Erwin von Witzleben

Job-Wilhelm Georg " Erwin" von Witzleben (December 4th 1881, August 8th 1944) is a German field-marshal during the Second world war and a combatant of resistance at the time of the Complot of July 20th, 1944 against Adolf Hitler.

Youth

Erwin von Witzleben was born with Wrocław in a family from officers from Thuringe. It finishes the program of the bodies of Prussian juniors with Legnickie Pole and Lichterfelde and is integrated into the pomegranate 7 regiment the June 22nd 1901 with Legnica as lieutenant. In 1910 it is promoted with the rank of first lieutenant.

It Marie with Else Kleeberg, the couple has a son and a girl.

First World War

At the beginning of the First World War, von Witzleben is assistant of brigade in the 19th infantry of reserve, it becomes follows captain and chief of company in the regiment of infantry of reserve 6 in October 1914. He becomes later commander of battalion in the same regiment. The unit of von Witzleben takes part in the Bataille of Verdun, in the area of Champagne and in the Flanders. It is wounded seriously and one decrees the to him Croix of iron of 1st and 2nd class. It is transferred to the drive from staff and takes part in the war as a first staff officer of the 121e division.

Period enters the two wars

Von Witzleben is chief of company in the Reichswehr. In 1923, it is found in the staff of the 4th division with Dresden as a major. In 1928, he becomes commander of battalion in the regiment of infantry 6 and preserves this position as a lieutenant colonel during the year which follows. After promotebeing promoted colonel in 1931, it takes the head of the regiment of infantry 8 with Frankfurt-on-the Oder. To the beginning of 1933, it is transferred to the station from leader from infantry VI with Hanover.

Von Witzleben is promoted with the rank of general major in the Wehrmacht on February 1st 1934 and moves with Potsdam to become the new one ordering the 3rd division of infantry. It succeeds the general Werner von Fritsch as a commander of Wehrkreis III (military district) with Berlin. It is promoted at this station lieutenant-general and in September 1935, he becomes general commander of the 3rd army corps in Berlin. In 1936, it is promoted general of infantry.

Already in 1934, von Witzleben gives an opinion against the Nazi regime when him, Erich von Manstein, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb and Gerd von Rundstedt, require an investigation into the death of Kurt von Schleicher and Ferdinand von Bredow at the time of the Nuit of the Long Knives. One pushes it with a hasty retirement following this request and with his criticisms on the persecution of the general Werner von Fritsch by Hitler. This retirement is of short duration, because Hitler needs him whereas the war is about to burst.

As of 1938, von Witzleben is member of a group of conspirators with the generals Ludwig Beck, Erich Höpner, Carl Heinrich von Stülpnagel and Wilhelm Canaris, the chief of the Abwehr. These men want to reverse Hitler by a coup d'etat which seems possible at the time of the crisis of Sudètes in 1938, von Witzleben must play a big role there. However, Hitler concludes the Accords from Munich thwarting the plans of the conspirators.

Von Witzleben is also implied in the plot of the general Kurt Freiherr von Hammerstein-Equord in 1939. The plan of Von Hammerstein-Equord is to seize Hitler directly by a frontal attack, von Witzleben, as for him, must deal with buckling the general headquarter of the Party. This plan also falls to water.

During this time, in November 1938, von Witzleben becomes commander-in-chief of the 2nd group of armies with Frankfurt-on-the Oder.

Second world war

In September 1939, von Witzleben, then general colonel, takes the command of the armed 1e, confined in the West. When Germany attacks the France the May 10th 1940, the army of von Witzleben belongs to the Groupe of armies C. The June 14th, it bores the Ligne Maginot and in three days, it forces several French divisions to go. Von Witzleben receives the iron Cross in reward of this action and it is promoted field-marshal in 1941. It is named commander-in-chief of the West, but less than one year later, it must be withdrawn for health reasons. However, according to certain sources, it would have been obliged to withdraw itself after having criticized the mode following the Opération Barbarossa.

In 1944, the conspirators at the sides of Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg see Erwin von Witzleben like the key component of their plan. While general colonel Beck is had a presentiment of with the temporary post of head of state and general colonel Höpner as commander of the reserve army ( Ersatzheer ), the field-marshal von Witzleben must take the supreme command of the whole of Wehrmacht as a soldier highest graded. However, von Witzleben is stopped the July 20th 1944, following the attempted murder of Hitler by von Stauffenberg with the Wolfsschanze in Eastern Prussia, whereas it goes to the general headquarter to Berlin to take the command of the troops of the coup d'etat. It is expelled abruptly of Wehrmacht by the alleged court of honor of the regular army, a conclave of officers formed after the attempted murder to expel the officers of Wehrmacht having been implied in the plot, mainly to be judged by the Volksgerichtshof rather than by the martial Cour.

The August 7th 1944, von Witzleben is in the first group of the conspirators brought in front of Volksgerichtshof. The judge who chairs is Roland Freisler and he condemns to dead von Witzleben the same day for his participation in the plot. The last words of von Witzleben at the court, addressed to Freisler, are:

You can give us to the torturer. In three months, the badgered and disgusted people will trail you alive in mud!

Erwin von Witzleben is put at died this same day with the Prison of Plötzensee in Berlin. It is hung with a piano wire whereas the execution is filmed for Hitler.

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