Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-05-03
Melancholy Von Rundstedt
Ren1inisces With u. S. Generals
By HOWARD COWAN,
Associated Press STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

BY HOWARD COWAN,
Associated Press STAFF Correspondent.
WITH UNITED STATES It'll
ARMY IN SOUTHERN BAVARIA
May 3-Thin-lipped Field Marsha
Gen. Karl Rudolf Gerd Won Rund.
stedt, Germany's top military strate.
gist, who was taken prisoner by
American troops south of Munich
told his captors it was senseless fol
the Reich to fight any longer
The man who directed the Ger
man armies at the peak of their sue
cess and again just before they sank
to the depths of defeat. was cap
tured by young American lieuten-
ant on his first combat assignment
The marshal was surprised at his
home in the little spa of Bad Toelz
about miles from Munich, just
after he had finished dining with
his family Tuesday night.
The capture was made by 1t
Joseph Burke of Jacksonville. Fla
and detachment from Company A
14lst Regiment, 36th Infantry Divi-
sion.
A 7th Army announcement said it
was 1t. Burke'S first combat assign
nent since he received a battlefield
command three weeks ago Taken
prisoner with the field marshal were
his son and aide, 1t. Hans Gerd Won
RundStedt, driver and a medical
aid man.
He was brought to the command
post of Maj. Gen. John DahlquiSt.
36th Division commander, at am.
Later he was driven away in blind
ing snow storm to 1t. Gen. Alexander
M. Patch'S 7th Army headquarters.
Gen. Dahlquist told me that he
was in pajamas when Won RundStedt
was brought in.
Maybe I should have put on
my dress uniform. but 1 didn't think
it necessary" the American officer
said. Il explained that I had been
asleep and he seemed to understand
At Gen. Patch's headquarters. Won
Rundstedt said he was relieved of
his command March l because of
failing health. The field marshal
appeared tired and nervous from
the long trip from Bad ToelZ and
declined to answer questions of
neWSmen. However, he readily &C
cepted an offer of Maj. Gen. Frank
w. Milburn. Lafayette, Ind, COM
mander of the 2lst Army Corps. to
sit and chat.
For more than an hour the for
mer German commander in chief in
the west slipped coffee and cognac.
smoked American cigarettes and
talked-sometimes bitter, sometimes
melancholy and sometimes whim-
steal.
This is a painful experience for
an old soldier he said in a low
voice. Forty three years A
very painful experience"
This is not an Interrogation or
anything of that sort" said Gen.
Mllburn. Il have the utmost re-
spect for the field marshals ability
as soldier"
Won Runstedt accepted coffee and
cognac and, bit embarrassed
asked for a cigarette.
In the German Army we get only
two a day." he smiled, and they
are very poor"
Col. Rinaldo Won Brunt, San An
tonic, Tex, pulled package of q
popular American brand from his
pocket, but Won Rundstedt's phv-
sician, who had accompanied him
protested: His hearth
I'D rather smoke than eat Won
Rundstedt said, And l like your
brand best. There are few things
left now-and the doctors try to
keep me from enjoying them
Though Won Rundstedt was i'm
maculate in grey-green dress uni
form with thin red piping down the
trouser seam, he apologized for his
appearance.
MY last uniform" he said.
Everything I had was destroyed
last March when your air force
bombed my command post in a
schloss at Bad Nauheim."
Won Rundstedt expressed the
greatest respect for American air
power and said that the chaotic
condition of the heavily bombed
French roads and rail lines around
D day-particularly in the Paris
area-prevented him from bring
ing up troops to counterattack.
TT was amusing when I had my
headquarters in Paris, at Versailles.
The French said they did not fear
air raids because Gen. Eisenhower
and I had agreed not to bomb each
others command posts" he said
grinning broadly.
This is beautiful country through
here" Gen. Milburn remarked as
Won Rundstedt relaxed and forgot
his nervousness.
Yes" said the German COM
mander, land aren't you surprised
to see the destruction your bombers
and artillery have caused?"
mo, sir" replied Brig. Gen. Ward
H. Maris, I'VE saw London first"
What do you figure was the
greatest mistake the German high
command made?" Gen. Maris asked.
Won Runstedt was silent for a
minute. then replied that he could
not say because he lacked the per-