Germany / Biography

​​Otto Muthesius​


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Ottfried Muthesius (21 April 1921 - 25 September 1945), was taken prisoner of war as a non-commissioned officer in March 1945. Subsequently interned in France, he died while clearing mines in Deauville.​

​​Ottfried (​​Otto) Muthesius was born on 21 April 1925. As a non-commissioned officer, he was last stationed in the state of Hesse, where he became an American prisoner of war near Gießen on 27 March 1945. After temporary internment in various collective camps, including Zülpich, he was then transported to Rennes. Finally, he was interned in the Voves prisoner-of-war camp.

Muthesius recorded his experiences in a diary, in entries that were mainly addressed to his mother, Erna Muthesius. On 20 April 1945, on the occasion of Hitler's birthday, he wrote that a conflict broke out among the camp inmates. This was because the internal German (Nazi)-led camp leadership organised celebrations for the event, but some officers had refused to take part. However, the camp leadership had won this fight.

There were also conflicts over the use of labour. The internal German (Nazi)-led camp leadership had issued the slogan: "It is unworthy of a German officer to work for the enemy!". However, Muthesius volunteered to search for and clear mines. On 25 September 1945 he died in an accident in Trouville-sur-Mer. According to a comrade's report, Muthesius was buried the following day near Deauville. Today, Muthesius rests on the war cemetery in La Cambe. The final grave location is in block 34, grave 236.