Beeren, Karl von.

Beeren, Karl von, born 10-02-1890 in Eissen, Kreis Warburg, one year after Adolf Hitler, entered the Army as a Fahnenjunker, on 01-05-1909, 19 years old. During World War I he was from 02-10 until 27-03-1918, a machine gun Officer on Staff of 15^th Infantry Regiment . As a result of wounds  on 27-03-1918, he was transferred to the 1^st Replacement Machinegun Company of the VII Army Corps. When World War I ended, von Beeren remained in the new Reichswehr. 26-08-1939 he was Commander of Cologne, following until 10-02-1942 had the command of 193^th Infantry Regiment of the 69^th Infantry Division , commanded by Generalmajor der Infanterie, Hermann Karl Tittel  . Tittel survived the war and died age 70, on 22-08-1959, in Münster.

The 69^th Infantry Division took part in the invasion of Norway in April 1940 and thereafter remained in that country as part of the occupation forces until December 1942. The surviving members of the unit surrendered to the Red Army shortly after the city fell on 09-04-1945. From 01-12-1944 until 11-01-1945 he was the successor of Generalleutnant Kurt Schmidt as Commander of the 526^th Division in Germany. Von Beeren was prisoner of war in British captivity from 09-04-1945 until 13-12-1915, but on 13-12-1945 he was arrested for alleged war crimes and interned. On the night of 19/20 November 1942, the British launched Operation “Freshman,” an attempt by Royal Engineer commandos to land in Norway by gliders and destroy the heavy water plant at Vemork. Norway members of the group, Claus Urbye Helberg  Knut Haukelid  Arne Kjelstrup  Jens Anton Poulson  Knut Magne Haugland  They all survived the war and Helberg died age 84, on 06-03-2003, Kjelstrup died age 81 on 05-05-1995, Poulson died old age 91, on 02-02-2010 and Haugland died also old age 92, on 25-12-2009 and was the last living crew member who served on the Kon-Tiki expedition. Unfortunately, the operation ended abruptly with the crash of both gliders killing 14 of the engineers. The Germans captured the remaining 20 soldiers and over the next few months, executed them all. The executions were conducted in accordance with the Commando Order issued by Adolf Hitler in October 1942, which stated that all Commando troops were to be killed immediately upon capture. The local Norwegian population were unable tp prevent the prisoners being executed but tended the graves of the dead until the end of the war. Following the war, the British arrested Leutnant von Beeren, whose 280^th Infantry Division was headquartered at Stavanger during Operation “Freshman”, to investigate his possible complicity in the executions.

  

Absolved of complicity by a British Court Martial in Hamburg, he remained a prisoner of war in various camps including Special Camp No. 11 at Bridgend, South Wales . At last on 10-10-1947, Generalleutnant von Beeren was transferred to Hamburg on the ship El Nil and on 20-11-1947 released from internment.

He lived till his death on 13-09-1961, at the age of 71, in Rheda Wiedenbrück and is buried on the village cemetery of Rheda-Wiedenbrück. Section 13-Grave 740/741.

  

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