responsibility in the matter at all, but he made sure that the faux pas by the competition circulated within the better Nazi circles by sending the report on to Göring’s adjutant Bodenschatz, whom he addressed as “Du” since their joint work at the time of the Röhm murders. In his letter, he asked that the police report be personally brought to the Field Marshal (Göring’s former title). Wolff knew that “the fat man” (Reich minister, Commander of the Luftwaffe, Prussian prime minister, Reich Hunting Minister, Commissioner of the Four-Year plan, Reich Forest Minister, Reichstag President and much more, all in one person) collected the indiscretions of prominent party comrades like other people collected stamps.
One year later, on November 1, 1939, with the Polish campaign already victoriously concluded, Wolff got the opportunity on the other side to repair some of the damage to the chief of staff. A report from an SS Führer landed on his desk stating that there was “a complaint in the strongest language that even now Chief of Staff Lutze rides every morning through the forest with his entire family while horses have actually been removed from the officers of the High Command of the Wehrmacht.” Himmler decided and wrote in his own hand, “Report to Bormann!” Reichsleiter Martin Bormann already had his office directly next to Hitler at that time. He was the official head of staff for Rudolf Hess, the deputy to the Führer, but his influence on Hitler was far stronger than that of his superior. Wolff reported Lutze’s problem with the horses with the comment: “Personal! Confidential! Secret!” and left it to Bormann’s discretion “to decide what further measures should be taken.”
The fact that Lutze had to justify himself to Bormann (“The horses must be exercised!”) did not improve the climate between the former fighting comrades. The snide remarks continued. Wolff had risen so high at this point that he could ignore the running battle with a comrade of lesser rank. In March 1940 SS Hauptsturmführer Dr. Rudolf Brandt, a colleague on the Reichsführer’s personal staff, was working on a report from Brigadeführer Gottlob Berger, Chief of the Reserves Office of the Waffen SS, that Lutze is “slowly becoming a danger to the SS, if not to the entire Party,” because he used the comrades’ evenings that he holds for the SAofficers serving in the Wehrmacht to “criticize other parts of the movement, but directed especially against the SS.” Lutze also “created an awful morale atmosphere against the Reichsführer in a most outrageous manner” among sergeants at Officers’ Training in Döberitz, although he was “in a drunken state” at the time. Berger was advised, “to watch Lutze and at the next opportunity, nail him down.” This would not be difficult, since Lutze “is too stupid and conceited to notice a trap.”
The SS hit back whenever the opportunity arose. It was reported to Himmlerin February 1943 that Lutze arrived at the Polish spa at Krynica for a several weeks’ holiday with an adjutant, although that particular area was closed to Reich Germans and reserved only for wounded soldiers from Stalingrad and children from areas threatened with bombing. Another letter was sent to Reichsleiter Bormann, who in the meantime had been promoted to “Secretary to the Führer” and to “Chief of the Party Chancellery,” becoming one of the most powerful men in Hitler’s Reich. Himmler suggested that “it be arranged that Lutze rest his doubtlessly weakened state of health at one of the Reich’s German seaside resorts.”
Three months later, Viktor Lutze ended all arguments. Officially it was announced that the chief of staff of the SA, while on a business trip, was killed in a crash with the party car. Bormann ordered all Reich leaders, Gau leaders, and unit leaders by telex, with the obligation to attend the state occasion, in this case a Party funeral, at the new Reich
One year later, on November 1, 1939, with the Polish campaign already victoriously concluded, Wolff got the opportunity on the other side to repair some of the damage to the chief of staff. A report from an SS Führer landed on his desk stating that there was “a complaint in the strongest language that even now Chief of Staff Lutze rides every morning through the forest with his entire family while horses have actually been removed from the officers of the High Command of the Wehrmacht.” Himmler decided and wrote in his own hand, “Report to Bormann!” Reichsleiter Martin Bormann already had his office directly next to Hitler at that time. He was the official head of staff for Rudolf Hess, the deputy to the Führer, but his influence on Hitler was far stronger than that of his superior. Wolff reported Lutze’s problem with the horses with the comment: “Personal! Confidential! Secret!” and left it to Bormann’s discretion “to decide what further measures should be taken.”
The fact that Lutze had to justify himself to Bormann (“The horses must be exercised!”) did not improve the climate between the former fighting comrades. The snide remarks continued. Wolff had risen so high at this point that he could ignore the running battle with a comrade of lesser rank. In March 1940 SS Hauptsturmführer Dr. Rudolf Brandt, a colleague on the Reichsführer’s personal staff, was working on a report from Brigadeführer Gottlob Berger, Chief of the Reserves Office of the Waffen SS, that Lutze is “slowly becoming a danger to the SS, if not to the entire Party,” because he used the comrades’ evenings that he holds for the SAofficers serving in the Wehrmacht to “criticize other parts of the movement, but directed especially against the SS.” Lutze also “created an awful morale atmosphere against the Reichsführer in a most outrageous manner” among sergeants at Officers’ Training in Döberitz, although he was “in a drunken state” at the time. Berger was advised, “to watch Lutze and at the next opportunity, nail him down.” This would not be difficult, since Lutze “is too stupid and conceited to notice a trap.”
The SS hit back whenever the opportunity arose. It was reported to Himmlerin February 1943 that Lutze arrived at the Polish spa at Krynica for a several weeks’ holiday with an adjutant, although that particular area was closed to Reich Germans and reserved only for wounded soldiers from Stalingrad and children from areas threatened with bombing. Another letter was sent to Reichsleiter Bormann, who in the meantime had been promoted to “Secretary to the Führer” and to “Chief of the Party Chancellery,” becoming one of the most powerful men in Hitler’s Reich. Himmler suggested that “it be arranged that Lutze rest his doubtlessly weakened state of health at one of the Reich’s German seaside resorts.”
Three months later, Viktor Lutze ended all arguments. Officially it was announced that the chief of staff of the SA, while on a business trip, was killed in a crash with the party car. Bormann ordered all Reich leaders, Gau leaders, and unit leaders by telex, with the obligation to attend the state occasion, in this case a Party funeral, at the new Reich
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