Hans-Jürgen von Arnim


Hans-Jürgen von Arnim was a German general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded several armies. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

World War II

Von Arnim joined the German Army in 1907 and took part in World War I. After the war, he remained in the Reichswehr and then the Wehrmacht. Arnim commanded the 52nd Infantry Division in both the Battles for Poland and France. In October 1940, Arnim was given command of the 17th Panzer Division.
Von Arnim took part in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, and on 1 October 1941, took command of XXXIX Panzer Corps until November 1942.
On 20 February 1943 he was appointed commander of the 5th Panzer Army under Erwin Rommel in North Africa, whom he replaced as commander of the Army Group Africa on the 10th March 1943. He surrendered to British forces on 12 May 1943 as a consequence of the successful allied Operation Vulcan.
His surrender to the British was a part of Spike Milligan's where his name has been misnamed to Von Arnheim where Major Chater-Jack makes the announcement of the German defeat stating that "It's over! General Von Arnheim has surrendered and he is very angry."
Von Arnim was interned along with 24 other German general officers at Camp Clinton, Mississippi, and was released on 1 July 1947.
He died in 1962 in Bad Wildungen, West Germany.

Mistreatment of Jewish population of Tunisia

Under Arnim Jewish population of Tunisia was used for forced labour to prepare defences against Allied attacks and the Jewish community was also ruthlessly plundered for gold.

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