The Soviet Southwest and Stalingrad Fronts completed the encirclement of the Sixth Army at Stalingrad, when they met near Kalach on November 23, 1942. The Sixth Army headquarters was located at the Gumrak Airfield. Friedrich Paulus appealed to the OKH by radio that he be given freedom of decision concerning actions inside the encirclement. (Stalingrad: The Death of the German Sixth Army on the Volga, 1942-1943)
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Dr. Karl Gebhardt, SS-Gruppenführer, born November 23, 1897 in Haag/Bavaria, wounded in action and winner of the Iron Cross 1st Class in World War I, personal physician to Heinrich Himmler, chief surgeon to the Reich Physician, President of the German Red Cross, conducted medical experiments at Ravensbrück and Auschwitz concentration camps, winner of the Knight’s Cross of the War Service Cross, after the war convicted of crimes against humanity, executed by hanging on June 2, 1948 at Landsberg am Lech, Germany, last words:
“My death is of no special importance among thousands who were killed in action. Maybe I could have been a help for many, but I took all the responsibility upon myself, so as to protect men younger than myself from the same fate. I am leaving without any bitterness. From my dignity as a devoted Catholic, I know that God will make people responsible for every injustice they did.” (2,000 Quotes From Hitler’s 1,000-Year Reich)

