Dietrich von Saucken (1892–1990) was a General in the German Army (Wehrmacht) during World War II. Wehrmacht   listen? was the name of the armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a mid-20th-century conflict that engulfed much of the globe...

He was born in East Prussia in 1892 and personified all the aristocratic Prussian militarists who despised the braune Bande of Nazis. In one famous case on May 12 1945 he was ordered to take command of the German 2nd Army to defend Danzig, once he had been briefed by General Heinz Guderian, Hitler told him that he must take his orders from Albert Forster, the Gauleiter (Nazi governor) of Danzig. Von Saucken replied "I have no intention of placing myself under the orders of a Gauleiter". In doing this he had bluntly contradicted Hitler and not addressed him as Mein Fuhrer. To the surprise of everyone who was present, Hitler capitulated and replied "All right Saucken, keep the command to yourself"¹. Look up Nazi in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ... The German Second Army (German: ) was a World War II field army. ... For alternative meanings of Gdańsk and Danzig, see Gdansk (disambiguation) and Danzig (disambiguation) The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... Colonel General is a senior military rank which is used in some of the world’s militaries. ... General Heinz Guderian Heinz Wilhelm Guderian (17 June 1888 - 14 May 1954) was a military theorist and innovative General of the German Army during the Second World War. ... Albert Forster (German:Albert Förster) (born July 26, 1902) was a German politician. ... A Gauleiter was a leader of a regional branch of the NSDAP (more commonly known as the Nazi Party) or the head of a Gau or of a Reichsgau. ... For the thoroughbred, see Citation (horse). ...

Saucken fought to the end of World War II in Europe ordering the surrender of the 2nd Army, one day after the unconditional surrender of all German forces on May 8, 1945. This article chronicles the end of the European Theatre of World War II in late April and early May 1945. ... May 8 is the 128th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (129th in leap years). ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Note: this page needs correcting. The anecdote of May 12, 1945 involving Hitler is obviously wrong, as Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945 and Germany itself capitulated on 8, May. Was it perhaps March 12 (the Germans lost Danzig on March 30, 1945)? Anyone who can verify this?

The correct date is indeed March 12, 1945; reference: Hitler, the last ten days, by Gerhard Boldt (SBN 425-02404-0, page 76-78; this eye-witness account, first published in 1947, is obviously the source Beevor quotes from as the phrases are exactly the same.

References

1. "Berlin the Downfall 1945" by Antony Beevor ISBN 0670886955, page 120.

External links

• http://www.lg-c.dk/lennardgrahn/2004/02/heroic-huns.html