweeping power
by Hitler, was reported swinging
the purge knife through the army
command, cutting out dissidents
and installing Nazi assistants to
each commander to insure that
Hitler gets the loyalty for which
he pleaded.
One Swiss report said men OF
Himmler's immediate retinue sped
to each command, had begun a
purge of officers suspected of be-
ing sympathetic with the high COM
mand rebels.
AS the Nazi radio continued to
claim "all now is quiet" the Mos
COW radio reported from Geneva
that Himmler had bolstered the
home army by incorporating SIS
(elite guard attachments to keep
the Reich under control.
The Algiers radio said leaders Of
the anti-Hitler revolt were safe
somewhere in Germany" and that
they included Keitel and Won Book.
Leaders Absent
AS Hitler went directly to the
ranks with his appeal there were
no professions of loyalty from such
top leaders as Won Brauchitsch,
Field Marshal Albert Kesselring,
commander of the Italian front,
Field Marshal Walter Won Model,
commander of the Russian front,
Field Marshal Fritz Won Mann
stein, former commander in the
east, Field Marshal Karl Rudolf
Gerd Won Rundstedt, former west
ern front commander, and top
flight commanders like Field Mar.
shall Gen. Ernst Busch, Col. Gen.
Lindemann and Gen. Schooner.
ION the other hand the Nazis did
make much Of messages Of loyalty
rom such relatively obscure lead.
ers as Gen. Nikolaus Won Falken.