Hans-Jürgen Bernard Theodor von Arnim (German: [hansˈjʏʁɡn̩ fɔn ˈʔaʁniːm]; 4 April 1889 – 1 September 1962) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several armies and was the last commander of Axis forces in North Africa. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Hans-Jürgen Bernhard Theodor von Arnim was born in the town of Ernsdorf in Prussian Silesia on April 4, 1889. His father, Hans von Arnim (1861–1931) was a General in the German Army and Jürgen would follow in his father's footsteps and join the army in 1907. During the First World War he fought on both the Western and Eastern fronts and after the war, he remained in the Reichswehr.
When Hitler and the Nazis come to power in 1933 Von Arnim was still in the Reichswehr and continued to serve in the Wehrmacht as a major general. 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 Strike.[1]
His surrender to the British was a part of Spike Milligan's Monty: His Part in My Victory where he was misnamed (whether by accident or on purpose as Milligan renamed many characters to spare them embarrassment) as Von Arnheim, where Major Chater-Jack announces the German defeat stating that "It's over! General Von Arnheim (sic) has surrendered and he is very angry."
Von Arnim was sent to Britain where he was held and interrogated (as well as bugged) at both Latimer House and Trent Park. He was then interned along with 24 other German general officers at Camp Clinton, Mississippi,[2] and was released on 1 July 1947.[3]
He died in 1962 in Bad Wildungen, West Germany.
The Jewish population of Tunisia was used for forced labour by Arnim to prepare defences against Allied attacks, and the Jewish community was ruthlessly plundered for gold.[4]
