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| Grothmann #2 |
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| Grothmann #1 |
Werner Grothmann was born on
23 August 1915 in
Frankfurt/Main. He served an apprenticeship as a banker and worked as bank
clerk until approximately
1933, when he became member of the SS.
From 1933-1935 he was at the
SS-Junkerschule in
Braunschweig. On
20 April 1936 promoted
SS-Untersturmführer, on
11 September 1938 SS-Obersturmführer,
on
9 November 1940 SS-Hauptsturmführer, commanding the
SS-Sturmbann 13 of the
"
SS-Standarte Deutschland", stationed in
München. On
17 June 1940 he was wounded in France.
On
15 August 1940 Grothmann was assigned as 2nd adjutant of the
Waffen-SS to
Himmler's personal staff. On
1 April 1942 assigned
as chief adjutant of
Himmler. Promoted
SS-Sturmbannführer on
1 June 1943.
Grothmann joined
Himmler during his last days. He was captured together with him and
Heinz Macher on
21 or 22 May 1945.
He talked with
John Toland twice in
1971, and said about
Himmler that he was a coward to choose the easiest way to avoid the culpability
of the SS, and others had been left with the responsibility for the young soldiers and professionals. He stated:
"
I said to Himmler that it was his responsibility to inform
the Allies that the Waffen-SS and the guards in the KZs were different organizations, and he couldnīt leave the rest
of the organization in the easy way that the others can't take (i.e. suicide)."
Grothmann and
Macher were not present during
Himmlerīs
interrogation.
After WW2 Grothmann was tried in
1962. Finally he worked as a businessman in Western Germany.
He died in
2003.
Sources:
Witte Peter, Wildt Michael, Pohl Dieter and others, eds.
Der Dienstkalender Heinrich Himmlers 1941/42,
Hans Christians Verlag, Hamburg, 1999
Axis History Forum
© ARC 2005
