GEN. FRANZ BOHME’S ANNOTATED COPY OF HIS CAPTOR’S PRESS CONFERENCEA group of three press extracts prepared ...

GEN. FRANZ BOHME’S ANNOTATED COPY OF HIS CAPTOR’S PRESS CONFERENCE
A group of three press extracts prepared at the headquarters of Gen. FRANZ BOHME (1885-1947) Wehrmacht Commander of Norway and Commander-in-Chief of the 20th Mountain Army quoting an interview of “the Oslo Press” with British Gen. Richard Hilton who had negotiated the German surrender in Norway with Bohme. Certainly one and probably all three of the extracts were prepared and given to the general by a staff member on May 11 1945 although the press conference occurred on May 8th (the text is improperly dated “May 6”). When these transcripts were prepared Bohme was technically a prisoner of SHAEF and British forces in Norway but his cooperation was still needed in turning over his own 400 000-man undefeated army and occupation government peacefully to the Allies. The extracts are of various sizes the largest being approx. 8.5 x 10 inches. The interview with Hilton reads in part: “…In reply to a question about the timing and method of evacuating the German troops from Norway the General replied: An appropriate scheme has been drafted but the details have not yet been fully negotiated…the Germans have adopted a very correct attitude…they have acted very loyally in matters affecting cooperation and the settlement of problems…How many soldiers have they in Norway? In total around 400 000 men…[and] important naval units…Their fleet will be disarmed at its bases…How will food supplies be provided for the German troops…The Germans possess considerable stocks of food abroad which will be seized…How many Allied troops have so far arrived in Norway?...One air transported division which has been split up over various locations in the country…Will Russian officers come to Oslo?...Yes we are expecting some. Has a line of demarcation been drawn between the Russian zone…and that of the Western powers?...The whole matter has been settled and the Russians will not advance any further…Were SS troops captured in Norway?...The General smiled even more pleasantly than before and said: No I have had no information to that effect…” At the top of the transcript Bohme draws an arrow from Hilton’s name and has written in pencil: “With him I negotiated”. These transcripts were carried with Bohme into captivity and one bears a “No. 11 PRISONER OF WAR CAMP” stamp at top with the notation in English: “This is the personal property of General Bohme POW Nr. B 560393”. Generally very good condition. In 1947 Bohme was brought before the Hostages Trial in Nuremberg and charged with war crimes committed in Serbia in 1941. He increased retaliatory murders of Serbs killing a hundred Serbs for every German killed and fifty for every German wounded. When his extradition to Yugoslavia seemed imminent Bohme leaped to his death from his prison window.