WAR CRIMES: True Story

For two days at Nürnberg, tall, intense ex-Gestapo agent Dr. Hans Bernd Gisevius “sang.” He had some significant gossip to impart: in 1933 War Minister Field Marshal Werner Eduard Fritz von Blomberg (54, widowered father of five) met Erika Gruhn in one of Berlin’s better brothels. Said Gisevius, she was licensed to ply her prostitute’s trade in seven major cities, and, as a sideline, she sold pornographic literature. By 1938, she had acquired such influence over the Herr Minister that he decided to marry her.

It so happened that ambitious Hermann Goring was looking for an easy way to eliminate Blomberg, who was a lukewarm Nazi at best and might oppose schemes of conquest. Fraulein Gruhn was just what Goring needed. Goring was most helpful to Bridegroom Blomberg, even induced Hitler to come to the wedding. But as soon as the couple had left on their honeymoon, Goring took Frau von Blom-berg’s police file to the Fuhrer. Hitler promptly flew into one of his tantrums and sacked Blomberg.

Three days after Gisevius’ testimony, the story’s heroine spoke up. Indignantly, she told a U.S. correspondent that she had never been a prostitute, registered or otherwise. She had once been arrested with a man in a hotel room, but that “could happen to any girl.”

She said the police file mentioned by Gisevius was probably forged. After all, the whole thing was a Nazi conspiracy. She admitted that Goring had helped eliminate one of her lovers (“I wanted to marry this other man but Von Blomberg was crazy for me”). Even Hitler had been friendly at first. “He was really a man women could go for,” mused Erika, “. . . with his dark hair and restless eyes.”

Despite Gisevius’ “terrible accusation,” Frau Von Blomberg, now 34, hopes to go to work for the Americans. “I want it to be a decent job,” she said.