Wilfred von Oven

Wilfred von Oven was a journalist and public servant who lived from 1912 to 2008. He was born in Germany but later became connected to Bolivia. During a very difficult time in history, he worked closely with important leaders.

From 1943 until the end of World War II in 1945, von Oven served as a Press Adjutant for Joseph Goebbels. Goebbels was the Nazi Propaganda Minister, meaning he was in charge of sharing information and ideas for the Nazi government.

Working in this role gave von Oven a close view of how information was managed during the war. After the war ended, his experiences became important for understanding history and the ways that information can be used and controlled during difficult times.

Biography

Wilfred von Oven was born on May 4, 1912, in La Paz, Bolivia, to German parents. His family had a strong military background, with several relatives serving as high-ranking officers in the German Army.

Von Oven became a journalist and joined a group connected to the Nazi Party in 1931 but left a year later. He worked as a war reporter during battles in Poland and the Soviet Union during the Second World War. In 1943, he was appointed to help the leader of Nazi propaganda until the end of the war. After the war, he hid under a different name and later moved to Argentina, where he continued to write books and articles.

Death

Wilfred von Oven passed away in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 13, 2008. He was 96 years old.

Awards and decorations

Wilfred von Oven received several awards and decorations during his life. These include the Spanish Cross in Gold, the Medalla de la Campaña, and the Iron Cross (1939) in both 2nd and 1st Class. He was also awarded the Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal and the Panzer Badge in Silver. In 1997, he received the GfP Ulrich von Hutten Medal.

Writings

Wilfred von Oven wrote many books about his experiences and history. Some of his works include Schluss mit Polen from 1939 and Panzer am Balkan – Erlebnisbuch der Panzergruppe von Kleist from 1941. Later, he wrote Mit Goebbels bis zum Ende in 1949, which was also published under different titles such as Finale Furioso and Dr. G. – Meister der Propaganda. He also wrote about Argentina, such as Argentinien. Stern Südamerikas in 1957 and 150 Jahre Argentinien in 1960. Other books cover topics like the Spanish Civil War and the history of the SA.

His final book, Ein „Nazi“ in Argentinien, came out in 1999, and he also wrote about Wilhelm Canaris in 2001.