Those are the opinions of Historians (and one documentary film maker specialising on Nazi Germany), I’m not nearly deep enough into the topic to really know what I’m talking about, but I could imagine that he had no idea what went on on the eastern front given that he was in Africa that’s how they come to conclusions such as “probably without ever realising it”. And if he really supported that kind of extermination campaign – why didn’t he behave like that in his area of operation? Remember that all that didn’t happen the information age, he was knees-deep in Sahara sand most of the time with other things to worry about.

He’s certainly controversial but, like Stauffenberg, the Bundeswehr has bases named after him, and the reason is in both cases the same: Military leaders turning against the government because their actual loyalty is the people and nation. That’s something the Bundeswehr wants to be part of the tradition, hence why they honour him. Stauffenberg also isn’t a spotless hero, for one, the man was a monarchist. Being a bit mean I can see a “Soldier, you may be a broken clock but twice a day try to do something” kind of meaning in it.