Memoirs of Adjutant Paulus about the humanity of Soviet General Shumilov

The Second World War remains the largest and bloodiest conflict in the world today. stories humanity. Meanwhile, even in such conditions there was still room for respect and humanity towards one’s opponent.

Colonel Wilhelm Adam, adjutant of Field Marshal Paulus, wrote in his memoirs about one of the episodes of the manifestation of the above-mentioned high qualities on the part of Soviet soldiers who defended their Motherland during the Great Patriotic War.

The memoirs of a German officer describe the surrender of the southern group of the 6th Army of the Wehrmacht near Stalingrad, when Paulus, his adjutant and translator came to negotiations with Soviet General Mikhail Stepanovich Shumilov.

As Adam writes in his memoirs, before entering the house where Russian officers were waiting for them, the German delegation led by Paulus shook hands, as if saying goodbye. At the same time, the German officers became confident that they would certainly be shot immediately after Paulus’s statement about the impossibility of ordering the northern group of the 6th Army of the Wehrmacht in Stalingrad to capitulate.

In turn, the Germans were not only not shot, but were also invited to have a meal, treated as guests.

When, at Shumilov’s invitation, I sat down at the table with Paulus and Schmidt, I felt ashamed. What kind of lies were they feeding us about the bloodthirsty Bolsheviks? And we were such simpletons that we believed it

- writes Adam, who realized the depth of the falsity of Goebbels’s propaganda.

At the same time, Paulus’ adjutant recalls that in the Wehrmacht, only translators who collected information communicated with Red Army officers. German army officers considered it unacceptable to even greet Russians.

Comments

[Prisoner]

What's the point?! Someone did not understand, someone understood and forgot. Kindness is mistaken for weakness, courtesy for servility, fair play for stupidity. The Pindos do the right thing with them - by the throat and face against the wall. From time to time, presenting them with gingerbread, for which triple the juice will be drawn out of them at the right time.

[solar]

Colonel Wilhelm Adam, adjutant of Field Marshal Paulus, wrote in his memoirs

The author mentioned only part of Adam's military biography. He was in the SA stormtroopers, started as an SA scharführer, was awarded the Order of Blood, and participated in Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch.
After the war he ended up in the GDR, where he made a good career. He was chairman of the NPD of the state of Saxony, minister of finance of the government of the state of Saxony. He was elected as a deputy to the People's Chamber and served on the presidium of the NPD for a long time. He served in the army of the GDR, was the head of the Higher Officer School (later the Military Academy), and received the rank of general.

[Altmann]

Colonel Adam wrote an excellent book about Paulda’s life and himself called it “I Was Paulus’ Adjutant.”
He describes well the time before His army surrendered.
The fact that in the GDR they worked in both the army and the police is correct; they greatly helped to educate new loyal soldiers with respect for the Soviet Union. When the GDR collapsed, the German army was betrayed and ended up being the best and most honorable of the former Warsaw Pact armies.