In Sergeant Bigglesworth C.I.D., Julius Hans Gontermann was a prominent top Nazi leader who, after the war ended, led a gang which conducted high profile robberies using aircraft.
Gontermann was born in Garlin, Mecklenburg in 1902. Although he had wanted to pursued a military career, he was dismissed as a cadet because of some misdemeanour and so turned to politics. Not finding any success in this field either, he went to America where he became an associate of a top criminal, Max Grindler, at one time the US "Public Enemy No. 1". When Grindler was caught by the police, Gontermann turned state's evidence and got off with a light sentence. After his release, he took up jewel smuggling between America and Europe. He was caught again and served another 3 years. Released in 1933, he was deported to Germany where he joined the Nazi Party.
Gontermann rose rapidly in the Nazi Party, and participated in the Spanish Civil War as part of the Condor Legion, and subsequently in Czechoslovakia and Poland. In March 1942, he was decorated with the Knight's Insignia of the Iron Cross for his work in the First Air Fleet under Generaloberst Keller. Subsequently, he was promoted to Hitler's personal staff and he ended the war as liaison officer between Hitler and the Luftwaffe.
After the war ended, he was wanted for various war crimes, but by then he had made his preparations to disappear and continue living a life of luxury. Gontermann was a good friend of Kurt Baumer. Chief Test Pilot of the Renkell aircraft works where the German designer Ludwig Renkell had been developing a number of innovative prototype aircraft towards the end of the war. Gontermann persuaded Baumer ot join his gang and Baumer pulled in his friend Carlos Scaroni, an Italian pilot whom Baumer had met in North Africa. When Max Grindler was released from prison, he went to Germany looking for Gontermann to settle a score but ended up being persuaded to join the gang for a share of the takings. Together, the gang plotted the theft of the Renkell prototypes as well as the abduction of the aircraft designer. They then flew their aircraft to North Africa where they took refuge in various secret landing strips in North and East Africa.
These landing strips were well supplied with fuel and supplies which Scaroni had hidden away from the British during the time he was serving in the desert. Thus equipped, the gang then mounted a number of highly successful and spectacular robberies, of aircraft and ships carrying gold, pearls and diamonds.
Biggles first met Gontermann in person when he landed at El Zufra after following the gang there. He found the ex-Nazi much as he had been led to expect. Gontermann had been described as ostentatious in dress and manners. Biggles' impression of Gontermann was that of a tall, austere, good-looking man in an "attitude so elegant that it was obviously a pose". Despite the desert conditions, he was still dressed immaculately as though for a ceremony, in a tight-fitting dove gray suit of a semi-military cut.
Gontermann offered Biggles a partnership in the gang. All Biggles had to do was give his wrod that he would not betray him and he would be admitted. This obsession with keeping one's word, Gontermann told Biggles, was one of the major weaknesses of the British. But then again, if Gontermann had known this, he must have known that it was futile to even try asking Biggles to change sides.
Biggles would not meet Gontermann again until the end of the book. By this time, things were going badly for the gang. During their bid to escape, one of the Renkell aircraft, the "Wolf" had been shot down by Bertie. Here Gontermann displayed his ruthless streak by abandoning Scaroni and Von Zoyton in the downed aircraft and continuing with his escape.
Biggles caught up with Gontermann and his pilot Baumer and shot their aircraft down. Gontermann baled out but Baumer remained in the cockpit and died in the subsequent crash. On the ground, Gontermann pretended to surrender to Biggles but then suddenly reached for his gun. Biggles was, however, ready for this and fired first, killing him.