Colonel Bogislaw von Bonin (center) is seen with fellow hostages shortly after their liberation by US forces in South Tyrol on 5 May 1945.
In 1943, he was the chief of staff of the XIV Panzer Corps in Sicily and for a short time Chief of Staff of the LVI Panzer Corps of the 1st Hungarian Army in 1944. He attained the rank of colonel and became the Chief of the Operational Branch of the Army General Staff (Generalstab des Heeres).
Upon hearing that an old friend of his, GeneraloberstHeinrich von Vietinghoff, was in command of Army Group C with headquarters in Bolzano, Bonin attempted to contact him in order to ask him to safeguard the prisoners, making the identity of the high-status prisoners known as well as the fear that they were to be executed before liberation by US troops. Not getting hold of von Vietinghoff, he instead spoke to his chief of staff General Hans Röttiger, whom he also knew, who promised to get hold of von Vietinghoff for him.
A message was sent to Wehrmacht troops in Sexten, 17 km east of Niederdorf, resulting in the arrival next day of Captain Wichard von Alvensleben together with 15 soldiers. Thus, on 30 April, against the background of advancing US troops and Alvensleben's unit, which had now surrounded the village, the SS guards decided to escape in one bus and one lorry. The freed prisoners were then accommodated at the Pragser Wildsee Hotel until advance units from the 42nd Infantry Division and the 45th Infantry Division reached Niederdorf, on 5 May 1945.[2]
Post World War II
Bonin became a prisoner of war and started working as a freight forwarder in 1947, but later on for Daimler Benz. In 1952, he joined the "Amt Blank" (Bureau Blank, named after its director Theodor Blank), the predecessor of the later Federal Ministry of Defence, as the head of the subdivision "military planning", to map out a strategy for the German contribution to the European Defence Community. However, he came into conflict with the Adenauer government, as he favoured a more neutral or independent German policy. In 1955, before the German Bundeswehr was established, Bonin was released and became a journalist.
. Das Sicherheitsdilemma der Bundesrepublik. - Gescheiterter Außenseiter – Der Rebell Bogislaw von Bonin, in: Informationen für die Truppe – Zeitschrift für Innere Führung (der Bundeswehr)
Heinz Brill, Bogislaw von Bonin im Spannungsfeld zwischen Wiederbewaffnung – Westintegration – Wiedervereinigung. Ein Beitrag zur Entstehungsgeschichte der Bundeswehr 1952-1955, Band I. Baden-Baden 1987, Band II. Baden-Baden 1989
Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN978-3-931533-45-8.
External links
(in German)
Bonin in May 1945
May 11, 2023
bogislaw, bonin, bogislaw, oskar, adolf, fürchtegott, bonin, january, 1908, august, 1980, colonel, german, wehrmacht, journalist, born17, january, 1908potsdam, kingdom, prussia, german, empiredied13, august, 1980, 1980, aged, lehrte, lower, saxony, west, germa. Bogislaw Oskar Adolf Furchtegott von Bonin 17 January 1908 13 August 1980 was a Colonel in the German Wehrmacht and journalist Bogislaw von BoninBorn17 January 1908Potsdam Kingdom of Prussia German EmpireDied13 August 1980 1980 08 14 aged 72 Lehrte Lower Saxony West GermanyAllegiance Weimar Republic Nazi GermanyYears of service1926 45RankOberst Colonel Battles warsWorld War II Vistula Oder OffensiveAwardsGerman CrossRelationsEckart Wilhelm von BoninHubertus von BoninOther workJournalist Contents 1 Early life 2 World War II 2 1 Arrest 3 Post World War II 4 Awards 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditVon Bonin was born in Potsdam Brandenburg and joined the 4 Reiterregiment 4th Cavalry Regiment of the German Reichswehr in 1926 From October 1927 to August 1928 he received officer training at the School of Infantry Dresden together with Claus von Stauffenberg and Manfred von Brauchitsch 1 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1930 In 1937 1938 he attended the War Academy Kriegsakademie in Berlin and became a member of the Army High Command in 1938 World War II Edit Colonel