Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1891-09-11)11 September 1891 |
| Died | 30 April 1948(1948-04-30) (aged 56) |
| Allegiance | German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Condor Legion German Army |
| Service years | 1912–1942 |
| Rank | General der Panzertruppe |
| Unit | 20th Panzer Division |
| Conflicts | World War I Spanish Civil War World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph Spanish Cross In Gold with Swords and Diamonds Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Wilhelm Josef Ritter von Thoma (11 September 1891 – 30 April 1948) was a German general who served inWorld War I, in theSpanish Civil War, and as a general inWorld War II. He was a recipient of theKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Thoma is known for his indiscretion while a POW in British captivity, when he unwittingly revealed the existence of theV-1 flying bomb and theV-2 weapons programmes. He was subject to surveillance by British intelligence and while speaking to another German officer, was recorded discussing rockets that were being tested atKummersdorf West, which he had observed while on a visit that also includedGeneralfeldmarschallWalther von Brauchitsch, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army. British reconnaissance flights overPeenemünde Army Research Center in May and June 1943 brought back unmistakable images of rockets at the facility; the subsequent bombing of the site severely disrupted the programme.
Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma was born inDachau in 1891. He was the son of a Bavarian tax official and became a career officer with theBavarian Army. Thoma took part in thefirst World War with 3rd Bavarian Infantry Regiment (part of2nd, then, from 1915,11th Bavarian Infantry Division) on theWestern (1914/15/16/17/18) andEastern Front (1915/16), theSerbian Campaign (1915) and theRomanian Front in 1916/17. During theSecond Battle of the Marne in July 1918 he was captured by French-American forces and became aprisoner of war until September, 1919.He was decorated with the Knight's Cross of theBavarian Military Max Joseph Order, the highest military decoration for bravery in the Bavarian Army and was awarded the noble title ofRitter.
After the war, Thoma remained in the new German army, theReichswehr.[1] During theSpanish Civil War, and now a colonel, he commanded the ground element of theCondor Legion, following the German intervention on the side of the Nationalists underFrancisco Franco.[2] He became an advisor on tank warfare to Field MarshalWalther von Brauchitsch. He commanded tanks in the field during theBattle of France and was intended to hold a senior role inOperation Sealion, the planned invasion of Britain.[3]
DuringOperation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, Thoma led the17th Panzer Division. He then commanded the20th Panzer Division in theBattle of Moscow and after. In December 1941, Thoma received theKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
In September 1942, he was transferred to North Africa to take over command of theAfrika Korps, replacingWalther Nehring who had been wounded. WhenPanzer Army Africa commander Stumme died on 24 October during theSecond Battle of El Alamein, Thoma took command until Rommel returned on 26 October. On 4 November, Thoma was captured at Tel-el-Mapsra as the Allies pursued the retreating Axis forces.[3]
"I saw it once withFeldmarschall Brauchitsch, there is a special ground near Kunersdorf [sic] ... they've got these huge things which they've brought up here. ... They've always said they would go 15 km into the stratosphere and then. ... You only aim at an area. ... If one was to ... every few days ... frightful. ... The major there was full of hope--he said 'Wait until next year and the fun will start!"
After his capture, Thoma was taken directly toTrent Park,[3] known as the "Cockfosters Cage", aCombined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre prisoner of war facility for senior officers operated byMI19 and equipped with an "M Room" listening facility to secretly record and translate the conversations of the inmates.[8]
Trent Park held high-ranking enemy officers prisoner in comfortable, but secretly monitored, conditions. While there Thoma was recorded speaking to another POW, GeneralLudwig Crüwell discussing rockets that were being tested atKummersdorf West, which he had observed while on a visit that also included Field MarshalWalther von Brauchitsch, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army and other technical programme details.[9]
Following his indiscretion, further British reconnaissance flights overPeenemünde in May and June 1943 brought back unmistakable images of rockets at the facility which was developing guided missiles and long-range ballistic missiles better known as theV-1 flying bomb and theV-2 ballistic missile. When reconnaissance and intelligence information regarding the V-2 became convincing, Churchill'sWar Cabinet directed the first planned raid (Operation Hydra), the attack on Peenemünde in August 1943, as part ofOperation Crossbow, the Anglo-American campaign against theVergeltungswaffe, the German long-range weapons programme.[10]
Trent Park also intercepted, when he stated that "every bomb, every piece of material and every human life that is still wasted in this senseless war, (is) too bad (German:zu schade). The only gain that war brings us, is that ... the ten-year gangster government comes to an end." Later he continued: "It would be a shame if one of them got shot. They should be put to forced labor until they peg out (German:bis sie verrecken)."[11]
The British intelligence files describe von Thoma as; "very intelligent and exceedingly well-read... a striking personality and is violently anti-Nazi".[3] He led the anti-Nazi faction at Trent Park and was appointed "camp leader" by the British following the departure of Crüwell to a camp in Canada in the summer of 1944.[12]
In late 1945,Waffen-SS commanderKurt Meyer, captured in Belgium in September 1944 while commanding the12th SS-Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend", arrived at Trent Park and noted that Thoma, the German camp leader, was "...highly thought of by the English. Relations between him and the guards [are] excellent".[13]
In 1946 Thoma's leg was amputated while he was still in British captivity. He was repatriated later that year.[14] Thoma lived in his hometown of Dachau until his death of a heart attack in 1948.
British military historianB.H. Liddell Hart, who interviewed him after the war, said that Thoma was "the most famous of the original German tank leaders next toGuderian":
A tough but likeable type, he is obviously a born enthusiast who lives in a world of tanks, loves fighting for the zest of it, but would fight without ill-feeling, respecting any worthy opponent. In theMiddle Ages he would have been perfectly happy as aknight-errant, challenging all comers at any cross-road for the honour of crossing spears with them. The advent of the tank in warfare was a godsend to such a man, giving him a chance to re-live the part of themail-clad knight.[15]
Churchill's high regard for Thoma[citation needed] is evident from his many later quotations of Thoma's opinions on strategic matters, especially in his book about the war. AfterMontgomery invited Thoma to dine with him in his private trailer, Churchill remarked: "I sympathize with General von Thoma: Defeated, in captivity and... (long pause for dramatic effect) dinner with Montgomery".[16]
(First World War)
(Spanish Civil War)
(Second World War)
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by GeneralmajorKarl Ritter von Weber | Commander of17th Panzer Division 17 July 1941 – 15 September 1941 | Succeeded by GeneralleutnantHans-Jürgen von Arnim |
| Preceded by GeneralleutnantGeorg von Bismarck | Commander of20th Panzer Division 14 October 1941 – 30 June 1942 | Succeeded by GeneralleutnantWalter Düvert |
| International | |
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| People | |
| Other | |
