Least Nazified branch of the Wehrmacht

[nonconformist]

Which, in your opinion, is the least Nazified branch of the Wehrmacht out of the Kriegsmarine (Navy), Luftwaffe(Airforce) or the Heer (army), if any at all?

I personally think it was the Kriegsmarine. The reasons are following:
The heads of the army (Keitel and Jodl) were Nazi yes-men. There were many non-nazis in the Heer, but the Heer was fighting on the East a lot, and found itself committing warcrimes.

The Luftwaffe, after Erdhardt Milch left, was led by Goering, an important Nazi (though he was later disowned). There were also famous Nazis such as Rudel.

The Kriegsmarine was led by Raeder at first, who was a non-Nazi. It was then led by Doenitz, who was a Nazi/Nazi sympathiser, but whom kept out of politics. The Navy also liked styling itself on the Imperial German Navy, and so was into honour. A number of militaristic non-Nazis included Hans Langdorff, Captain of the Admiral Graf Spee, who wrapped himself in the (non-swastika'd) flag of the Imperial German navy, and shot himself, and Gunther Lutjens, commanding officer of the Bismarck. There were nazis like Prien, but the U-boat arm is, I am convinced, the least nazified, as they were quite disillusioned by the problems they had, and they spent much time in close with each other, and were generally of the same view. I think the film Das Boot shows this beautifully.

Ideas?

 

[rilnator]

Maybe if Langsdorff was a Nazi he would have gone out with guns blazing instead of topping himself like a coward.

It's a hard question. Definetly not the army, because of your reasons and the fact they carried out orders like 'the Commisar order'. The airforce fought with the same gallantry and respect for the enemy (at least in the west) as they did in WW1. But the airforce was still quite new and this would have made it possible to plant it with Nazi men and ideals.

I'd probably go with the navy too. I have read about very few war crimes commited by them.

 

[Adler17]

Well the Luftwaffe was a new weapon, and she carried out war crimes like some terror bombings. But she fought with gallantry at every front. Bailed out pilots were never shot- and order Göring, who was a fighter pilot once before, gave. There were Nazis but no more than in other branches. Perhaps the leader were many Nazis. If that´s the measure point the Kriegsmarine was the least one. Raeder wasn´t a Nazi. Lütjens said never Heil Hitler, even when Hitler was visiting. Dönitz was also not a Nazi. When becoming Reichspräsident he first forbade the NSDAP, he changed the colours of his plane removing the Swastika and nearly shot Himmler when he appeared in Flensburg. So I think it was the Kriegsmarine. Also they commited only very few warcrimes. Oh there was the saying the German Wehrmacht was the German army, the Nazi Luftwaffe and the Imperial Navy.

Adler

 

[Case]

Most of the U-Boat skippers were young men who had been raised under the Nazi system and supported it - as was demonstrated by the consistantly high morale of the force throughout the war.

Personally, I'd go with the Army simply as it was the only service where some of the senior officers maintained any of their integrity and plotted against Hitler.

 

[nonconformist]

Maybe if Langsdorff was a Nazi he would have gone out with guns blazing instead of topping himself like a coward.

I really wouldn't call Langsdorff a coward-I think he was so disillusioned he commited suicide. The ship's crew gave him a good burial, and though Hitler said he was a coward Doenitz IIRC went behind his back, and sent his widow a letter saing what a fine officer he was.

 

[Dragonlord]

Maybe if Langsdorff was a Nazi he would have gone out with guns blazing instead of topping himself like a coward.

I really can't follow you on this - Langsdorff was in an impossible position tactically, with a crippled ship against far superior forces. I'm sure it would have been easier for him to go out with guns blazing, taking his crew with him into death.
He chose to spare his crew and die alone, knowing it would be in disgrace. How do you see this as the act of a coward? Quite the contrary, IMO.

 

[Reno]

If there was wolksstrum i would pick it, (civilians nothing to do with nazis) but i would say Kriegsmarine because many of it's officers where once part of the Imperial German navy and they despised nazis. (Raeder inclueded)

 

[rilnator]

I really can't follow you on this - Langsdorff was in an impossible position tactically, with a crippled ship against far superior forces. I'm sure it would have been easier for him to go out with guns blazing, taking his crew with him into death.

The force wasn't far superior- it was a bluff by the Royal Navy. The British were actually trying to get the Uruguyan government to let the Graf spee stay in port so they could get more ships done to the River Plate. All of its guns were operational.

The 6th army was in impossible situation but they fought on.

 

[nonconformist]

If there was wolksstrum i would pick it, (civilians nothing to do with nazis) but i would say Kriegsmarine because many of it's officers where once part of the Imperial German navy and they despised nazis. (Raeder inclueded)

Well, the Volkssturm was offivcially part of the Wehrmacht, but apart from being made up of old men, it contained Hitler youth, and a number of the officers were mambers of the Nazi Party, preferring to wear the Swastika armband, rather than the "Deutscher Wehrmacht Volkssturm" armband.

 

[Reno]

Hmm... *scrolls around the Berlin 1945 book* well i meant the regular soldiers of the wolkssturm and not the nazi officers. and those Hitler youths where mislead children and knew nothing about the "REAL" nature of the nazis (Okkultism etc)

 

[nonconformist]

and those Hitler youths where mislead children and knew nothing about the "REAL" nature of the nazis (Okkultism etc)

True. Completely brainwashed kids. Not to mention the Gestapo officers walking around shooting anyone not at the front.