Bogislaw von Bonin center is seen with fellow hostages shortly after their liberation by US forces in South Tyrol on 5 May 1945 In 1943 he was the chief of staff of the XIV Panzer Corps in Sicily and for a short time Chief of Staff of the LVI Panzer Corps of the 1st Hungarian Army in 1944 He attained the rank of colonel and became the Chief of the Operational Branch of the Army General Staff Generalstab des Heeres Arrest Edit On 16 January 1945 Bonin gave Heeresgruppe A permission to retreat from Warsaw during the Soviet Vistula Oder Offensive rejecting a direct command from Adolf Hitler for them to hold fast He was arrested by the Gestapo on 19 January 1945 and imprisoned first at Flossenburg concentration camp and then Dachau concentration camp With several family members Sippenhaftlingen of the 20 July plot and other notable prisoners such as Leon Blum Kurt Schuschnigg Hjalmar Schacht Franz Halder and Fritz Thyssen he was transferred to Tyrol but the transfer ended up delivering them to Niederdorf in South Tyrol Upon hearing that an old friend of his Generaloberst Heinrich von Vietinghoff was in command of Army Group C with headquarters in Bolzano Bonin attempted to contact him in order to ask him to safeguard the prisoners making the identity of the high status prisoners known as well as the fear that they were to be executed before liberation by US troops Not getting hold of von Vietinghoff he instead spoke to his chief of staff General Hans Rottiger whom he also knew who promised to get hold of von Vietinghoff for him A message was sent to Wehrmacht troops in Sexten 17 km east of Niederdorf resulting in the arrival next day of Captain Wichard von Alvensleben together with 15 soldiers Thus on 30 April against the background of advancing US troops and Alvensleben s unit which had now surrounded the village the SS guards decided to escape in one bus and one lorry The freed prisoners were then accommodated at the Pragser Wildsee Hotel until advance units from the 42nd Infantry Division and the 45th Infantry Division reached Niederdorf on 5 May 1945 2 Post World War II EditBonin became a prisoner of war and started working as a freight forwarder in 1947 but later on for Daimler Benz In 1952 he joined the Amt Blank Bureau Blank named after its director Theodor Blank the predecessor of the later Federal Ministry of Defence as the head of the subdivision military planning to map out a strategy for the German contribution to the European Defence Community However he came into conflict with the Adenauer government as he favoured a more neutral or independent German policy In 1955 before the German Bundeswehr was established Bonin was released and became a journalist Bonin died in Lehrte Awards EditGerman Cross in Gold on 14 January 1942 as Major im Generalstab in the 17 Panzer Division 3 References Edit Peter Hoffmann Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg Munchen 2007 ISBN 978 3 570 55046 5 B A James Moonless Night Page 184 187 Patzwall amp Scherzer 2001 p 51 Olaf Theiler Abschreckung oder Verteidigung Das Sicherheitsdilemma der Bundesrepublik Gescheiterter Aussenseiter Der Rebell Bogislaw von Bonin in Informationen fur die Truppe Zeitschrift fur Innere Fuhrung der Bundeswehr Denkschrift Bogislaw von Bonin Wiedervereinigung und Wiederbewaffnung kein Gegensatz February 1955 Reaction of Blank March 1955 Heinz Brill Bogislaw von Bonin im Spannungsfeld zwischen Wiederbewaffnung Westintegration Wiedervereinigung Ein Beitrag zur Entstehungsgeschichte der Bundeswehr 1952 1955 Band I Baden Baden 1987 Band II Baden Baden 1989 Patzwall Klaus D Scherzer Veit 2001 Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II The German Cross 1941 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 in German Norderstedt Germany Verlag Klaus D Patzwall ISBN 978 3 931533 45 8 External links Editlist of prisoners at the Pragser Wildsee in German Bonin in May 1945 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bogislaw von Bonin amp oldid 1133317462, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
