. NMT02-T0689
Volume II · Page 689
A. That was the general point of view after Stalingrad. That is when it became general.
Q. And when was that?
A. That was the end of January 1943.
Q. Yes. You still had two and a half years of war ahead of you ?
A. Yes.
Q. Why didn't you do something about having Hitler removed?
A. It was my duty toward my people to keep allegiance to him. I had sworn an oath of allegiance to Hitler. I am only a human being who can see this world subjectively and I cannot presume to be an impartial judge on such questions. Moreover, I believe that in the whole of Germany's history there is not one instance of soldiers rising against their military commander. I certainly do not know of one.
Q. Even though you realized that Hitler was leading Germany into stark annihilation and unspeakable hardship, and even though all the generals were of that same belief, yet you upheld this fetish of an allegiance which was destined, and very clearly so, to bring unparalleled misery to the people that you professed to be faithful to ?
A. Your Honor, I personally did not presume to say that my judgment was right, and that Hitler's judgment, and the judgment of all those around him, was wrong.
Q. Then, you modify your statement that Hitler was wrong? You say that he might have been right?
A. No, no, I am not saying that. What I am trying to say is that it was my point of view that the question whether the head of the state was to be overthrown or not was a matter for the constitution and that for this eventuality the constitution and the state must surely have powers, means through which in such cases there could be intervention; but then it could not be the task of any individual general to take steps in such questions, which were, after all, unlawful.
