The Venlo IncidentAllied interrogations of Walter Schellenberg1939 Oct. The Venlo Incident. From Knochen Schellenberg learnt that discussions with the two British agents, Best and Stevens, had already been in progress for some time and that these proceedings were but the pretext for an attempted kidnapping which was to take place as soon as it could be successfully accomplished. Plans were already far advanced by the time Schellenberg entered into the affair and he took part in none of the preliminary arrangements. Nevertheless it was agreed that he should be assigned the role of that of an additional member of the augmented delegation which was to continue the meetings in order to set the stage for the last scene and it was also arranged that he should be present on the occasion of the actual kidnapping. Preliminary discussions with the two British Agents proceeded and the eventual abduction was carried out on the 9th or 10th November (exact date unknown to Schellenberg) at an inn standing in No Man's Land at a place called Venlo.
Walter Schellenberg nach dem 2. Weltkrieg (links) und während der Nürnberger Prozesse The success of the operation was communicated to Heydrich the same night by teleprinter. A few days later all who took part were warmly congratulated, Schellenberg himself receiving the Iron Cross First Class. On 7th November a few days before the carrying off of the two agents Schellenberg had communicated by telephone with both Heydrich and Himmler putting forward the view that the proposed abduction was inadvisable because of the possible risk of an international scandal involved, but because of the inferior rank he held at that time he was unable to stress his opinion. In any case any prospect of success for his suggestion was destroyed when on the following day 8th November, during the Party celebrations in Munich, the attempt was made on Hitler's life. On receipt of this news it was decided to proceed with the plan, which had already been approved, as its success would stifle any criticism of the S.D. and even enhance its prestige as well as being ideal material for propaganda. Schellenberg puts forward the suggestion that the Munich attempt was deliberately staged and designed to establish Hitler's popularity beyond question, at this early stage of the war.
Quelle: Reinhard R. Doerries (Hrsg.), Hitler's last chief of foreign intelligence: Allied interrogations of Walter Schellenberg, London 2003, Seite 75 f
Walter Schellenberg: Der Venlo-Zwischenfall |
