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Kurt Student turned toward the door as it opened and glowered at the aide who entered through it. The General, now approaching 50 years old and having just been given command of the 7th Flieger (airborne) Division, had given strict orders that no one was to disturb this meeting. But when he read the note the aide handed him, his demeanor changed. The single sentence read, “Marschall Goering is on the telephone about a matter of utmost urgency.”
Field Marshal Hermann Goering and General Student knew each other quite well. The Marshal was in charge of the Luftwaffe, and Student had enjoyed a long association with aircraft as well. In his book The Fall of Eben Emael, James Mrazek notes especially Student’s “experiments with parachuting and the transportation of units and supplies by aircraft.” This Student was also something of a pioneer.
Anyways, Goering told Student to fly to Berlin as quickly as possible, because Adolf Hitler had requested a meeting with him at the earliest possible moment. No, he had no idea of the subject matter, just that Student needed to get to Berlin.
And that’s how General Kurt Student found himself, twenty minutes later, in the cockpit (he was an accomplished pilot) of a plane, bound for the German capital. And while the plane he flew was no screamer, it didn’t hold back his brain, which was probably running at warp speed in an attempt to figure out what could be so pertinent to require this kind of rapid response.
It was October 27, 1939, and the war in Poland was already over. Things had quieted down a bit. Was there an upcoming operation?…a clandestine mission? Just a high-level meeting? He had no clue…but he didn’t have long to wait.
Arriving in Berlin shortly before 2pm, he was whisked into Hitler’s presence, who dispensed with any small talk and got straight to the point. He noted that Student had some experience with gliders and that 7th Flieger had gliders. Student nodded in confirmation.
Hitler continued (as recorded by Mrazek), “I have a job for you. I want to know if you can do it. The Belgians have a fort here.” Hitler pointed at a map. “Do you know it?”
Student’s response: “Yes, my Fuhrer, I know it well. It is a tremendous fortification.”
Hitler proceeded to describe some of the particulars of the fort, and then said, “I have an idea. I think some of your attack gliders could land on top of Fort Eben Emael and your men could storm the works. Is that possible?”
General Student was stunned, not only by the idea’s audacity, but also by it’s almost ridiculous simplicity. He requested a bit of time to think it over, which the Fuhrer granted. Student returned the next day and…
Well…let’s tackle that tomorrow…
Recommended Reading: The Fall of Eben Emael
