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Press, 1988.ARNIM, HANS-JURGEN
Arnim, Hans-Jurgen
(April 4, 1889–September 1, 1962)
German General
A
stiff, archetypical
Prussian noble-
man, Arnim was
an outstanding tactician
and a humane adversary
of the old school. He suc-
ceed the legendary “De-
sert Fox”—Erwin Rom-
mel—as commander of
German troops in North
Africa, becoming one of
the highest-ranking mili-
tary captives in Western
hands.
Hans-Jurgen Theodor
Arnim was born in Erns-
dorf, Silesia, on April 4,
1889, into an illustrious
military tradition. His
aristocratic Prussian fam-
ily had provided genera-
tions of soldiers since
1388, so an army career
for the young man was almost inevitable.
Arnim (called “Dieter”) joined the prestigious
Fourth Prussian Foot Guards in 1908 and
rose to second lieutenant the following year.
In this capacity he fought throughout World
War I, rendering distinguished service on
both fronts. He ended the war as a captain
and became one of only 4,000 officers se-
lected to remain in the
greatly reduced Reichs-
wehr. An excellent offi-
cer, Arnim performed
well over the ensuing
decade, serving in the
Defense Ministry (1924–
1925) and as commander
of the elite 68th Infantry
Regiment (1935). He ac-
quired a reputation for
enterprise and devotion
to the service, even if ret-
icent by nature and
dourly disposed. Arnim
nonetheless rose to major
general in 1938 and was
slated to succeed the out-
going divisional com-
mander, but his career
hit an unforeseen snag. A
true Prussian profes-
sional, Arnim was bound
by an iron oath of loyalty to his superior—re-
gardless of whom that was. He was therefore
completely apolitical and, while not enthusi-
astic about the Nazi party, did not condemn
it. This apathy grated upon his regional com-
mander, who sought only ardent, anti-Nazi of-
ficers for his department. He distrusted
Arnim’s silence. Consequently, instead of tak-Hans-Jurgen Arnim
Bettmann/Corbis