Rudel Scandal
Encyclopedia
The Rudel Scandal of 1976 was a political scandal in Germany
which concerned the way the German Army
dealt with the traditions of the Wehrmacht
.
In the spring of 1976, businessman and former Luftwaffe
Colonel
Hans-Ulrich Rudel
, who had returned from Paraguay
was invited by high ranking Bundeswehr
officers to a tradition meeting of the Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 "Immelmann". Rudel had earlier been a leading member of the Neo-Nazi German Reich Party, and was considered persona non grata
by the Ministry of Defense because of his undiminished admiration of Adolf Hitler
. He was invited only after an intervention by the opposition's spokesman for Defense, Manfred Wörner
, and attended as the last commander of Schlachtgeschwader 2
"Immelmann".
Present at the meeting, where Rudel signed his books and gave autographs to soldiers, were the Luftwaffe
Generals Karl Heinz Franke and Walter Krupinski
. Later, the generals publicly compared Rudel's past as a Nazi and Neo-Nazi supporter to the career of prominent Social Democrat leader Herbert Wehner
, who had been a member of the German Communist Party
in the 1930s and who had lived in Moscow
during World War II
, where he was allegedly involved in NKVD
operations. Calling Wehner an extremist, they described Rudel as an honourable man who "hadn't stolen the family silver or anything else".
When these remarks became public, the Federal Minister of Defence Georg Leber
ordered the generals into early retirement as of 1 November 1976. Leber, however, a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
(SPD), was heavily criticised for his actions by the Christian Democratic Union
(CDU) opposition, and the scandal contributed to the minister's retirement in early 1978.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
which concerned the way the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
dealt with the traditions of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
.
In the spring of 1976, businessman and former Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Hans-Ulrich Rudel
Hans-Ulrich Rudel
Hans-Ulrich Rudel was a Stuka dive-bomber pilot during World War II and a member of the Nazi party. The most highly decorated German serviceman of the war, Rudel was one of only 27 military men to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, and the only...
, who had returned from Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
was invited by high ranking Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
officers to a tradition meeting of the Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 "Immelmann". Rudel had earlier been a leading member of the Neo-Nazi German Reich Party, and was considered persona non grata
Persona non grata
Persona non grata , literally meaning "an unwelcome person", is a legal term used in diplomacy that indicates a proscription against a person entering the country...
by the Ministry of Defense because of his undiminished admiration of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. He was invited only after an intervention by the opposition's spokesman for Defense, Manfred Wörner
Manfred Wörner
Manfred Hermann Wörner was a German politician and diplomat. He served as the defense minister of West Germany between 1982 and 1988. He then served as the seventh Secretary General of NATO from 1988 to 1994. His term as Secretary General saw the end of the Cold War and the German reunification...
, and attended as the last commander of Schlachtgeschwader 2
Schlachtgeschwader 2
Schlachtgeschwader 2 Immelmann was a Luftwaffe Dive bomber-wing of World War II. It was named after Max Immelmann,the first German pilot to earn the Pour le Mérite....
"Immelmann".
Present at the meeting, where Rudel signed his books and gave autographs to soldiers, were the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
Generals Karl Heinz Franke and Walter Krupinski
Walter Krupinski
Walter ´´Graf Pinski`` Krupinski was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II and a senior West German air force officer after the war. He was one of the highest-scoring pilots, accredited with 197 victories in 1,100 sorties. He was called by his fellow pilots Graf Pinski due to his...
. Later, the generals publicly compared Rudel's past as a Nazi and Neo-Nazi supporter to the career of prominent Social Democrat leader Herbert Wehner
Herbert Wehner
Herbert Richard Wehner was a German politician. A former member of the Communist Party, he joined the Social Democrats after World War II...
, who had been a member of the German Communist Party
German Communist Party
The German Communist Party is a Marxist-Leninist party in Germany.-History:The DKP was formed in West Germany in 1968, in order to fill the place of the Communist Party of Germany , which had been banned by the Federal Constitutional Court in 1956...
in the 1930s and who had lived in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, where he was allegedly involved in NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
operations. Calling Wehner an extremist, they described Rudel as an honourable man who "hadn't stolen the family silver or anything else".
When these remarks became public, the Federal Minister of Defence Georg Leber
Georg Leber
Georg Leber is a German politician in the Social Democratic Party of Germany .After serving in the Luftwaffe in World War 2, he joined the SPD in 1947...
ordered the generals into early retirement as of 1 November 1976. Leber, however, a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
(SPD), was heavily criticised for his actions by the Christian Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
(CDU) opposition, and the scandal contributed to the minister's retirement in early 1978.