The mysterious testament: Dönitz write and Schmidt's cool look
<p> <strong> The mysterious testament: Dönitz write and Schmidt's cool look </strong> </p>
Karl Dönitz: As the "last will" of the Hitler successor Bonn unsettled
The 30th anniversary of the end of the war brought an unexpected document to light: Karl Dönitz, the last major admiral of the German Empire, wrote a "political will". This handwritten letter, dated May 8, 1975, triggered a certain unrest in the Federal Chancellery in January 1981, even if the then Federal Chancellor Helmut Schmidt classified the document as not very significant.
The formalities of dealing with Dönitz ’will show the uncertainty and concerns that it caused in political space. The head of the Federal Chancellery recommended that the documents to be placed in the chancellor's safe, which Schmidt had converted into the files of the office. This indicates that Schmidt did not consider the document as a threat, while his employees Lahnstein and Konow apparently had other fears.
In terms of content, the will showed central misunderstandings and errors. Dönitz claimed to have been recognized by the Allied powers, which was historically wrong. In fact, after Hitler's death, he was only accepted as a military commander to secure unconditional surrender. In addition, Hitler had no right to inherit his offices, which continues to undermine the relevance of Dönitz ’claim as head of state.It is particularly noteworthy to have represented the "German sovereignty". This idea contradicts the realities immediately after the end of the war when the victorious powers took control of Germany and no longer existed a German state. The reference to the international military tribunal also shows that Dönitz had not properly understood the facts of his own position.
Finally, the document was only accessible to the public for many years later, which again raises questions about perception and dealing with the past. The politics that prevailed under Schmidt and later lawyers reflects the complex tension between the processing of the National Socialist past and the contemporary political reality.
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